Do I have to pay for Smart Meters?

No, Smart Meters are installed free of charge and also include a free IHD (in-home display).

How safe are Smart Meters?

Smart Meters use low level radio waves, the same as TV’s, radios, mobile phones and WiFi. Public Health England (PHE) reviewed evidence and concluded that exposure to such low level radio waves poses no risks to your health.

Will a Smart Meter save me money?

The IHD (in-home display) will show you the energy you use by doing simple, everyday tasks such as; switching on the lights, using the washing machine, boiling a kettle or leaving appliances on standby. By changing your behaviours to; switching off the lights when you’re not using them, only boiling the water you need, washing at a lower temperature or turning appliances off overnight, you can reduce your energy consumption and in turn, save money.

Do I need a broadband connection in my home to be able to have Smart Meters installed?

No. Your Smart Electricity Meter will communicate via two different types of wireless network, the HAN (home area network) and the WAN (wide area network).

HAN is a secure network that works exactly the same as other wireless systems within your home. It allows your Smart Electricity Meter to communicate with your Smart Gas Meter and you IHD (in-home display). Your Smart Electricity Meter uses the HAN to talk to your Smart Gas Meter.

WAN is similar to the network your mobile phone uses to send and receive data. It allows your Smart Electricity Meter to communicate securely outside of your home using the mobile network.

Where will the Smart Meters be installed?

Smart Meters will be installed in the same location as your current meters.

Will you be replacing both of my meters?

If you are a dual fuel customer, we will replace both your gas and electricity meters, where possible.

Do I still use my old electricity key and gas card?

No. You will be given new top-up cards that can be used at any Paypoint, online, over the phone, via SMS or by downloading our app.

What if I don't want to have a Smart Meter installed?

The Government has stipulated all homes must be offered a Smart Meter, however, as they are not compulsory, you can choose not to have them installed.

Will I lose any credit already on my meter?

Any existing credit will be refunded by your current supplier. Please contact them for further information.

What happens to my data?

• All of your personal details are stored within your account with us.
• Your Smart Meters will send us information such as the amount of energy used within your property. We can receive this information as frequently as every half an hour.
• Every day, at midnight, your meter will send us up-to date meter readings with your usage levels and current balances.

Receiving this information will allow us to provide you with accurate information should you have any questions regarding your energy usage and also offer you relevant energy saving advice. By using this data we are able to forecast your future energy usage which means we can buy our energy more efficiently and in turn, keep our prices lower.

Am I in control of my data?

• The data provided by your Smart Meter is protected, you have control over it and can decide whether to send us information monthly, daily or half hourly.
• You can choose whether we are able to share your data with other organisations and whether this information can be used for sales and marketing purposes.
• You can change these preferences at any time by contacting our Customer Service Team.

To change your preferences or for further information, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0333 103 9575 Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm or Saturday 9am – 5pm.

Will the installation cost me anything?

No, there is no charge for installing Smart Meters in your property.

Who will install my Smart Meters?

We use our trusted service partner, SMS to install our Smart Meters. Their engineers will be wearing a SMS uniform and will carry the appropriate identification.

What will happen on the day of the appointment?

The engineer from SMS will call ahead of your 3 hour timeslot to let you know an estimated time of arrival.

In order for the appointment to go ahead as planned, there must be someone over the age of 18 present at the property for the duration of the installation. Please also ensure the area surrounding the meter(s) is free from obstruction otherwise we may have to postpone the installation which could result in you being charged a £40 cancellation fee.

How long will I need to be home for?

It usually takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour to install each Smart Meter. The time will vary depending on the age and the type of the meter.

Will the power have to be turned off whilst my Smart Meters are being installed?

Yes. The engineer will set everything up for the installation and when ready, will switch off your gas and/or electricity for around 20 minutes per meter.

Will the engineer carry out checks to make sure everything works correctly?

The engineer will test one of your plug sockets both before and after the electricity meter is installed to check everything is in working order. If you are also having a gas meter installed, the engineer will check appliances such as; your boiler, gas fire or gas cooker to ensure your gas supply is working correctly.

What will happen to any positive credit on my existing meter(s) when my Smart Meters are installed?

Any credit remaining on your meter(s) will automatically be transferred on to your Smart Meter(s) within 48 hours of the installation.