Smart meters and smart-readiness

What it is

A smart electricity (and where relevant gas) meter with an in-home display, plus the wiring and controls that make a home smart-ready — able to run appliances, a battery or an EV charger on cheap off-peak power. The meter itself is fitted by the energy supplier; we make sure the property is ready to make use of it.

Why it matters for 2030

A smart meter is not itself a big EPC measure, and we say so honestly. Its value is enabling the tariffs and controls that make solar, storage and heat pumps cheap to run, and making a home future-ready as the grid moves to time-of-use pricing.

Which homes suit it

Any let property, especially one getting solar, a battery, a heat pump or an EV charger, where time-of-use control turns those measures into real savings for the tenant.

Grants that apply

Smart meters are provided free by energy suppliers under the national rollout, so there is no separate grant and no VAT to reclaim; the value is in the tariffs and controls it unlocks.

How we do it

We check the property is smart-ready, coordinate with the tenant's supplier where a meter is needed, and set up any battery, solar or EV controls to use off-peak power.

Common questions

Does a smart meter improve my EPC?

Not directly — it is an enabler, not a fabric or heating measure; we are upfront that its value is in running costs, not the rating.

Who arranges the meter?

The tenant's energy supplier fits the meter free; we make sure the property and any equipment are ready to use it.

Why bother if it doesn't change the EPC?

Because it unlocks the cheap tariffs that make solar, batteries and heat pumps genuinely economical.

Is it worth it without other measures?

On its own the benefit is modest; it pays off best alongside generation, storage or an EV charger.

Related: battery storage · solar PV · EV chargers