Do You Give Meter Readings With A Smart Meter?

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LimesFruit@reddit

assuming it is working properly, it should automatically report readings to your supplier

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No. I occasionally check that the reading matches the data they have as and when I think about it and if I notice a significant discrepancy (note updates arent real time, theyre quick, but not real time, so there will be some discrepancy) Id contact my energy supplier, but not had to do that.

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ross-dirext-words137@reddit

No you don't need to give your meter reading with a working smart meter. The issues is laod of them don't work, use technologies that's been discounted (2g) or only work with some providers.

I have had 4 different mart meters now. They start of great, you change suppliers and suddenly your back to meter readings.

The new generation of smart meters are meant to work with everyone. But I am sure they will break them again.

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seklas1@reddit

You should take photos of your meters for your own records, just in case. Otherwise, check to make sure numbers reporter match. Outside of that, you don’t provide meter readings, because they get them automatically.

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AnonymousTimewaster@reddit

If your smart meter is working correctly you shouldn't have to report anything.

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Hazz3r@reddit

If you’ve got a smart meter your readings are being automatically reported. That’s the point of them.

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FumbleCrop@reddit

Except when they're not, because they're not as smart as claimed.

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HomeworkInevitable99@reddit

Mine stopped working and the electric company booked me for 0 electric used.

I tried to give them a reading, but they wouldn't accept it, they said they only accept the smart meter reading.

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sharpied79@reddit

If they aren't sending HH readings to DCC then there's a problem with the meter, simple as...

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20127010603170562316@reddit

Which means getting the MOP involved.

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takesthebiscuit@reddit

Member of Parliament? Normally we don’t put the o

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20127010603170562316@reddit

MOP = Meter Operator. They'll be a company that "owns" / manages your meter. DCC = Data Collector, they're the ones responsibility for the readings.

I used to work for a power company, so I knew the lingo the OP was referring to and decided to join in :)

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takesthebiscuit@reddit

Ahh ok so the acronym is MOp for meter operator not MOP

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20127010603170562316@reddit

Maybe, but all the systems are so old and interconnected, all the TLAs get capitalised.

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FumbleCrop@reddit

Or a compatibility problem. Not so simple then. A lot of people switched suppliers and found their smart meters turned dumb.

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kipperfish@reddit

Yeah this is an issue with first and possibly second gen smart meters.

Pretty sure any installed now will work across all suppliers.

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KeyJunket1175@reddit

Octopus gives us bonus points if we submit smart meter readings. I don't think it's just a hook to login every so often, I don't see the point of that for an energy company

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YetAnotherInterneter@reddit

No they don’t. If you have it set up correctly they give you 2 spins of the wheel for having your smart reader automatically send readings.

I agree their communication is a bit confusing and makes it sound like you get extra points for manually submitting. But you don’t. So long as it is set up correctly you get the same amount of points for automatic submissions.

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HeartyBeast@reddit

There was a period of about 2 years where I was requested to provide readings by octopus, despite having a smart meter.

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YetAnotherInterneter@reddit

That was probably because you either had an old smart meter that couldn’t be transferred to a new supplier or it was incorrect set-up so Octopus couldn’t automatically read it.

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HeartyBeast@reddit

Nope. Newly installed by octopus. SMETS 2 with 30 minute readings showing on the app (I’m on Agile) About a year after install started getting reading requests for a couple of years. Bit odd

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Grouchy-Nobody3398@reddit

Make sure the bills are based on actual readings from the meter and not estimates if the meter has lost contact. If the readings are actual then there is generally no need to supply your own, after checking the first couple to make sure your bills are for your meters...

We are in the fun position of the gas readings being actual and the electric being estimated due to a faulty meter, , so doing monthly readings for electricity and letting the gas readings go through on their own. The oddity about it is that the gas meter simply passes the reading to the electric meter to transmit onwards...

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justsomerabbit@reddit

I'm in the opposite camp - electricity meter works fine, gas meter has been dumb for 5 years ever since I switched from British Gas.

There's some movement on pushing suppliers to fix things now. Maybe I should put in another complaint and see what happens. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2026/03/smart-meter-energy-suppliers-new-rules/

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Grouchy-Nobody3398@reddit

I had to do a SAR for another issue at one point and it revealed that suppliers removing a faulty smart meter was recorded in the ofgem statistics as a smart meter removal full stop, and therefore counted against them in the national rollout plan progress and the fines they got for not meeting targets... So they were better leaving the faulty ones in place than replace them with a working one...

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sharpied79@reddit

As a side note, sign up to a service like Hugo.

Then not only do you have access to a nice front-end to view you readings but you have a separate copy of your meter readings stored elsewhere than the meter operator/energy supplier and this could be used if you end up in a dispute.

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nathderbyshire@reddit

Not unless they ask you for one really. If they need to validate a reading for whatever reason, they'll ask for a picture or send someone round. If your smart drops, then you'd have to submit, it will say on your bill if a read is needed.

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ASGT908@reddit

I check my smart meter readings regularly on the app to check it's all in order. You can do manual readings which if you are on a default tariff (price cap), id recommend doing when the rate of gas/electric is about to change which is every 3 months.

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georgejk7@reddit

Smart meters send usage data regularly if they are working correctly.

I have 2 smart meters that are not currently communicating correctly so I have to submit meter readings myself manually.

Icba to get an engineer round ATM so I'm happy sending meter readings manually. Otherwise I can call the energy suppliers up and get them to send an engineer if I really want it fixed.

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BronnOP@reddit

We still give one every 3 months or so via the app just to make sure if anything has unexpectedly gone wrong with the smart meter we aren’t hit with a huge bill.

The power companies also send someone out every two years or so to do a manual reading.

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55percent_Unicorn@reddit

That's the entire point of a smart meter. However, if you have a first generation smart meter, then you may need to give readings because that were only smart for the company that installed them. I.e. you just have a regular meter.

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

The smart meter sends the readings for you.

You should probably check every now and then that the meter is saying the same thing as your energy app, but like... Send them a yearly reading? They get daily readings.

Some people are very resistant to change, and do not understand new technology.

You don't have to listen to them.

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Underwritingking@reddit

Well British Gas tell me my late dad's smart meter didn't supply them with readings

They also say I read the meter wrong, there new owners read the meter wrong, it was an estimated reading, and that every one of the 15 "final" bills I have received in respect of my dad's property are "interim" bills (even one is different and vary form being 89p in credit to over £600 in debit)

They also say they can't find the photos of the external meter readings I have now sent them twice.

My advice would be to record everything, especially if you are with British Gas who are either utterly incompetent or a bunch of liars (or perhaps both)

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Freedom-For-Ever@reddit

If smart water meters can connect up to local wired broadband, why wasn't this solution used for electricity/gas meters?

I have always wondered why they used the mobile network, particularly in areas with poor coverage.

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bondinchas@reddit

In slot of cases, smart gas meters don't work because being battery powered their signal doesn't travel well, so readings have to be sent manually.

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TheWeirdDude-247@reddit

I still have the rotary disc meter....it has been altered so it moves....slow.

Iv ignored everything for upgrade but I know my days are numbered, im just trying to ride out the wave until I cant no more.

Because I dont have a smart meter I have zero information how to adjust, but I know there's a way because there's always a way for everything

I will find the solution.....

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DopeyMan999@reddit

All depends. I had a smart meter installed by British gas. It took and sent readings several times a day. Then I switched suppliers and it turned into a thick meter so I had to submit readings manually.

Eventually, I switched back to British gas and the the meters remained thick until I put in a formal complaint.

Look at your account with your energy suppliers, you should be able to see the meter reading history.

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Do_not_use_after@reddit

Smart meters connect to the supplier using a 'utility' internet connection, My smart meter fails to connect to my actual meters a lot, so occasionally I get an estimated reading once every few months. However, it catches up on the next month. Once a year a chap comes round and reads the actual meters, just to check things are right, but on a month to month reading everything is automatic and doesn't need any intervention from me.

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HeWhoHasABeard@reddit

If your bill shows actual reads then there’s no reason for you to give readings

If you move into our out of a property I would always 100% recommend taking your readings though and recording a picture of them

All going well they won’t be needed. If the meter loses comms or just doesn’t send readings at that time though and at least your covered

If you check your bill and it has estimated readings and this happens over a few bills. Manually enter your reads though and let your suppler know.

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PatserGrey@reddit

Nope. Their readings are accurate. Their (Outfox) silly system does still send me email asking for meter readings though 🤷‍♂️

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spudgun20@reddit

While the smart meter reports readings constantly all day every day, keep check of things on your account with your supplier regularly. My smart meter stopped reporting readings and I never noticed, I'd simply assumed it'd keep going faultlessly.

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CodeBeginning6548@reddit

There is absolutely no need to do this if you have a smart meter - this is what they are designed to do.

The only reason you would ever need to with a smart meter is if your bill was showing incorrect meter readings. As long as your bills and meter tally up, then don't waste your time.

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Ned-Nedley@reddit

You technically shouldn’t have to but mine was not sending the right data (wasn’t sending gas usage ) and I just got hit with a £500 bill. I’d send your own readings every 3 months or so just to be safe.

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Careful_Garden@reddit

Smart Meters should submit your readings for you, every 30 mins, weekly or monthly.

However, comms issues means they can fail. Check your bills, if you see it's estimated then contact the supplier, send in readings and keep it up to date

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