Linky meter: is it really mandatory to choose the meter?

Long decried and castigated, the Linky meter has finally imposed itself in most homes. But what do we risk by refusing it?

Since 2022, France has been going through a big energy crisis . Also, households are doing everything they can to limit the bill. In effect, electricity prices have risen sharply . In this context, the Linky counter seems more useful than ever. designed as a smart device , it can analyze and transmit data . Thus, this box seems ideal for control consumption . However, a minority of users persist in refusing its installation. Health risks, question of personal data, mistrust regarding this smart meter lasts for years. But recently, its use has become an obligation.

The energy code now mentions the Linky meter

A long time, a gray area persisted as for the installation of the famous green box. It must be said that the latter has encountered an outcry for years. Individuals, decided to refuse the Linky meter, have set up collectives and carried out actions . And for many years, the disagreement between them and Enedi s has run its course in the courts.

However, in March 2022, the Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) made a decision to say the least explicit. From 2023, households that have refused the installation of the Linky meter, and who have not provided at least one index reading in 2022, will have to pay compensation to cover this service, regardless of their electricity supplier. energy. »

A trend endorsed by a judgment rendered by the Court of Mâcon May 9, 2022. Theoretically, Enedis could even terminate your contract . Nor can the law force an individual to let a technician enter his property. To circumvent the problem, the company therefore counts impose the Linky counter , with a different constraint. The goal? Typing directly to wallet recalcitrant users .

What to expect?

Unlike the Linky counter, old meters do not allow remote readings. From there, Enedis now applies fees to penalize those who refuse the famous box .

However, users can still avoid these penalties . To do this, they must provide a statement of their consumption . And send it to Enedis, at least once a year. This way, you won't have any overhead. But this solution can only last until December 2024. .

That said, if you refused the Linky counter , and you have not transmitted an index of your consumption for more than one year, charges apply. To finance the intervention of a technician, in order to take the reading, Enedis will bill you 8.30 euros every two months .

Finally, know that self-reports can no longer exempt you from paying after January 1, 2025. To avoid an additional cost, you will then have to prove that the installation of the Linky meter remains impossible. And this, by invoking serious reasons, on the technical level.

Moreover, know that this little box can become an ally , if you want to optimize your energy consumption . By controlling the amount of electricity spent, you can easily reduce your bills. Indeed, nowadays, some tools, such as My Energy Manager , allow to identify power-hungry appliances .

Source : TF1