Surprises are great, but so is transparency! Being clear is one of our core values and that’s why we’ve put together the information below so that you know exactly what to expect on the day of your smart meter installation.

Quick Links:

Who will be installing my smart meter(s) and what will they be doing in my home?

We’ve partnered with two experienced smart meter installers who have already helped smarten up thousands of our customers' homes across the UK. The partner installing your smart meter(s) depends entirely where you are on the map, but both follow the same procedures.

To read more about how we’re keeping you and your families safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, please check out our FAQs page.

Our partner

Customers in the UK will be serviced by AES Smart Metering. For more information see their website https://www.aes-smartmetering.com/

Which smart meters does So Energy install?

Our meter partners fit both Landis & Gyr and EDMI smart meters on our behalf. You can see images of these below, plus guides on how to read them manually on our dedicated page How do I read my Smart Meter?

Electricity second-generation Smart Meters
Landis & Gyr E470EDMI ES-10B

Gas second-generation Smart Meters
Landis & Gyr G470EDMI GS-60B

How long will the installation take?

As a general rule, we like to allow up to 2 hours per meter, just in case. However, it’s worth us noting that your power won’t be off for all this time. 

Will my electricity and gas need to be turned off for the installation?

Yes, but not for the whole appointment. Your electricity will be switched off first and then your gas, both for roughly 30 minutes. Our engineer will inform you prior to switching them off so you're not caught by surprise. 

If you're working from home, we suggest you be prepared for your broadband to go off for around 30 minutes or so, but we'll be sure to bring you back online as soon as we can.

It's also worth a mention that your boiler will need to be independently switched off as part of the installation. Our engineer will do this and they will also switch it back on at the end. If for any reason you notice a problem with your boiler after the appointment, however, you will need to get a Gas Safety Engineer (GSE) in to take a look. So Energy will not be liable at this stage unless the Gas Safety Engineer's report concludes that the fault occurred as a direct result of the installation, so please bear this in mind!

What happens if there’s a problem on the day of install?

Most installations go ahead without any hiccups, but of course there are times when things don’t always go to plan. Typically these issues stem from technical-related reasons, such as our engineer being unable to access the meter(s) or being unable to safely work on the set-up. If this is the case, our engineer will make clear notes and will inform both you and us of the next steps so that we can look at getting you booked back in for another visit. 

If you think your meter(s) might be in a hard to reach location for our engineer, please kindly note this in the additional information section when booking in your appointment, or feel free to attach any photos that you think might be of use. We can then review this information to see if anything can be done to avoid sad faces on the big day. 

What if I need to cancel, or So Energy needs to cancel my appointment?

We know that plans can change. If you think for any reason you might not be available on the day of install, please feel free to arrange a new appointment. You can do this up to 24 hours before your slot to avoid any cancellation fees. Make sure to check your confirmation email for quick links to rebook without even contacting us. 

On that note, you may be charged a £30 missed appointment fee if our engineer is unable to gain access to your property. The same goes if we need to cancel on you, we will always try and give as much notice as possible, but should we cancel within 24 hours of your appointment then we will credit you £30 for the inconvenience.

What will the engineer be doing?

You’re in safe hands with our highly-skilled meter partners, so there’s no need to worry. However, if you are interested in knowing what they will be getting up to on the day, please read on. You can also check out our comprehensive guide on how it all works here. 

Intro:

Our engineers will always start by introducing themselves. It’s worth noting that they won’t be wearing any So Energy branding, so you’re more than welcome to ask them for ID. Once you’re all settled, the engineer will start with your electricity meter and will give you a heads up that the power is about to go off for around 30 minutes. The reason they start with the electricity is because the super-smart comms hub that links your devices to the external network (WAN) snugly attaches to the top of the electricity meter. This then enables the gas meter and the in-home display (IHD) to remotely connect via the in-home network known as HAN.

Electricity:

The next step is for the engineer to commission the meter. This process is what allows automatic meter readings to be sent to us here at So, all while ensuring your data is secure. Think of it as the meter being set up/registered to the network. The majority of the time, the engineer will have no issue completing this step themselves. However, if you see them on the phone or waiting for an update, it’s likely that they require remote support from a member of our team. 

Gas:

Assuming that our engineer is able to complete the electricity meter commissioning, they will then look to repeat the process with the gas. If your gas meter is located a good distance (+10m) from your electricity meter, there is a possibility that we will not be able to complete the commissioning process. If this is the case, our engineer will inform both you and us, and we will need to make sure you are comfortable submitting manual readings for the foreseeable future. Our engineer will walk you through how to do this and you can also find a guide here. 

In-home display (IHD):

Last but by no means least, our engineer will set up your in-home display (IHD) and will give you a quick walkthrough on how it all works. If you do require any additional IHD support, you can also check out the device manual in our dedicated article My In-Home Display (IHD).

Smart Meter Installation Schedule (SMIS)

The Smart Metering Installation Schedule (SMIS) specifies the minimum standards for Code Members to follow in relation to the customer-facing aspects during the installation of Smart Metering Systems. So Energy is a member of SMIS, and we’re committed to ensuring that our customers receive a consistently high standard of service throughout our installation process! 

We’ll make sure that you’re given all of the information you need and that you know how to make the most of your shiny new smart metering equipment. This includes support from our engineers, who will help you better understand how you can improve the energy efficiency in your home, all while benefiting the environment and your pocket.  

The rules under SMIS are enforced by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), the government body that regulates the energy industry and ensures that consumers are receiving the best possible, fair service.

The Smart Meter Installation Schedule can be found here, and you can also find a copy of the SMIS Smart Meter Data Guide at the bottom of this page. 

Got any feedback for us? 

We’ve partnered with a company called Accent to gather feedback from our customers who are switching to smart. Accent will send you an email asking you to complete a short survey, the results of which we’ll be able to use to help us improve our service!