If you have a smart meter, can you switch energy suppliers?

Will the smart meter work if you change suppliers?We have a guide to smart meter compatibility.

Can I still switch suppliers if I have a smart meter?

If you have a smart electricity or gas meter, you are free to transfer to a new energy company, and your existing smart meter may still be compatible.More on that can be found below.

If you have a traditional meter, the process for changing suppliers with a smart meter will be the same.Your new supplier will see that you have a smart meter.They should be able to tell you if it will work the same way.

Let them know that you would like to switch.They should be able to take care of the rest.

Your new energy company may or may not use the same technology or network as your current one, because there are several different types of smart meters out there.Check with your new supplier.

Smart meters have been installed by energy suppliers in order to upgrade all UK households by 2024.If you want to find a supplier who uses smart meters, you have to do some detective work.

If your new supplier uses the same make of smart meter as your current one, your meter/s may continue working the way they were before.

The type of smart meter we use is called a 'Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications 2' meter.If you switch from OVO to another supplier, your smart meter will work with them.

Your smart meter might stop sending readings automatically with some suppliers.You will probably need to give monthly or half-yearly meter readings to your new supplier if that is the case.

If both your suppliers use the same type of smart meter, you should be able to keep using your current equipment and enjoy more features.

There are a few questions to ask when looking at potential new suppliers, and things to consider before deciding if they are the right choice.

Ask what services your new supplier offers if you have a smart meter.Will you be able to see how much energy you use compared to other households?If you share half-hourly readings, OVO's clever usage graphs will help you to compare your usage to other days, weeks, months and previous years.

If you move out of a home with a smart meter, you'll need to leave your In-Home Display behind, as it's set up to only work with that meter.

If you're moving into a home with a smart meter but no IHD, you should ask your supplier for a new one.

If you are a current customer of one of the above suppliers, you can find out how to switch to OVO here.

If your current smart meter is a SMETS2 type, the good news is that you should not have to switch to OVO.Who doesn't like a hassle-free hop?!

If you have an IHD and your new supplier uses the same type of system to communicate with your meter as your previous energy company, you should be able to display your energy use.

It will still be programmed with your old supplier's rates and tariffs, so there will be a bit of tweaking needed.It should happen automatically, so you don't have to worry about it.The IHD will be able to show how much your energy is costing you when your meter is reprogrammed by your new supplier.

If your unit rates and standing charges haven't been updated after you sign up with your new supplier, you should call them.

Citizens Advice is your next port of call if your supplier can't help you with your switch issue.You can reach them through the Citizens Advice website.

We will make it easy to switch to us and keep your smart meter functional.Go to our Get a quote page and enter your postcode after taking a look at our range of energy plans.We will give you a quote based on the average energy use of households in your area.

There is help for this topic on the OVO Forum.One of our forum users can help you if you don't find the answers you need.