Business smart meter FAQs
Smart meters are designed to make life easier for businesses. Once connected:
Smart meters are designed to make life easier for businesses. Once connected:
Fill out our get a smart meter form to let us know you'd like to upgrade.
If you're eligible to have a smart meter installed, one of our trusted partners will be in touch to book an appointment that suits you.
We work with third party specialist companies to install smart meters on our behalf including IMSERV, SMS, EAL, and MDS.
Fill out our get a smart meter form to let us know you'd like to upgrade.
If you're eligible to have a smart meter installed, one of our trusted partners will be in touch to book an appointment that suits you.
We work with third party specialist companies to install smart meters on our behalf including IMSERV, SMS, EAL, and MDS.
Not every business is eligible to get a smart meter straight away. This may be due to meter installation requirements and/or poor network signal.
If you've applied for a business smart meter, but we can't currently proceed for any of these reasons, we'll be in touch, or write to let you know your options and next steps.
Not everyone is eligible to get a smart meter straight away. This may be due to meter installation requirements and/or poor network signal.
If you've applied for a business smart meter, but we can't currently proceed for any of these reasons, we'll be in touch, or write to let you know your options and next steps.
If you use more than 100,000 kWh electricity, or more than 293,000 kWh gas a year and you're a non-micro business you can choose between an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) smart meter and a SMETS2 smart meter. Both offer similar benefits, depending on your needs – see the comparison table below.
If you choose an AMR meter now and want to change to a SMETS2 meter at a later date, you may be charged for the new meter.
An alternative to a business gas smart meter is to have a data logger device fitted to your existing gas meter.
Data loggers work in the same way as a smart meter by using mobile phone technology to send suppliers your readings remotely.
You don't need to read your meter, but if you still want to, you can read it in the usual way.
A: Normally, an installation of a business smart meter takes about an hour. If your meter is in a hard-to-reach place, or your set up is complicated, your installation may take longer.
When we install your smart gas or electricity meter, we may need to turn your electricity off for about 40 minutes.
We need ensure messages go between your gas and electricity meters and this is the reason we may need to switch your electricity off when installing a gas meter.
Our installation partners
We may sometimes use partners or sub contractors for your smart meter installation.
For details of how we manage your personal customer data, please see our privacy policy.
Watch our video on Your smart meter's not a salesman!
A. If you're a micro business and not half-hourly settled, you can opt out of your energy data being used by filling in our opt-out form. We'll still collect your monthly meter readings to produce accurate bills, but we won’t be able to offer you personalised energy-saving advice.
Watch our video on Your smart meter's not a pushover!
A: Yes you can.
We operate 4-hour timeslots between 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday. When we call to book your appointment, please advise us of the best time to suit your business.
A: Someone will need to be on site to meet the technician and give them access to the meter
We'll test your network signal to make sure it's strong enough to send meter readings. Our technician will then record the final reading on your old meter.
For your electricity meter, your electricity will be turned off for about 40 minutes, It' will take about an hour to fit the new business smart meter.
For your gas meter, Your gas will be turned off for about 40 minutes, It' will take about an hour to fit the new business smart meter. Please also be aware our technician may need to also switch your electricity off during this time
Our technician will then take a first reading from your new smart meter.
A: We use 3rd party installers to install our smart meters. We use the following: for Gas - SMS and EAL For ELEC- IMServ & MDS. You will get a call from our install partners to arrange an appointment for your smart meter upgrade.
Our installation partners
We may sometimes use partners or sub contractors for your smart meter installation.
A: Sometimes our technicians face issues during the installation and smart meters can’t be installed on the day. This could be:
If you're not happy please, raise a complaint.
If you're a micro business, find out more about the Electricity and Gas (Standards of Performance) (Suppliers) Regulations 2015.
A: If you have other meters on site, not supplied by us, your other supplier will be in touch.
If you have more than one meter with us that requires a smart meter upgrade, please advise us when we book your installation appointment.
A: The Radio Teleswitch Service is an industry-run service that will end soon. Read more on Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS).
If you have the latest generation SMETS2 meter, it will continue to work.
Check with your new supplier, but you may have to go back to submitting your own meter readings until you get the next generation of smart meter installed.
Remember that you can quickly and easily get a renewal quote with us and we'll upgrade your smart meter.
Read our Energy Made Simple sector guides for help with your business energy efficiency.
A: You can request, up to 12 months, of your smart meter data, if you’re the contact on your business account. You can also nominate a third party by contacting us.
Before energy brokers can request your smart meter data, you’ll need to send us a letter of authority (LOA).
A: To see if your meter is faulty:
If the meter is still increasing, it’s probably faulty. If the meter stops, turn on one appliance at a time. If the meter begins to move quickly, the appliance might be faulty. If you think your meter is faulty, please call us on 0330 818 6031.
If your meter hasn’t been connected properly or isn’t working correctly, we’ll fix it for you – free of charge.
The Electricity and Gas (Standards of Performance) Regulations will apply to your installation visit to ensure you receive the highest standards of service.
[1] You could receive an estimated bill, based on your usage history if we're unable to retrieve a reading.
[2] We'll collect daily or half hourly usage data from your smart meter and may use this for commercial purposes, for example to develop new products and services. We'll never give the data to any third party without your express permission, unless required by law. If you're a micro business and you’d prefer us not to collect and use this data you can opt out.
