Many homes can upgrade to a smart meter right now - but where you live, the type of home you live in, and the age and type of your existing meter may mean that your energy supplier will take a little longer to get yours to you. Your supplier will be in touch when your smart meter is ready to be installed.
If you would like to enquire about getting one now, please contact your energy supplier here.
Can I get a smart meter if I’m on prepay?
Yes. Smart meters are set up to work for both prepay and credit customers.
With a smart meter in prepay mode, it’s easier to see what remaining credit you’ve got left using your in-home display, so you can avoid the lights turning off at the most inconvenient times. It also means you can top up whenever it suits you – online, via mobile or at the shop.
Can I get a smart meter if I rent?
Yes, if you pay your electricity and/or gas bills and they’re addressed to you rather than your landlord you can get a smart meter. You don’t need your landlord’s permission to get a smart meter (although you should inform them). If you are not the bill payer, then you can ask your landlord to arrange a smart meter installation for you.
How do smart meters work?
- The Smart meter records your energy usage
- You can view your usage on the in-home display in pounds or pence or kilowatt hours
- Your meter readings are automatically sent to your supplier
- You get an accurate bill from your supplier
How do I use the in-home display?
Energy suppliers offer different in-home displays, which means yours may look different to your friends or neighbours. But all displays will provide the following information and functionality:
- Your energy and/or gas usage
- You can change between pounds and pence and kilowatt hours
- You can see your usage per day, per week and per month
- You can see whether you are using a low, medium, or high amount of energy
- Comparison of your usage in weeks of months
- You can see your real-time usage for different time periods
- You can see your real-time usage for different time periods
- Set budgets
- On some IHD’s you can set targets in pounds and pence or kilowatt hours to help budget for your daily, weekly or monthly usage. Your IHD will help you to monitor how you are doing against your target, so you can make changes around the home to ensure you remain in budget.
*We have included both gas and electivity usage IHD information. If you only have smart electricity or gas meter installed, your IHD will show your electricity or gas usage only.
Many homes can upgrade to a smart meter right now - but where you live, the type of home you live in, and the age and type of your existing meter may mean that your energy supplier will take a little longer to get yours to you. Your supplier will be in touch when your smart meter is ready to be installed.
If you would like to enquire about getting one now, please contact your energy supplier here.
Here's a few important things you'll need to consider before your installation:
- Agree a time and date with your supplier that you can be home for the installation17. An installer will never turn up unexpectedly
- Make sure you know where your current meters are and take steps to ensure they’re accessible for the installer
- The installer should present you with a valid identity card upon arrival, which you can ask to see if the installer does not present it up front
- It takes around one hour for your electricity meter, and around one hour for your gas meter. Your energy supply will be cut off for a short period, but you’ll need to be present for the installation. If you have a health condition reliant on energy supply rest assured this will be addressed during your appointment booking
- If you’re having your gas meter installed, the installer will perform a visual safety check on your gas appliances
- Once fitted, your installer will show you how to use your in-home display and offer energy-saving advice
Please note: Eligibility of smart meters may vary.