Installing a prepayment meter without your permission

Your supplier can install a prepayment meter without your permission if:

• you are building up an energy debt
• other ways of recovering your debt have not worked

If they do this, they must follow our strict rules.

Your supplier can get a warrant to enter your property and install a prepayment meter, or remotely switch your existing smart meter to prepayment mode.

What your energy supplier must do first

Installing a prepayment meter without your permission should always be a last resort. Before going ahead, your supplier must:

• make reasonable efforts to agree another way for you to repay your debt and offer support if you are struggling to pay
• make at least 10 attempts to contact you using different methods, for example phone calls, letters or text messages
• visit your home to understand your circumstances and check whether a prepayment meter is safe and suitable for your household

If your energy supplier decides to install a prepayment meter without your permission

Before installation can take place, your supplier should:

• explain why they have made their decision
• tell you when they plan to install the meter
• explain what will happen during the installation
• tell you how to contact them if your circumstances have changed or you think they have made the wrong decision

The person visiting your home on behalf of your supplier should wear an audio recording device or body-worn camera. This is to make sure your supplier follows the rules when carrying out a welfare visit or installing a prepayment meter.

Your supplier must give you £30 credit once they have installed the meter or remotely switched your existing meter to prepayment mode.

When your energy supplier cannot install a prepayment meter

Your supplier must not install one if there are any vulnerable people in your household. This applies if:

• anyone in your home has a terminal illness or severe health condition
• someone in your home depends on a continuous energy supply because of a medical condition or powered medical equipment
• everyone in your home is 75 or over and there’s no one else living there who can provide support
• a child aged under 2 lives in your home
• no one in your home is able to top up the meter because of a physical or mental health condition
• anyone’s temporary circumstances make a prepayment meter unsafe or unsuitable, for example pregnancy or bereavement

If you think your energy supplier has got it wrong

You should contact your supplier as soon as possible if you think they have not followed our rules before installing a prepayment meter. Ask them to explain why they made their decision and what checks they carried out. If you’re not satisfied with their response, you can make a complaint. 

You can contact the Energy Ombudsman if you’re not happy with the way your supplier has handled your complaint.

 You may be able to claim compensation if:

•  you were forced to have a prepayment meter between 1 January 2022 and 21 January 2023
• your supplier did not follow the rules properly

Find out if you are owed compensation on the Citizens Advice website.

Where to get help

You can get advice from Citizens Advice about getting temporary credit, and what to do if you cannot afford to top up your prepayment meter.

See our get help with your home or business energy bills page for more support available from government or charities.