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On Friday, 1 June 2018 13:51:40 UTC+1, Davey wrote:
My electricity supplier has recommended a tariff which would save me
money over the year, but signing up for it also includes this as part
of the T&Cs:

"By signing up to the tariff you are registering your interest for a
Smart Meter. This means we may contact you in the future to discuss a
smart meter installation as and when you become eligible."

Would this lock me into having to have a Smart Meter? I see no way that
I can have this tariff and exclude this clause. I bet they would say
that I was eligible as soon as I signed up.

Smart meters can turn off the supply and that's a fact.

No its not with plenty of them.

Whether the provider use that facility is another matter.
If people are in debt (the usual reason for disconnection) then
smart meters come into their own. The supplier can remotely
adjust the tarrif and recover the debt without disconnection.

Dont need a smartmeter to do that. Smartmeters just record
the amount of electricity used and when it was used, and its
the back office function that applys the tariff, turning the
use into the amount charged. And only the back office
function can do that because only it knows the plan
detail, what the standing charge per day is, what
discount for payment on time is, etc etc etc.

This is not new, the prepaid meters have done this
for years i.e. put £1 on the card, get 80p of electric.

Just as true of not getting a discount if you are not paying promptly.

This is by arrangement with the customer
and not something they would do covertly.

But is something that could always
be done covertly with stupid meters.

Advantages to customers is clearing the debt whilst remaining
on supply and the company has a huge cost saving by not
having to have a little man come out and make adjustments.

Why do they need to use midgets to do that ?

And why not little women too ?

Someone mentioned hacking and it is possible. GCHQ intervened
last year to strengthen the national infrastructer against hacking.

Again we are far from the original question. No you can't be forced to
accept one but the tarrif you choose may depend on you saying yes.

And in fact the more complex time of use tariffs arent even possible without
one.