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Agents urged to promote smart meters to landlords

As energy costs continue to rise, agents are being urged to promote the use of smart meters.

That’s the view of Safeagent at today’s start of Smart Meter Awareness Week which aims to help landlords, agents and tenants understand the benefits of smart meters and remove the barriers to their installation.

Research from Smart Energy GB shows that tenants in the private rental sector are more likely to want smart meters when compared to other groups, but they are less likely to get them installed. 

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Safeagent says this could be due to confusion around who’s responsible for installation - it is usually the right of the bill payer but some tenancy agreements have clauses preventing smart meter installation without the landlord’s consent.

Safeagent claims that if tenants on lower incomes have a prepay meter, installing a smart meter could ultimately save them money by not having to step up to a more expensive tariff.

Traditionally, if a tenant fell into debt with a traditional analogue meter, their energy supplier could charge to install a new analogue prepayment meter in their home. However, with smart meters, customers can be switched from credit to prepayment mode without the cost of a new meter being added to their existing debt.

Smart meters also enable tenants to have more choice and ease of how they top up – online, with an app, on the phone, or via text message, without having to go to a shop.

Safeagent chief executive Isobel Thomson says: “Letting agents can play their part by explaining the many benefits of smart meters and supporting tenants by showing them how simple it is to have a smart meter installed.”

  • jeremy clarke

    It's a myth that smart meters save money! A smart meter shows the customer their usage, unless they monitor the usage and change their habits they will make no savings. Most properties that we visit have the display meters tucked away in cupboards where nobody can see them making it impossible to view and monitor. The only savings made in the majority of cases are by the energy companies who employ fewer staff and get huges government grants for every meter they install.

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    Another bandwagon for Isobel Thomson to jump on. Not ever property is suitable for a smart meter. Mine are not suitable, so cannot have them fitted.
    Before encouraging their use, she should have to prove she has them herself.

  • Roger  Mellie

    I think it's a good idea. It doesn't cost anything and I think most people these days like to feel like they're doing their bit to save the planet. They can then feel good about putting the savings towards a Deliveroo delivered by a fossil fuelled moped.

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    No I don’t allow it as it’s is difficult to get a reading to prove usage after the tenancy. The energy companies just insist their figures are correct. The homeowner loses control of the billing. As for tenants on PAYG convert to direct debit ah but of course there’s a reason you don’t get offered that cos you couldn’t be trusted to pay it previously. As for saving a trip to the newsagent to top op nonsense or do you expect your cigarettes and booze delivered now to save you going out

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    Roger they are costing a fortune and they have a switch inside so the energy supply can be disconnected remotelt. I E when the wind dont blow.

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