Octopus is forcing me to have a sensible meter however will not put it on ‘dumb’ mode: CRANE ON THE CASE

Last year, I was told by my energy supplier Octopus that I need to get a smart meter, as my existing meter is too old. 

I don’t want to share data on my energy use, so I requested that any new smart meter would be set to ‘dumb’ mode. 

Octopus said this would not be possible, and I didn’t hear from them again for a while.

Now, I am being asked again to change my meter again – but I don’t want to do this unless Octopus confirms in writing that it can be set to dumb mode and not relay any data. 

What are my rights? Can I be forced to have a smart meter? R.H, Wolverhampton

Helen Crane, This is Money’s consumer champion, replies: Smart meters are a touchy subject. 

Some people love to see how much power they use on a minute-by-minute basis, keeping track of the numbers ticking up on the digital display each time they switch on the television or make a cup of tea. 

They can be a great tool for those looking to cut down usage and save money, as many households are at the moment given warnings over a potential energy bill spike.

It also means there is no need to take manual meter readings in order to get accurate bills. 

However, others worry that smart meters give away more information than they are comfortable with. 

Knowing when someone uses power can reveal a lot about their habits and daily movements, and some people do not want their energy company to have access to that data. 

There are also concerns that smart meters would allow an energy company to switch off your power remotely. 

You fall firmly into the sceptic camp. You are interested in being greener and cutting your energy use, telling me you already have a solar panel which powers your home’s water cylinder and are considering upgrading to a full solar system.

However, you feel you don’t need a smart meter to achieve that and were perfectly happy with your old-style one.

The problem came when it reached the end of what is known as its ‘certification life’. 

This is essentially a sell-by date for meters. Energy companies must replace them by law when they reach the end of this lifespan, usually between 10 and 20 years. 

The date should be stamped somewhere on your meter.

Meters that aren’t replaced can start running too fast or slow, resulting in inaccurate bills. 

While your supplier cannot force you to get a smart meter if there is nothing wrong with your existing one, it does reserve the right to do so once your current meter is out of date. 

However, customers are allowed to have it switched to dumb mode. 

This means that it records your energy usage, but does not transmit it to your supplier.

Energy firms are subject to government targets on rolling out smart meters, which is why they are keen for customers to have them. 

They also cut the cost of sending out meter readers and help firms manage demand on the national grid. 

Octopus in particular is a huge proponent of smart meters, and strongly encourages its customers to switch to one. 

However, it cannot force customers like yourself to switch on the ‘smart’ functions of their smart meter, if they don’t want to. What you were told on the phone was wrong. 

I contacted Octopus to ask why it gave you this misinformation. 

It called you almost immediately to organise your new meter installation, and to confirm that the meter could be set to dumb mode. 

A spokesman said: ‘Energy suppliers are required by Ofgem to “take all reasonable steps to install smart meters”, and our standard policy is to provide smart meters. 

‘Our team member did the right thing here to suggest this.

‘We would only install a smart meter in “dumb” mode in very rare situations, when we have exhausted all other options. 

‘However, noting that R.H’s meter is out of its certification date, replacing it is the bigger priority, even if in dumb mode.

‘We’re glad we could find a middle ground here.’

While Octopus says its staff member merely ‘suggested’ a smart meter, your recollection of the phone call was more heavy-handed. 

I am glad your wish not to share your data with your energy firm is now being respected.  

There are some situations where customers can be impelled to have a smart meter. 

The big one is if you want to switch to a time of use tariff, which charges cheaper rates for using power at off-peak times. 

The small print of some of these deals may require you to have a smart meter in smart mode, so the supplier can see when you use power and charge accordingly. These tariffs are popular with EV users who charge their cars at night. 

If you do get new solar panels in the future, I’m afraid you will probably be encouraged once again to switch your smart meter out of dumb mode. 

It’s still possible to have solar panels without a smart meter, no matter what suppliers may tell you. 

However, in your case, if you want to export electricity back to the grid and make money, you won’t be able to use one of Octopus’ ‘smart’ tariffs designed for doing so. 

The firm says that this means you will usually get a poorer rate on the power you sell. 

CRANE ON THE CASE