Four of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers – E.on, Npower, British Gas and SSE – have resumed smart meter installations.
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments:
“The lockdown put a halt to smart meter installations just as they were making great progress, so it’s good to see that four of the big six energy firms are taking appointments again.
“If you want a smart meter installed now you will see some big changes to the process to keep you and the engineer safe.
“Companies have developed ‘no contact’ installations, which may need you to be in a different room to the engineer. Advice will be offered over the phone rather than face-to-face, and engineers will wear protective clothing and masks.
“If you are over 70, considered at high risk from coronavirus, or anyone in your household is displaying symptoms, you will be asked to wait until a later date. Appointments can also be rescheduled if someone starts displaying symptoms.
“If you’re in a vulnerable position or anxious about having an engineer in your house, you can check your own meter more frequently and submit your own reading to your provider instead.
“Smart meters are great for letting suppliers instantly know if your energy use has changed, meaning bills can be adjusted quickly.
“Many of us are using more energy than usual during the lockdown, as workers and their children stay at home.
“Our research shows that two million households still rely on meter readers visiting their property. Waiting for a meter reader can mean that bills don’t accurately show how much energy has been used, potentially resulting in nasty shocks down the line.”
It’s all about “U”!
Thank you for indulging us over the last 20 years by using a small ‘u’ and a big ‘S’ when writing about our brand in your articles.
We are delighted to let you know that you are now off the hook - it’s big U’s all the way (and small s’s) as we undertake our biggest ever rebrand - so let your autocorrect go wild!
Uswitch is the UK’s top comparison website for home services switching. Launched in September 2000, we help consumers save money on their gas, electricity, broadband, mobile, TV, and financial services products and get more of what matters to them. Last year we saved consumers over £373 million on their energy bills alone.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a new business that also owns Money.co.uk and Bankrate.
If you would no longer like to receive our press releases please email prteam@uswitch.com with 'unsubscribe'.