Should consumers have to pay for smart meters?

These types of meters should have been installed in new houses by default and not have to be retro-fitted with more cost to the end user. As and when exisiting meters go out of calibration then a new one can be fitted. I understand this is normally done every ten years or so. The cost of the meter itself should be very low when made in millions as would be the case for the UK. The scare story figures of them costing over £300 need not be true at all unless someone is making a huge profit out of this.

Of course the consumer will end up footing the bill for these meters, you would hardly expect the energy companies to dig into their profits and of course you can guarantee that the UK Government will not make them do so or pay themselves while they are busy bailing out the banks and preparing for hyper inflation in the years to come.

It had to be the case though, with all the Global Warming / Climate Change propaganda which has basically been softening up the public for further green taxes and cuts in services on the grounds of saving the planet or some such nonesense.

The only reason the British Government and Big British Business colaboaration (ie Corporate Fascism) is suddenly worried about the state of the planet after many decades of abusing it, is that they have realised that this is a cash cow that is now ready to be milked. And milk it they will !!!!

It's time these headless chickens realised that the only way to ensure that the energy needs of the future are met is to invest heavily in nuclear power, not bloody wind turbines.

John Ratcliffe

If the government wants to save the planet from so called global warming, then let them pay - I'll be 6 foot UNDER long before the sea is 6 foot OVER my head.

Sorry, but £9b to save £28 per household does not make sense to me - especially at this time.

At present I telephone my readings per month and receive notice for these. Recently because I have a credit my energy supplier has reduced my budget payments. Would it not be cheaper for the supplier to provide pre-paid "2nd class" cards on which we could provide our readings and then receive accounts for actual readings - alternatively a free phone line to the supplier?

Already FIRST UTILITY offer free smart meters

This is another Big Brother and Stealth Tax scam masquerading under the "Green Umbrella" of saving the planet - The first place to fit these energy saving meters should be the Houses of Parliament and other public buildings which are illuminated overnight.

How dare the "Illuminati" who occupy them, tell me to switch off my domestics which have a red standby light -  to reduce my carbon footprint -  whilst they all fly off to Copenhagen in private jets to stay in 5* hotels on a freebee, to discuss this matter

Bollocks to all of them - I won't be here when this planet explodes

 With regard to gas, I remember, another case of spin, being told that with the discovery of north sea gas that it would not be worth metering it, it would be cheaper just to let us have it free.

           What happened to that forecast then? Was that before it was sent abroad, because we hadn't made any provisions for storing it? was that before Brown sold off much of our gold reserves, (when gold was at it's lowest price)?

           Remember when nearly every town had its own "gas works"? When we made coal gas, and were not reliant on Russia, or the French, not having a tiz and turning us off?

My house has maximum insulation in the attic, has cavity wall insulation, v. good double glazing, all lights have energy saving bulbs fitted, replaced old boiler with new combi, have energy saving gizmos everywhere, plus an Owl (which is a similar idea to what the government want to install and cost £30 - and after first week is a waste of space). So my house is as energy efficient as it can be made.
 

Last December the thermostats in both my boiler and hot water tank failed and when I received the bill for that quarter I nearly had a coronary as my gas bill was quadruple normal. Since then I purchased an Owl consumpion meter, and check gas and electric meters every Sunday (takes minutes) and send the meter readings weekly to my energy supplier via the internet.
 

I do not need this, or any other goverment to tell me how to conserve energy, and I certainly do not see why I should be made to give them money for something I do not need and certainly do not want.
 

The government is selling this as another of their green scams. I do not see the USA, France, Germany, or any other country forcing their public to take part in similar schemes. Gordon Brown is trying to be the Saviour of our planet, just like his predecessor Tony Blair did with his policy decisions. And look at what that is costing.
 

Excuse me, but I am not stupid.

The energy companies are in business to squeeze as much money as they can out of Johhny Public. They have shareholders to look after, and they come first, second and last in their list of priorities.

If these new meters were to reduce consumption as good ol' Gord claims then the energy companies will increase prices to compensate. So at the end of the exercise no one will save any money.
 

Plus the way this government works if the energy companies do want to charge more per unit to compensate for loss of usage then they will be allowed to.
 

All anyone has to do is check all the recent "agreements" made by all energy and water supplers with the so called consumer watchdogs to see that the government is run by, and for,  industrial conglomerates not the people who put them there.
 

We, the people, are the last thing any MP will be worried about at the moment because a lot of the (Labour) MPs will be looking for directorates come next year to supplement their incomes after being kicked out of Westminster.