You may have been contacted by our partner SMS to arrange a smart meter installation
We’re offering smart meters to all our customers. Our partner SMS is helping us by arranging appointments and installing smart meters. They may have been in touch with you by letter, email, or phone to book a date to visit your home to install your smart meter.
You can contact SMS on 0330 041 4600 to discuss your installation.
We also use SMS to replace and fix non-smart traditional meters for us.
Why have we chosen to work with SMS?
SMS have over 20 years’ experience in the energy industry, with expertise in smart energy. We’ve chosen them as our partner to help deliver smart meters and other metering services for our customers across the UK.
SMS engineers work to high standards of quality and safety, are fully qualified, and have accreditation from Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets). All smart meter installations will be in line with the rules and guidelines laid out by Ofgem in the Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice (SMICoP). The code is designed to ensure you have the best possible experience and service as we upgrade your meters. Read more about the code.
How can I identify someone from SMS?
All installers carry an SMS Plc ID card.
Please feel free to ask to see their ID before letting them into your home. All SMS employees will let you know who they are, why they’re visiting, and that they’re doing so on behalf of Bristol Energy.
SMS will never try to sell you anything.
If you’re not happy with any SMS employee or any element of your metering service, please contact our Customer Care team. We’re constantly working with SMS to ensure you receive the highest level of service and we’ll make sure your feedback is passed on. Find out more about SMS.
My installation appointment: what can I expect on the day?
Your SMS engineer will arrive at the time arranged with you.
Please make sure someone is home, as a responsible adult will need to be around to let the engineer in and allow them to make sure all gas appliances are safe and switched off.
The installation can take up to 2 hours. Your energy supply will be switched off during this time and then safely turned back on and tested.
If you have a dog, please keep it in a separate room whilst the installer is with you.
What is a smart meter?
A smart meter is a new kind of gas and electricity meter which can send regular meter readings to your energy supplier remotely. This means your bills are more accurate because they’re based on actual energy usage information as opposed to being based on estimates.
Smart meters also come with an in-home display (IHD). This is a digital screen providing live usage information – including kilowatt hours (kWh) use and cost in pounds and pence.
What are the benefits?
Smart meters bring lots of benefits with them:
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save you from having to provide manual readings to your energy supplier
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help ease uncertainty about the cost of your energy bills
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provide you with information about energy use habits and how your lifestyle affects your energy consumption – this should be particularly useful if you're a pay as you go (PAYG) customer because you’ll see how your usage affects your available credit
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in time, will help make switching your supplier easier which means you’ll be able to take advantage of the best deals.