Smart meter awareness week: busting myths and raising awareness of the benefits of smart meters

This week marks the first Smart Meter Awareness Week, intended both to raise awareness of the benefits of smart meters and debunk myths associated with them.

Cited as the next generation of gas and electricity meters, smart meters measure and display how much gas and electricity is being used and what it is costing.

These meters are being installed in homes across Great Britain to replace traditional ones - and come at no extra cost. In terms of who is responsible for installing them, Ofgem (the energy regulator) states that it is the billpayer's right to make the change.

Here, we outline some key benefits for landlords:

Automatic readings can be sent to the supplier meaning that the final bill can be accurately calculated both during and at the end of a tenancy

The meters can be set to both pre-paid and in credit mode over the air, at the billpayer's request

Meter readings can be sent to the supplier daily or even half-hourly, meaning that a landlord would not need to attend the property to take a meter reading at the end of the tenancy and can monitor usage during void periods

Meanwhile for tenants:

Tenants can track how much they are spending on their in-home display which helps towards saving money by indicating how much energy is being used in near-real time

Smart meters send automatic readings to the supplier, highlighting usage history which, in the case of house shares, makes splitting bills much simpler

Energy can be paid for in a variety of ways: in advance, topping up online / in shops, or after energy has been used through a direct debit payment

Being aware of how much energy appliances are using can also contribute towards being more energy efficient

Finally, installing a smart meter assists with making our energy system smarter - in turn cutting down on energy waste by forecasting demand more efficiently. Plus, the system will also be able to draw on more local and renewable sources of energy, too.