Gas Smart Meter Upgrade in London: What Changes, Who Does the Work and What to Expect

Gas Smart Meter Upgrade in London: The Facts

The rollout of smart meters to all UK households is a central government programme with a target of completing the upgrade across England, Scotland and Wales. In London, the majority of smart meter installations for gas are carried out by the energy supplier or a contractor appointed by the supplier — not by a Gas Safe registered engineer and not by the property owner. Understanding what the upgrade involves, what changes in your property, and what does not change prevents confusion and unnecessary alarm calls.

Who Does the Work: Supplier Responsibility

Smart meter installation is the legal responsibility of the licensed energy supplier. When your gas supplier contacts you to arrange a smart meter upgrade, the engineer they send is employed by or contracted to the supplier. They are authorised to work on the gas meter and associated meter connections, but the scope of their work ends at the meter. They do not service or inspect your boiler, pipework or appliances. If they identify a defect in the pipework between the meter and the first appliance, they are required to report it but cannot repair it — that requires a separate Gas Safe engineer appointment.

What a Smart Gas Meter Does

A smart gas meter measures your gas consumption in the same way as a traditional meter, but transmits readings automatically to the supplier over a wireless network. This eliminates the need for manual meter readings and estimated billing. The smart meter also includes a tamper detection function and can be remotely disconnected by the supplier in cases of debt or property vacancy.

The in-home display (IHD) unit that comes with a smart meter installation shows near-real-time gas consumption in both cubic metres and estimated cost. Many London homeowners find the IHD a useful tool for understanding which appliances — boiler firing cycles, heating periods — are driving their gas consumption. The IHD operates over a separate wireless connection to the meter and does not need to be located near the meter.

SMETS1 vs SMETS2: Why Your Old Smart Meter May Not Work When You Switch Supplier

The first generation of smart meters installed in the UK, known as SMETS1, used a proprietary communication system tied to the installing supplier. When a SMETS1 customer switched energy supplier, the smart functionality of the meter frequently stopped working, reverting to a traditional manual-reading meter. This was a significant early criticism of the smart meter programme.

SMETS2 meters, which have been the standard since 2019, use a universal secure DCC (Data Communications Company) network. A SMETS2 meter retains its smart functionality when the customer switches supplier. If your property still has a SMETS1 meter, your supplier is required to upgrade it to SMETS2 as part of the ongoing rollout programme. You can request an upgrade if it has not been scheduled automatically.

What Does Not Change After a Smart Meter Upgrade

The smart meter upgrade changes only the meter and associated head unit. Nothing downstream of the meter changes: the gas pipework, boiler, gas appliances and flue connections are all unaffected. The gas pressure at your appliances does not change. Your boiler settings, programmer and thermostat remain as they were. There is no need to have your boiler serviced, re-commissioned or adjusted following a smart meter installation.

The one exception is if the meter is relocated as part of the upgrade — for example, moved from inside the property to an external meter box. A meter relocation is a more significant job involving a change to the gas supply pipe route and must be carried out with Gas Safe notification. If your supplier proposes a meter relocation, confirm in writing what additional notification and certification will be provided.

Landlord Obligations and Smart Meters

Landlords are not required to force tenants to accept a smart meter upgrade, and tenants cannot be compelled to accept one. However, most energy suppliers are proactively scheduling upgrades and most tenants are receptive. Landlords should note that smart meters do not replace the Gas Safety Certificate obligation — the annual CP12 inspection must still be carried out regardless of the meter type. A smart meter also does not affect the boiler service obligation or the EICR electrical installation condition report requirement.