British Gas Smart Meter Blackmail: You Can Say No To Energy Fascism But It Will Cost You £179
I’m livid. Stressed. Raging. Outraged. Over three weeks ago, a British Gas engineer confirmed that the card reader in my PAYG gas meter was faulty. He noted that I did NOT want a ‘smart’ meter replacement - as is my right as a consumer - and said he would try to get a conventional meter fitted for me. I’ve heard nothing since and the credit is starting to run low. So I contacted British Gas again via their online ‘chat’. The first asshole I spoke to tried to sell me a ‘smart’ meter again, couldn’t understand that the meter was faulty, then eventually told me I would have to pay £179 for a replacement if I chose not to have a smart meter fitted. When I asked him for the source of this information, he ended the chat abruptly.
The second person I chatted to was more reasonable and slightly better informed but after keeping me waiting for 15 minutes, he confirmed that there was no publicly available information relating to this £179 charge, and that it was British Gas “internal policy”. So basically, when I agreed for British Gas to continue to supply the gas and electricity at my address, with me as the named customer, I could not have contractually agreed to such a charge in the event that either meter became faulty. But apparently, British Gas are within their rights to impose this levy in accordance with the rules set by Ofgem. They just don’t make it public knowledge.
Of course, if I wanted a ‘smart’ meter/spy in the home/fascist energy rationing device/RF health risk, I could get one ‘free’. But it’s not free because every consumer is having to pay for the ‘planet saving’ government targeted smart meter rollout via their energy bills. So, if I’m forced to pay for a non smart meter simply for exercising my consumer choice (by not being arsed about preventing climate breakdown), what do you think the chances are that my energy bills will be reduced because I’m not one of those customers who are getting a ‘free’ (subsidised) smart meter fitted? Net Zero, I guarantee.
So I am now left with the ‘choice’ of having to pay £179 to get a faulty meter replaced or making do without a supply of gas to my property. Of course, I could change supplier, but they could just say the same thing, although a few of the other main suppliers say they won’t charge customers to replace a faulty non smart meter with a new non smart meter. I could also change to a credit meter (for which there is supposedly no charge), but after being ripped off several times on ‘variable direct debits’ and having to claw the money back from the supplier, I am loathe to do that. Also, the energy company will probably also insist on me ‘choosing’ a smart meter.
This is energy fascism, pure and simple. The government want to deny consumers choice and force them, one way or another, into accepting ‘smart meters’ into their homes which will then be used to monitor and control their use of energy - and ration that energy as the government sees fit.
The ‘smart’ meter rollout is not going too well though. Customers are wising up and rejecting them, just like me. In the Daily Mail:
The thing is, they’re not even fit for their intended fascist purpose, so many consumers are rejecting them on that basis alone:
But no matter, when you can’t achieve energy fascism via blackmailing customers, cajoling them, or lying to them about the supposed ‘benefits’ of high tech energy fascism, then more fascism is needed; you simply tell customers that they will have a smart meter fitted if their existing meter goes wrong. That’s what they are planning on trying to do next - and I predict that if they pass such a law, then many more meters will suddenly become faulty or be deemed to be faulty as a result of passing their ‘expiry date’.
After attempting to blackmail me into accepting energy fascism, Blitish Gas have now hit me with a dose of eco-fascism. They've just sent me this email TELLING me that I've gone paper-free. Can you believe that? Not MY choice; THEIR choice. Screw them: I intend to change supplier ASAP.
"Hello Jaime,
With everything that’s going on in the energy market right now, we want to make sure you get the latest information as soon as possible. Email helps us to do that. So we’ve switched you to paper-free for your energy bills and communications.
Moving to paper-free means you’ll have all the information you need in one place, whenever you want it. As well as being more environmentally friendly."
I made a complaint to British Gas. I maintained that the charging policy for non smart meter replacements is not made publicly available and thus did not form part of the contract of supply. BG have responded. They say:
“Our policy is : Our Smart Energy Expert will upgrade your meter(s) to smart meter(s). If your preference is for a non-smart meter, we’ll try to fix your current meter. If this isn’t possible, we’ll replace it. An additional fee will be applied to your account/PAYGE meter Gas PP £179.
These information is on a website, please click on the like it will give you the document.
Should you not be happy with our policy please refer this matter to Ombudsman.
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/aem6/content/dam/britishgas/documents/tariffs/terms/Gas-and-Electricity-supply-terms.pdf.”
I wonder if it was written by an illiterate 20 year old or someone whose first language is not English. But apart from the appalling grammar I checked the document and it says nothing about a penalty charge of £179 being levied in the event a faulty meter needs to be replaced. What it does say is:
“14.
Our other reasonable charges (where applicable include VAT at the appropriate rate), which we’ll inform you of at the time include:
•
Visiting your property to repair, move, install or exchange a meter or display unit, or to disconnect or reconnect your supply. If we’re legally required to move a meter to a convenient position, we won’t charge you. Charges may also apply if:
•
we carry out work or move a meter that isn’t faulty
•
we didn’t provide you with the meter
•
the meter or display unit has been damaged or interfered with, in an attempt to steal gas or electricity
•
we can’t gain safe access due to an obstruction which isn’t then removed
•
you ask us to change to a different meter or to install a meter which is different to the type of meter we usually fit.”
So, they can impose a ‘reasonable charge’ for exchanging a meter. That’s clear. But what they are attempting to do IMO is impose a very UNREASONABLE charge for replacing THEIR faulty meter with a like for like conventional meter when they would impose no charge for replacing it with a smart meter, even though the latter replacement would involve the same amount of work and time. Non- smart meters are clearly available to BG and there is no indication that they cost more to purchase and fit. Clearly, the customer is simply being penalised for making a choice as regards the type of meter they wish to have fitted and this is not made clear in their supply contract. Whether it’s worth pursuing them on this I don’t know. Corruption is so institutionalised now, I doubt whether the Ombudsman will take my genuine complaint seriously. Other companies are apparently NOT imposing this charge though, so this is not blanket policy throughout the industry.