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Brave new world

One of the leitmotifs of the Rust is the difficulty we oldies experience in dealing with the new techno/internet world. We are the generation that went overnight from ignorance to word and world of windows over night. Being a bachelor I am not susceptible to the same pressures to get things done from the other half. I tend to drift along and make domestic decisions in my own time.

GasIn my new home I inherited a key electricity system the descendant of the old shilling electricity box. You filled up a key at an outlet and inserted this into a meter which inconveniently was in a locked cupboard in the common parts. It is designed more for tenants than owners.

It is not the most convenient as the occasional guest staying in my absence had a black out and I had to monitor how much I had on the meter.

So I decided to transfer to the much publicised smart meter system. This I was informed had the advantages of easy top up, a console with all sorts of information and none of the inconveniences of the key.

I contrived to lose the 2 plastic cards sent in advance. There are a few more annoying things than to be unable to find something you have seen and knew you possess. The back of each card has some gum which caused them both to be attached to a file I had put back in the cabinet.

Gas2The British Gas installer had to cut off the electricity supply. This was restored after an hour .

Yesterday I attempted to download the app as instructed. However On registering with my email I was on 3 occasions advised this was an incorrect address and abandoned the exercise.

The booklet advised me you could top up by phone and if you used the the mobile registered with British Gas they had your numbers automatically.

They did not and asked for my customer reference of which I was unaware.

machineWorse, when I tried to switch on my washer machine it was kaput. I was advised by the installer that sometimes the fuse trips. Unable to move the weighty machine on my own to access the plug, I asked a my odd-job man to do so. He was unobtainable so my managing agent had a go.

Nothing wrong with fuse. So I am already going to incur a call out charge down wiping out any savings with the smart meter system.

Welcome to the brave new world of apps and smart meters. I was happier in the old one.

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About Robert Tickler

A man of financial substance, Robert has a wide range of interests and opinions to match. More Posts