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Single rate electricity smart meters

  • 6 April 2021
  • 6 replies
  • 41 views
M
Userlevel 1

Hello, I'm a noooob around here  :)

I have just received the call from the smart meter installation people, very informative and helpful lady called Lea. I could not go ahead with the installation simply because it would cost me more, quite a lot more, overall for my electricity usage. Am I missing something here? I am dual fuel with PP, but I currently "benefit" from dual rate leccy, day and night, obvs. Apart from being able to monitor usage more accurately, does single rate electricity save, or at least work out in some way comparable to my monthly read, eco7 setup? Probably a no brainer, I'm simply looking for a reality check here!

Thank you, in advance for any and all feedback  :) 

6 replies

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

@Mal4660

Are you with PP for both gas and electric?

I don’t understand and can’t imagine what you’ve been told but on the face of it it sounds wrong.

If you are with PP for both fuels and either or both meters are changed it won’t affect your costs at all.

As far as economy night rates are concerned your thinking is sadly wrong. If you are with PP and you have economy 7 you are paying the same rates for both day and night units, there is no benefit to you to use appliances off-peak (there is for the generators as it puts less strain on the electricity grid).

I suspect both you and Lea(h) have misunderstood this.

Currently you give two readings for electric, if you have a smart meter fitted it will, while you are on a single rate tariff with PP,  eventually change to you giving one reading only. If you were to change to a supplier who had different rates the smart meter would change to 2 rates.

If you stay with your original meter it will stay as 2 rates but while with PP then, at the moment, they charge the same rate day and night.

Having a smart meter fitted will make no difference whatsoever to what you are being charged for or what you are paying.

Changing providers or tariffs? That’s a different story...

Does that help at all?

LATER EDIT

Is your storage heating (assuming that’s what you have?) currently controlled automatically, by which I mean you have no control over when it comes on?

If so there is a different answer...

 

DJGShef

I use a little spreadsheet to work things out when I am looking to change suppliers as every case is different. You need to add up the costs of consumption for each rate (day and night) based on your past usage and then add on the standing charges, membership fees, etc.

If you are using night time electricity to heat storage heaters/radiators, it's possible that the cheapest supplier for you is one that offers dual rate.

For me, it has always been the case that the cheaper night time electricity I use does not compensate for the higher day time rate and I am therefore better off on a single rate tariff.The

Hope that helps.

Bev
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Snap Shef, re your penultimate paragraph 👍👍👍

Enjoy the simple things in life
M
Userlevel 1

Thank you both very much for the replies.

I am on dual fuel with PP, I do not have storage heaters, combi boiler all the way  :) 

From what I was told by the smart meter installation people was that I would LOSE my cheaper night time rate of electricity, I must have missed the point that PP supplies a fixed rate, day and night, leccy, although, when I switched from eon, I had to supply day and night leccy reads along with the standard gas meter reading. 

I am a 2 bed house, single occupier, low(ish) user of both gas and electricity. I actually do want smart meters, for the novelty and, ofc, the micro management OCD thing! 

Perhaps I'm being a little thick here...would I lose, gain or pay about the same for my ELECTRICITY if lose my dual, day and night tariff(?) And go onto single rate leccy with the smart meter installed?

I do keep a record of my yearly energy usage and with the help of Martin's Money Tips energy providers switch thingy, I tend to hang on to, or switch to the best yearly fixed or otherwise providers, hence here I am at PP.

So...have the smart meter installed, go on to single rate electricity, if I'm not already on fixed rate! And basically, pay, more or less, my forecasted tariff? 

I'm not asking anyone to decide this enormous, life changing event for me, just, I suppose, is there any disadvantage to having smart meters fitted by PP? If not, I'm in, I've been curious about these little house spies for a few years now :) 

D
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

@Mal4660 

If you are on supply with Pure Planet, you are already on single rate electricity, and you will pay exactly the same with a smart meter as you do now.

Just bear in mind though that contrary to popular belief, a smart meter in itself will not save you money, but will if all is working as it should will give you an insight into your daily/hourly usage costs

M
Userlevel 1

Thanks Duppy, simple answer fora simple bloke! Much appreciated  :) 

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