Joy of joys my new “smart” meters are in, up and running, and have been for a couple of months. So I had to raise a complaint with my supplier as they have given me no indication of whether they can read the meters remotely, or if they are working from their end. Particularly relevant given the gas meter took a couple of weeks to go live, I wanted to make sure all was OK at their end, and if I could stop taking readings.
It turns out that they can “Access the meters” remotely, they do not have the capability to take readings and use them to produce bills! So I still have to submit monthly meter readings… At least I can now read the meters from the display unit in the hall, and not have to scrabble around under the stairs (electric)/on a ladder outside (gas).
So it’s a smart meter that has a dumb-supplier on the other end… To be honest I quite like the compromise!