A smart meter is a new generation of energy meter that puts you in control of your energy – by measuring how much you use and on what kind of appliances. Then, unlike your old meter, it shares this info with you online and on an In-Home Display (IHD).

What will a smart meter do for me?

A smart meter can automatically send your meter readings to us on a daily basis (this is the default read frequency you consent to when having a smart meter installed). It also gives you the ability to:

• track your energy usage and costs, helping you to spot patterns in your electricity (and gas) usage, so you can find out where you can possibly make savings
• see which appliances are costing you the most
• get more accurate bills since readings can be sent to us automatically, so no more estimated bills

How do smart meters work?

Smart meters use their own secure network to send us your meter readings, which is entirely separate from your home wi-fi. You consent to daily readings (or you can tell us a different frequency if you desire).

Why is the government supporting the smart meter rollout?

The government wants to upgrade our ageing energy systems and move towards a more-efficient smart electricity grid. This will make it easier to control energy supply and demand, so the infrastructure is cheaper to maintain. It also allows more renewable electricity (from sources like wind, tidal, and solar) to be added to the grid, which will help tackle climate change.

What information will I get before my smart meter installation?

We'll send you a confirmation email when you book, telling you everything you need to know about your smart meter installation. Then:

• 10 days before your installation, we'll send you a text reminder
• 4 days before we'll send you another text reminder
• the day before, we, or our partner AES Metering, will either call or text you again. This will be your last reminder.

On the day, our engineer will call ahead to tell you when they'll be arriving, within the 4 hour installation slot you booked.

Who will install my smart meter?

An engineer from our partner https://aes-smart.co.uk/metering

You can tell that an engineer is working for us, as they’ll be in uniform and will carry an ID card, just ask them to show it to you. They’ll introduce themselves and tell you what they’ll be doing. If they’re not in uniform and don’t have ID, please don’t let them into your home and contact us, to let us know what happened. 

If you’re contacted by a company claiming to work for Tulo Energy, but whose name you don’t recognise, just give us a call and we’ll check that they’re legitimate. 

Are your engineers fully qualified?

You can rest assured that anyone we work with in partnership to carry out installations for us, will have the correct accreditation (Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice or SMICoP) and training to complete your installation safely.

What will happen on the day?

One of our engineers will arrive within the time-slot you booked; they can arrive at any time during the 4-hour time slot. But there are a few things you’ll need to do before they arrive to make sure everything runs smoothly. If you’ve got any concerns about meeting any of these requirements, give us a call-in advance so we can make specific arrangements to avoid cancelling your appointment. 

• We're legally required to make sure someone aged 18 or over is home to let the engineer in and be present for the whole installation. Make sure an adult will be home during your booked appointment, or we won't be able to fit your smart meter and you might be charged a £30 cancellation fee.
• Make sure the area around your meters is clean and completely free from obstructions.

You’ll need to move items like vacuum cleaners, bags and storage boxes completely out of the way.  For health and safety reasons, we may need to postpone the appointment if the engineer can’t safely access the meter area and we might charge you a £30 cancellation fee.

• Switch off and unplug any sensitive electrical equipment, like your TV, satellite system or alarms, but remember to switch them back on again after the installation. Some older appliances may be difficult to get going again, so please make sure you know how to get them started, for example, how to relight the pilot light in your boiler.
• Please keep any dogs or other animals in a separate room away from the engineer during the installation.
• Engineers need to keep their shoes on for health and safety reasons, but they’ll use covers when they’re inside your house to stop your floors getting dirty. Please let us know in advance if this will be a problem for you.

When will I get my smart meter?

In 2022, Tulo Energy installed 15 electricity and 13 gas smart meters. Our target was 20 electricity and 19 gas. Our 2023 target was 14 electricity and 12 gas smart meters and we installed 16 electricity and 13 gas smart meters. Our 2024 target is 43 domestic electricity and 33 domestic gas smart meters and 1 non-domestic electricity and 1 non-domestic gas smart meters.   We or our partner https://aes-smart.co.uk/metering will contact you to arrange your smart meter installation.

Will the installation cost me anything?

Your installation is free, but if existing meters, faulty wiring or gas leaks need fixing before we can safely fit your smart meters, there may be a charge. Rest assured, we’ll let you know any charges before we carry out the work.

Will the engineer carry out checks to make sure everything works properly when they've finished?

Before and after your electricity meter is installed, the engineer will do a test with a plug socket, to check that everything is working after the installation just as it was before. If you're having a gas meter installed, the engineer will check your larger gas appliances such as boilers, cookers or gas fires to make sure your gas supply is flowing properly.

What happens if Tulo Energy cancels my installation?

If we need to cancel your installation appointment, we’ll give you at least 24 hours’ notice and ask you to rebook a new date and time. If we give you less than 24 hours’ notice, we’ll give you £30 credit for the inconvenience and we’ll ask you to rebook.

Can I change or cancel my appointment?

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, get in touch with us right away. You need to give us at least 24 hours’ notice or you’ll have to pay a £30 cancellation fee.

What happens if I miss my appointment?

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, get in touch with us right away. You need to give us at least 24 hours’ notice or you’ll have to pay a £30 cancellation fee.

Can I get a smart meter installed if I rent my property?

Yes, but you should get permission from your landlord first.

I'm a landlord. Can I ask my tenants to install or not install a smart meter?

You can arrange a smart meter installation for your tenants, but only if you own the Tulo Energy account for that property. If your tenant owns the account, they would have to authorise and book the installation.

When will I get my first bill with my new smart meter?

When you have a new smart meter installed, we need to carry out a few admin processes and set up communication with your meter so we can exchange information with it. As a result, it may be up to 6-8 weeks before you receive your first statement relating to your new smart meter/s.

Remember, now you’ve got a smart meter, you no longer need to send us meter readings. Once we’ve set up communication with your meter and got your bills up and running, you can log in to My Tulo Energy whenever you like and see exactly how much energy you’ve used and what it’s costing you.