A Brief Guide To Smart Meters

It is now the case that energy suppliers have started to offer their customers with the opportunity to install a smart meter. You do not need to worry about this yourself, as it is something that your supplier will sort out for you, although if you really do want one, you can request them direct yourself. 

However, because they are relatively new things to the market, it is only to be expected that some people have questions about them and why people go looking on websites like Utility Bidder for the answer. For those people who have not done that yet, we have put together a brief guide to smart meters.

What Are They?

They are the very latest in electricity and gas meter technology and are being installed in properties right across the United Kingdom. They have been brought in to replace the old style energy meters that are still common in many homes and businesses in the country. They are being rolled out by energy suppliers with the help of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM).

Are They Mandatory?

Although they are not mandatory, energy suppliers are currently offering all of their customers with them and when they replace an old style meter, they do so with a smart one. This is also true for new build properties - smart meters must be installed. Where a customer is offered a smart meter, they are free to not accept and if they change their mind later down the line, there is no charge for retrospectively getting one installed in their property. However, it is important to be aware that by not having a smart meter, it may limit your access to certain tariffs or rates.

What Are The Benefits?

They provide you with accurate and up to date information about how much energy you are using at any given moment in time via a display screen within your home. With this in place, you can easily see how much money you are spending on energy. It is the belief that by seeing this, you will change your consumption in a way that is better for the environment. With a smart meter installed in your home, there is no longer the need for suppliers to estimate what your usage is and send you bills that do not accurately reflect your consumption level.

Can You Switch Supplier Once You Have A Smart Meter?

Just like you can with a traditional energy meter, you are still able to search around for and switch to a different energy supplier. When switching between suppliers, you should not experience any sort of outage that affects your services. This is because the Data Communications Company (DCC) works with the energy suppliers to make sure that the infrastructure is in place to allow them to be able to communicate with the smart technology.

With the introduction of second generation smart meters, it is clear that they are here to stay for good - this should be encouragement for you to get one.