Council Property - is it ok to get a Smart Meter?

someboody · 10 October 2017 at 2:35PM

Hi,

I live in a council property and am looking to switch energy supplier with a smart meter as they offer the cheapest prices for me. However, I'm wondering whether the council will have any issues with it?

I did some research online and it seems to suggest that as long as you're the bill payer, you do not need the landlord's consent. However, as this is a council property, I'm thinking whether different rules apply? They carry out an annual gas safety check on my property and my worry is they will ask me why I've had a different meter fitted on my premises.

Would appreciate any advice from those who have had it done or know that it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks!

footyguy · 10 October 2017 at 2:38PM

someboody wrote: »

Hi,

I live in a council property and am looking to switch energy supplier with a smart meter as they offer the cheapest prices for me. However, I'm wondering whether the council will have any issues with it?

I did some research online and it seems to suggest that as long as you're the bill payer, you do not need the landlord's consent. However, as this is a council property, I'm thinking whether different rules apply? They carry out an annual gas safety check on my property and my worry is they will ask me why I've had a different meter fitted on my premises.

Would appreciate any advice from those who have had it done or know that it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks!

Where did you do your research?
Refer to your tenancy agreement.
Have you asked the council for advice?
Good luck!

Neil_Jones · 10 October 2017 at 2:43PM

In most council tenancy agreements you pay the energy bill and the wiring for the meter and what not on the supplier side of the meter (where it comes in and up to and including the meter) is the responsibility of the supplier/local utility company, and everything after that (ie the fuse box, the internal wiring and whatever else) is the council responsibility.

The smart meter for gas/electricity will almost certainly not need consent from the council as they didn't put the meter in in the first place. A water meter on the other hand probably will need permission from the council first. However it won't hurt to fire an email off to the council's housing department.

someboody · 10 October 2017 at 6:43PM

footyguy wrote: »

Where did you do your research?
Refer to your tenancy agreement.
Have you asked the council for advice?
Good luck!

My 'research' was through Google, none of which refer specifically to council tenants. My tenancy agreement has no provisions in relation to smart meters but I guess that's because my tenancy agreement dates back over 22 years and smart meters weren't envisioned when it was written.

Neil_Jones wrote: »

In most council tenancy agreements you pay the energy bill and the wiring for the meter and what not on the supplier side of the meter (where it comes in and up to and including the meter) is the responsibility of the supplier/local utility company, and everything after that (ie the fuse box, the internal wiring and whatever else) is the council responsibility.

The smart meter for gas/electricity will almost certainly not need consent from the council as they didn't put the meter in in the first place. A water meter on the other hand probably will need permission from the council first. However it won't hurt to fire an email off to the council's housing department.

Thanks Neil for this helpful post. Already fired that email off a couple of days ago and am still waiting for a response

Pretty sure it should be fine like you say but I thought i'd check what others' experiences are in the meantime. I was only concerned since the council undertake an annual gas safety check on the gas meter and boiler in the property and thought they may ask why I've had my gas meter modified without prior authorisation from the council.

Neil_Jones · 11 October 2017 at 10:40AM

All that happens with the meter as far as the council safety checks are concerned is primarily to check that there aren't any leaks and that the pressure is good and that the installation is sound. The meter itself doesn't come into it apart from them connecting a pipe and what looks like a pressure gauge to a point top right on the meter itself.

It's no different to when your meter itself needs to be replaced, if the supplier decides it needs to be replaced because for example the numbers have stopped going round, that would just get done as you're not changing anything the council have installed, and as I say above its not their responsibility anyway.

Council Property - is it ok to get a Smart Meter?

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free