According to an industry body, landlords ‘can look forward to’ being affronted by hard sales campaigns to switch to smart meters; especially if tenants are classed as poor.

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Research from Smart Energy GB is backed by the firm as it claims renters in the PRS may possibly want smart meters compared to second home and home owners, but apparently less likely to have them installed.

The firm believes this could happen as tenants and landlords could be confused as to who is responsible to arrange and pay for this. However dependent on the kind of tenancy agreement that could contain a clause that the installation of a smart meter without passing this with their landlord cannot go ahead, irrespective of who is responsible for paying the bill.  

The firm also says that some tenants on low incomes may have pre-paid meters and feel that the increase of tariffs associated with smart meters is not worthwhile.

Usually when a tenant falls behind with energy payments with a traditional analogue meter, their energy supplier may charge them when installing a new analogue pre-payment meter in their home, however if they have smart meters then there is no charge to change credit to prepayment meters without any extra charges for installation.

Those with smart meters allows tenants a better choice and is far easier to top up online by an app, on the phone or a simple text message, so there is no need to have to ‘buy’ energy in a shop.