Smart Meter Installations

DRAFT TEST

Why would I need a smart meter installed?

They save time! You won’t need to read your meter every month to receive accurate bills.

They provide better awareness of how much energy you are using, and which appliances use more energy, and which are more cost effective.

They are better for the environment! With better data about how much energy is needed, the industry can meet the demand with more renewable energy sources.

Do I have to have a smart meter installed?

Energy suppliers are required to offer you a smart meter, but you do not have to accept one if you really do not want to.

Booking your Smart Meter Installation.

Your energy supplier will contact you when they are arranging appointments in your area, and they’ll advise you on how to book an appointment. You may be able to request one earlier if you contact them directly.

They should provide you with confirmation of your appointment booking. If you later want to cancel or change your appointment, your supplier should try to accommodate this request.

If you have gas and electricity meters with the same supplier, your supplier should try to change both meters at the same time. If they cannot, they should advise you ahead of time. If you have different suppliers for each meter, they will need to be arranged separately.

Before your installation your supplier should tell you that there is no cost for installing a smart meter if you are a domestic customer, if you are a Microbusiness then they should advise you what the charge is going to be.

Your supplier should tell you which company will attend where they have appointed a third party. They should tell you where possible, how many agents are going to attend and what to expect at your installation, how long it will take, your rights in relation to the visit and any access requirements.

Sales and Marketing

Your supplier may wish to offer you additional services and products at the time of your smart meter installation. If you are a domestic consumer, they must get your consent for any marketing before the visit and advise you what type of products they may tell you about.

If no consent is given, they must not offer details about products they can provide.

Where marketing conversations are being held, you can end the conversation at any point if you want to. If you are a microbusiness consumer no prior consent is required but you can still refuse the conversation at site.

All marketing and sales conversations must be clear and understandable to you. They must not pressure you into deciding or take advantage of your circumstances. The benefits of any products must not be exaggerated, and they should advise you if they are available elsewhere from your supplier.

Sales cannot be completed at a domestic consumers property at the time of the visit.

If you did not give consent however changed your mind at the visit and would like to know more, you can ask for written information to be left with you.

Smart Meter Installer Agents

The agent that attends your property should be appropriately trained for the role. They should be professional and courteous and leave your premises as
close to the way they found it as possible.

The agent should carry identification confirming who they are and who they are working for. You are entitled to contact your supplier to confirm their identity. If you have a password set up with your supplier, the installer should use that password on arrival. There will be a record kept of which installer attended your property.

If you have any requests you wish for the installer to observe, let them know and they should do so where reasonable.

If the property is sheltered housing, or if you are vulnerable, your supplier should seek permission from a person of authority where appropriate. The person of authority should be present at the visit and if they are not there the visit will not go ahead. If the installer identifies a vulnerability whilst at site, they will provide this information to the supplier.

Site Visits

Before the agent installs your new meters, they will do a site inspection. They might find out that the meters need moving from their current location if they do you, they will tell you why the meters need to be moved and you can decide to cancel the installation if you do not want them moved.

If they agent cannot complete the work, they must advise you why and let you know the steps for rearranging where possible.

Once the new meters are installed, the agent should show you how to use your new smart system and leave you clear written instructions including any relevant screens if your meter has been set up in prepayment mode.

If you are a domestic consumer, they must offer you an In-Home Display (IHD) and install this in a place convenient for you. They will show you how to use the device. If your IHD becomes faulty within the first 12 months of being installed, your supplier should replace or repair it where possible.

If the agent notices anything wrong whilst testing the system they must advise you what the problem is, what the expected resolution would be and how long it is expected to take.

The agent should provide you with advice on electrical and gas safety such as not storing objects too close to your meters, getting gas appliances serviced and the dangers of carbon monoxide. The agent should also tell you how to use your new smart system to use energy more efficiently. The agent will direct you to impartial information sources and advise you where you can access more information.

How do I feedback or complain about my installation visit?

Your supplier should provide you with a way of providing feedback about your smart meter installation and use the data collected by any feedback to improve future installations for other consumers.

You should be advised how to raise a complaint and seek redress if you were unhappy about your installation.

You may be requested to complete a survey after your installation. Your energy supplier is obligated to appoint an independent company to conduct a survey from some of their customers who have had a smart meter installed.