While smart meters are not compulsory, the aim is that eventually all households will have one. When meters need replacing, they are generally replaced by smart meters, but if yours does not yet need replacing, is getting a smart meter a good idea?
What is a smart meter?
Smart meters, like traditional meters, provide information on energy usage, to allow the correct bills to be issued. However, unlike traditional meters, the information is sent directly from the meter to the energy suppliers with no need for meter readings to be taken in person.
Advantages of a smart meter
With a smart meter, there is no need for manual meter readings, so there is no need to worry that your bill will be inaccurate if you find that you weren’t at home when the meter reader came to read the meter.
Bills will always be accurate, based on your actual usage rather than estimated which could lead to you paying too much or allowing a debt to build up.
The display of the smart meter shows you your usage in pounds and pence, allowing you to more accurately budget or take steps to reduce your energy usage. For tips on saving energy take a look at the Energy Savings Trust
If you are on a prepaid meter, some smart meters will allow you to top up automatically or send you a text telling you that you will soon need to top up.
If you choose not to have a smart meter, you could have a metal meter box on the outside of your house that can be accessed by meter readers without disturbing you. If you choose this option, make sure it is properly fitted by a reliable supplier such as https://www.meterbox.co.uk/.
Are there disadvantages?
For people using the first generation of smart meters, there may be problems if you switch suppliers, as the smart meter loses its ‘smart’ function and requires manual readings once again. This should not be a problem with the new generation of smart meters that will be installed for new users.
