‘I’ve always been on’t fence about ’em’ – how Johnny Vegas was won over by smart meters

Energy is one of those umbrella terms that does a lot of heavy lifting. We all know we pay for “energy” – but how much we’re using and what it is costing us day-to-day isn’t always clear.

Well, not anymore! This is one mystery with an incredibly simple answer: get a smart meter.

It will reveal when you’re using the most gas and electricity, enabling you to find ways of using less, saving cash* and time. And doing so is a small way to help to protect the planet. In this case, knowledge really is power.

In a new Smart Energy GB video, comedy hero Johnny Vegas discovers all of this and more when he shows viewers how easy it is to get a smart meter installed. Not only does his delightful engineer, Tom Hicks, sort out the whole thing in less than two hours, but the service and installation comes at no additional cost.

A smart meter makes life easier by sending readings straight to your energy supplier, and shows you how much you’re spending in pounds and pence.

In the video, Johnny discovers that a smart meter installation is straightforward and much quicker than he imagined. When the installer Tom arrives, he takes the latest meter readings, turns off the power for a short while, and then swaps out his old meter for a new smart meter. (Yep, your new meter can usually go exactly where your traditional one currently lives.)

Tom then powers everything back up; job done, time for a cuppa.

A question Tom often gets asked, is whether any of the home’s appliances will be affected. “No,” is his answer, “and I always help with resetting the clocks!”

There’s also no need to send a meter reading before you make the switch as that’s taken care of by the installer too.

“We advise we will change the meter and record the final readings, which get sent to the energy supplier,” Tom confirms. “We also leave an exchange label on the wall with the old readings and meter serial number.”

In the lighthearted video, Tom also introduces Johnny to the smart meter display, which shows how much you’re spending on energy in pounds and pence and in near-real time.

“Once people realise they can track their usage live, they can work out roughly what each activity costs, interact with their supplier’s app and explore energy rewards schemes,” Tom explains. “They often say, ‘I should have done this sooner.’

“The common joke, once everything is up and running, is: ‘I’m going to be watching this display like a hawk; I’m going to charge the kids for gaming, leaving the lights on, having long showers, etc’.”

Johnny adds, “Smart meters are something I hear about all the time: ‘It’ll help you save money… it’s not gonna cost you anything more… it’ll do your crossword for you…’ So I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about.

“The first thing I did was get a film crew round – though I wouldn’t advise everyone does this – and they captured the entire process.

“The installer knew exactly what he was doing on the day, and even gave me some advice on how to save a few quid.

“And actually, looking back, there really wasn’t that much fuss at all.”

For installers like Tom, who already know the many benefits of smart meters, it’s an incredibly rewarding job.

“I personally think smart meters are great,” he says. “I love the idea of helping the country better understand its demand, and ultimately reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

“Personally, I get really excited about the bigger picture of smart metering, working towards a ‘smart national grid’.”

Your energy supplier has probably already offered you a smart meter. If you’ve previously said no, hopefully Johnny’s experience will encourage you to take them up on it.

Better yet, be proactive and book your installation now. Once you have a smart meter, you’ll wonder how and why you ever lived without it.

*Consumer action required.