New British Gas 'mandatory' rule slammed and customers say 'not a chance'

British Gas has been slammed over calls for "mandatory" smart meters. Chris O’Shea, the group chief executive officer of the energy supplier’s owner Centrica since 2020, made the call to MPs on Wednesday as he warned only 56 per cent of customers currently have one.

But on Twitter/X, Nous’ founder Greg Marsh said: “Hey British Gas, maybe more people would want a smart meter if suppliers like you actually fixed them when they were broken? Instead customers are being overcharged then fobbed off with ridiculous excuses.”

Italian Job fumed: "Will a smart meter make my house any warmer? Will it stop me sitting with a hot water bottle in my lap because I am cold? Will it hell. I cannot reduce my heating bill any lower than what it is. British Gas can only do that. This Net Zero is massive, useless and UNSUSTAINABLE"

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Tess fumed: "Mr O’Shae said 36pc of his 7.5m customers have ignored multiple offers to install a smart meter and around 600,000 had actively told British Gas they would never accept the devices. So what? When did freedom of choice disappear in the UK?"

"O'Shea can f*** right off. The only way smart meters can save you money is when they install a chip to cut off your electric at peak hours. @BritishGas," another fumed. Seb said: "“Every household should be forced to have a smart meter, says British Gas boss” Not his business. It is the business of the customer- not the supplier."

"That’s nuts! My parents are still on British Gas because ‘they have serviced our 30 year old boiler each year and continue to do so’ These are the same parents who don’t believe an ASHP works and refuse to get a smart meter," Owen said.

"Not a chance I will have one. How many are faulty ? Are faulty ones replaced free of charge ? Is there remote access to the devices ?" Paul said.