Smart Meters
Helping Landlords with advice & information about the Smart Meter Rollout
What is the Smart Meter rollout?
From July 2016 to 2020, the government wants energy suppliers to install smart meters in every home in England, Wales and Scotland. This will mean more than 26 million homes for the energy suppliers to get into.
Why the rollout?
The European Union asked all member governments to look at smart meters as part of measures to upgrade our energy supply and tackle climate change. After an initial study, the British government decided to adopt smart meters as part of their plan to update our ageing energy system.
Smart meters give you more control over your energy use, help you understand your bills and allow you to see what the energy you use is costing you. Smart meters will also benefit Britain as a whole.
By the end of 2020, around 53 million smart meters will be fitted in over 30 million premises (households and businesses) across Wales, Scotland and England. The programme is already underway. We’re in the first stages and over three million smart meters have already been installed across Great Britain. This is the biggest national infrastructure project in our lifetimes and it will enable a more energy efficient system for Great Britain.
What is a Smart Meter?
Smart meters are the new generation of gas and electricity meters, replacing the traditional meters in our homes. They show you the amount of energy you use in near real time and how much you are spending in pounds and pence.
This can be displayed in near real time on a handy portable screen. They also send automatic meter readings to your energy supplier.
Everyone in Britain will get one.
Smart meters will be fitted in 26 million homes by 2020 as part of a national rollout. It’s the biggest improvement to our energy system in decades.
Your Questions Answered:-
- Does everyone have to have one?
- What are the benefits of getting a smart meter?
- Who installs the smart meter?
- What is the process of installation?
- Technical information
- In-home display unit
- How does this work with Pre-pay meters?
- And with Self-generation electricity?
- Data security
- What are smart grids?
What do Landlords need to do?
The main role for Landlords is to give tenants information and advice.
- Landlords are not responsible for installing, maintaining or running the smart meter rollout, but there may be vulnerable tenants who might need your support in understanding what they need to do and how it will all work
- The tenant is responsible for arranging an appointment time with their energy supplier for the installation of the smart meter
- Some tenants may not feel comfortable using an in-home display – it isn’t necessary for the tenant to use the display, but they will benefit by saving money and energy if they can use it
- The Landlord doesn’t need to be present when the smart meter is installed
AGSM & Smart Energy GB resources for you to download:-
- Information leaflet for your tenants – “Get Gaz & Leccy under control” – Get Gaz & Leccy under control
- A4 poster about Gaz & Leccy –
Video clips on YouTube for you to use:-
Educational films and Adverts can be accessed on YouTube – these are very eye catching, fun and informative. Look out for Gaz & Leccy!
- Gaz & Leccy cinema takeover (hilarious!!)
Smart Energy GB is the voice of the smart meter rollout. They are independent of government, are not an energy supplier and they don’t fit smart meters. They are there to make sure everyone in Great Britain understands smart meters, the rollout and how to use their meters to get their gas and electricity under control.
Materials, training and funding are available to help spread the word about smart meters and the national rollout. Materials, including posters, leaflets, copy, images and educational films, are available to all on our online resource centre. You can also find out about the funding and training available to partners through our Partner Resources page. Offline, they have people on the ground across Great Britain offering face-to-face help and support.