Customers are landed with the bill for installing useless smart meters

SIR – I read with interest the advertisement feature on smart meters (July 20), in particular the section headed: “Will the roll-out put our energy bills up?”

The clear and simple answer is yes. Smart meters don’t grow on trees: they have to be paid for. And guess who ultimately will pay? The customer.

Smart meters were designed to save the suppliers money, partly by dispensing with meter reading on site. A meter cannot save anything. It is merely a recording device.

Don Hodgkiss

Cranleigh, Surrey

SIR – I read that the £11 a year “benefit” for households fitting smart meters looks likely to be reduced even further.

My own smart meter is in a kitchen drawer, not so smartly awaiting its resurrection as and when my new supplier tries to connect it. It came from my previous supplier.

To cap it all, advertisements on commercial radio last week suggested that by using one of these meters the savings would enable one to be able to have an extra 115 or so baths a year.

Have those responsible not noticed the warnings of impending water shortages during the current drought? Perhaps they should be advising of the benefits of water meters.

Richard J C English

King’s Lynn, Norfolk

SIR – I have yet to work out how I can save money with my smart meter. I don’t have central heating to turn down, my hot water is run off a water heater and I only have a shower.

It does keep telling me that my living room is too hot, though. I’m sorry but I cannot turn off the sun.

Anne Whalley

Penzance, Cornwall

SIR – The main accusation against smart meters on your Letters page is that they are designed solely to save the energy firms money.

This reminds me of an encounter I had they other day with an elderly lady complaining about the use of selfservice tills as they only “saved money” for the company.

She was quite shocked when I told her that if they saved money, her basket of goods could doubtless be provided to her for less.

Kevin Prescott

Littlehampton, West Sussex

SIR – I not only read my smart meter but I upload the data on to my ipad and produce pretty graphs. This does not reduce my use of gas and electricity but it keeps me amused.

I have noticed that we use 40p more on days that we do any washing and tumble drying. Maybe we should stop washing our clothes to save money.

David Faulks

Hove, East Sussex

SIR – EDF failed to turn up to install a smart meter. I’m not sure whether to be cross or pleased.

Bob Payne

Hythe, Hampshire