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British Gas disabling HIVE devices claiming they are not efficient enough?
MrMobodies:
So customers "buy" these things, pay to see it (SUBSCRIPTION below) and British Gas who are behind it come up with an excuse that they are working on more efficient versions as an excuse to brick them and scrap the service.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2023/08/hive-axe-cameras-smart-devices-consumer-rights/
--- Quote ---Hive to remotely switch off certain cameras and smart devices by 2025 including three this summer – here are your rights
Molly Greeves | News & Investigations Reporter 8 August 2023
Smart home tech provider Hive is to switch off the technology for three of its smart devices this summer, leaving you unable to use them. A number of other products – including security devices and leak sensors – will be disconnected by 2025. To check if your device is affected and find out your refund rights, see below.
Hive, which is owned by British Gas' parent company Centrica, says the decision to discontinue its security and leak detection sensors is because it wants to focus on energy-saving products instead. BULLSHIT EXCUSE
The products affected have been taken off of the Hive website. However, we've seen that some other retailers, such as John Lewis, are still selling them, so check if an item is one of those that will be pulled before purchase. For more help on your consumer rights and how to complain if you're not happy with a service or goods, see our Consumer Rights guide.
Here are the Hive products and subscriptions that will be discontinued
Hive provides ‘smart’ home devices, such as indoor and outdoor cameras, as well as heating and lighting products. Users pay an upfront fee for the product itself, which they can buy from Hive or from a third party retailer. They then control their items via the Hive app – there is a free option to do so, or you can pay a monthly subscription of £3.99.
Hive has already switched off functionality for the following devices...
Boiler IQ wifi. This stopped working on 1 August 2022.
Hub 360 sound detection. This stopped working on 31 December 2022.
Hive camera. This stopped working on 1 August 2023.
Nano 1 Hub. This stopped working on 1 August 2023.
...and will also be switching off functionality for these devices and cancelling any associated subscriptions:
Leak sensor, plus Leak subscriptions. These will stop working on 1 September 2023.
Hive HomeShield, plus HomeShield subscriptions. This will stop working on 1 August 2025.
Hive View indoor camera, plus Video Playback subscriptions. These will stop functioning on 1 August 2025.
Hive View outdoor camera, plus Video Playback subscriptions. These will cease to work on 1 August 2025.
These devices can't be used with other providers, so once they stop working that's it. For further help you can also see Hive's information page.
If you want to cancel your subscription sooner, select "settings" in the bottom left corner of your app account, then "payment details". Under your active subscriptions, click "cancel".
Your consumer rights if you're unhappy about the products being discontinued
* Hive's terms and conditions allow it to withdraw plans and devices, so long as it gives customers at least 30 days' notice — this is the case whether you bought your product directly from Hive or from a third-party retailer.
However, this doesn't override consumer rights law, which states that products should last for a reasonable length of time – otherwise, they may be considered faulty. What's "reasonable" in any given case will depend on the circumstances, including how long you've had the product, how much you paid for it and how long products of that type normally last. While there's no guarantee you'll get any money back, if you don't think your Hive gadget has lasted a reasonable length of time, you can raise a complaint with the place you bought it from. Make sure you include any evidence, such as details of your devices and when you purchased them, in any complaint you make.
If you purchased directly from Hive: You could ask for a full or partial refund, depending on how long you've successfully used the device or devices for, by emailing the firm at help@hivehome.com. Hive told us it WILL provide refunds on faulty devices up until the date of discontinuation, so long as the item was bought within the past year. It's unclear whether Hive would agree that a device is "faulty" on the basis that it didn't last a reasonable length of time, but it's worth putting your case to it and citing your consumer rights.
It's also worth pointing out that those who purchased the Nano 1 directly from Hive have been emailed a voucher code to get half price off the Nano 2, though this doesn't mean that this product won't also be discontinued in future. If you want to upgrade, and you also have British Gas HomeCare cover, you should contact Hive at help@hivehome.com first as you may be able to get an even bigger discount.
If you purchased from a third-party retailer: It's worth checking if you're still within the returns window. You have the right to return goods bought online within 14 days of receiving them, even if nothing is wrong with them. While you don't have the same rights for products bought in-store, many stores offer generous returns policies; John Lewis, for example, allows you to return products within 35 days for any reason. After this returns window, you have fewer rights, but you could try asking for a full or partial refund depending on how long you've successfully used the device or devices for. Again, you may be able to argue that your gadget did not last a reasonable length of time – though there are no guarantees.
Hive customers vent their frustration
Some Hive customers have expressed their anger about the move on Twitter:
--- End quote ---
The terms and conditions means THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY LIKE and have more rights to it than the buyer.
--- Quote ---— Emily Harper (@EmilyTheNumbers) August 2, 2023 @HiveHomeUK
you have discontinued a perfectly functional product. How do you justify this when resources are scarce and we are in the midst of a climate crisis? We will never buy another hive.
--- End quote ---
No not hive, another CLOUD product that you don't run in house and control.
--- Quote ---— ziggazagga (@ziggazagga) August 4, 2023 @HiveHomeUK
thanks for making the cameras i purchased from you redundant. Do i get a refund because you just broke them?
Will get rid of all hivehome products now.
Sonos tried this once.
--- End quote ---
That's right, you brought it and PAID to see it.
https://www.gbnews.com/news/british-gas-hive-security-system-discontinued
--- Quote ---Homeowners’ security systems to become useless as British Gas begin switching off devices
By Holly Bishop Published: 04/08/2023 - 12:43
Some of the Hive 'smart home' devices have already begun to be disconnected
British Gas is pulling the plug on their Hive ‘smart home’ devices and has started to switch off their customers’ security cameras already. The home provider announced last year that it was scrapping its home security range, including digital security cameras and burglar alarms which link to users’ smartphones. This means customers’ devices will soon become redundant, in some cases only a few years after they were purchased.
Hive shared this news with more than two million of its customers, saying that the discontinued devices would eventually stop working by 2025. Hive security cameras are being switched offlineHive Home. However, Hive is shutting down some of its products earlier than anticipated, with some ceasing operation from this week onwards. The firm, which is owned by Centricia, the parent company of British Gas, disconnected users of its Hive Camera and Nano 1 Hub, which connects smart home devices to Wi-Fi.
Hive said it had Hive said it had “* big plans to make homes more energy efficient and cheaper to run”. :bullshit:
The move comes as Hive decides to pivot its business into supplying sustainable devices, such as heat pumps and electric car charges. Hive added that by getting rid of the smart home products, it would allow them to focus on developing “smart home tech that’ll get us closer to net zero”. Yet the brand did not respond when asked to further elaborate on how the switch benefited the environment.
Customers have been left confused and irritated. More like betrayed.
Brian Smith, a retiree from Wadhurst whose two Hive Cameras became obsolete on Tuesday, said: “I am peeved. What energy are these cameras consuming, or what resources, that makes it necessary to withdraw them to achieve net zero? “I have had these cameras for four years, but I don’t understand why it should be necessary [to discontinue them]. If I could have been supplied with a more credible explanation as to why they are giving them up I would be more satisfied.” Smith believed the cameras would last at least another two years but now have been rendered useless. The cameras acted as a guard against potential burglaries, as Smith could view the outside and inside of his house remotely, which put his mind at ease.
--- End quote ---
* Big plans to sell replacements under the excuse it will be cheaper to run.
For the nature of these sorts of things I'd consider them rental but no have to "buy" them first.
Sounds like a big con to me and betrayal for the security stuff.
When the solar panel installer started to talk about "APPS" on phones, "SMART WIFI STICK" and "CLOUD MONITORING" last year, my confidence and trust went to zero but fortunately there is a way to run an inhouse appliance Homeassistant for Fox-ess stuff.
So this what happens when they "buy" something and pay to see it.
Joke: Owner buys a fish tank with fish and water but to see the fish they have to pay to put their head under the cloth covering the tank to see the fish.
Efficiency more important than your security... pay up for newer version or be left without it
What do you think?
EPAIII:
So you are surprised?
What surprises me is that anyone would buy a product that they can't completely own and control. But then, here I am using a computer with Windows. .........
AndyBeez:
A possible opportunity for repurpossing these cloud fogged devices with Tomato or OpenWRT. I wonder if the real reason for the demise is cyber security issues or the third party cloud provider is linked to the Chinese government? Just more e-waste.
mikeselectricstuff:
--- Quote from: EPAIII on August 17, 2023, 07:41:36 am ---So you are surprised?
What surprises me is that anyone would buy a product that they can't completely own and control.
--- End quote ---
No surprise at all - the average member of the public has no clue about these issues. Ditto issues like repairability, security etc. How else would douchebag companies like HP sell any printers for example.
tom66:
This is why my smart home stuff is all Zigbee.
I have a Drayton Wiser system for heating control. I specifically bought it because it can work entirely locally, with Home Assistant. I will never, ever use a product supported only by the cloud and will try to convince others to avoid these products.
Hive seems like a really nasty company/division of Centrica. Perhaps we need a law that stipulates if you release a cloud-enabled product you are required to support it for at least a decade and if you do discontinue it, are required to pass the resources for supporting the technology over to the open source community, including domain name end points etc.
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