Ofgem published a consultation on 28 March 2025 seeking views on introducing smart meter Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP)1. The regulator said it was consulting on proposals to update terminology to clarify that the 2015 regulations apply to smart meters as well as traditional meters, and to introduce a set of new Guaranteed Standards for a range of smart metering-related issues1. The consultation closed on 10 May 2025 and is marked closed, awaiting decision1. Ofgem's consultation document gives a response deadline of 9 May 20252.
The 2015 regulations set minimum performance standards all energy suppliers must meet, with automatic payments to consumers when they are not met2. Ofgem said the standard payment was recently raised from £30 to £40 in line with inflation, and that an extra £40 is required if the original compensation is not issued within 10 working days2. Ofgem said that although consumers with smart meters are protected by the same Guaranteed Standards as those on traditional meters, there are currently no Guaranteed Standards that refer explicitly to smart meters2. It said approximately 66% of all meters in homes and small businesses across Great Britain were smart or advanced meters as of the end of December 20242.
Ofgem proposed four specific new Guaranteed Standards2:
| Standard | Requirement | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Installation appointment availability | Supplier must offer a first-time smart meter installation appointment within six weeks of the request, otherwise compensation | Domestic; proposed for non-domestic in scope |
| Failed installations | Compensation if an installation fails due to a fault within the supplier's control | Domestic; proposed for non-domestic in scope |
| Investigating smart meter operational issues | Initial assessment, appropriate action and offer to update the consumer within 5 working days, otherwise compensation | Domestic; proposed for non-domestic in scope |
| Smart meters not operating in smart mode | Compensation if a meter is not operating in smart mode for over 90 days due to an issue within the supplier's control | Domestic; proposed for non-domestic in scope |
Ofgem said the appointment standard would apply to new or first-time smart meter installation appointments only and would not apply to other types of installation appointment, and that it would reoccur every six weeks from the initial appointment requested2. It said an appointment has failed if the consumer does not have a smart meter fitted by the end of their appointment, and that the failed installation standard would apply only where a supplier actually attends2. With the exception of making and keeping appointments, the proposed standards apply only to domestic consumers, and Ofgem consulted on whether to extend them to non-domestic consumers within scope of the rollout2.
"We are seeking views on introducing smart meter guaranteed standards (GSOP)."
Ofgem said responses would help it draft a statutory instrument, which it needs to introduce the GSOP, and that it particularly welcomed responses from energy suppliers, other interested industry parties, consumer groups and charities1. The consultation applies to both domestic and non-domestic customers1. Graeme Kelly is named as the contact1.
Why it matters for households
Guaranteed Standards are the mechanism that turns service expectations into automatic payments, so extending them to smart meters gives households a defined route to compensation where a meter is not installed, not fixed or not working in smart mode. The proposed 90-day threshold for a meter not operating in smart mode is the point at which a household loses automatic readings and near-real time consumption data, which is the information a home needs to monitor and manage its own energy use. The six-week appointment standard and the five-working-day assessment standard set time limits on the two stages where households most often report delay. The £40 standard payment and the additional £40 for late payment are the amounts Ofgem states are currently in force.
What happens next
The consultation closed on 10 May 2025 and is awaiting decision1. Ofgem said responses would inform a statutory instrument needed to introduce the GSOP1. No implementation date is given in the consultation page1.