How can we
help you?

Start by making sure you're looking at your smart meter on the wall and not an in-home display

If you think your smart meter isn't shown below, please send us a clear photograph showing the entire front of your meter. We'll find out how to read your meter and we can add your meter type to our guide.

Once you can read your meter, submitting readings regularly will keep you on top of your energy. You can set up email reminders.

Electricity smart meters

To find your electricity read you're looking for a number followed by "KWH" (but remembering to ignore the numbers after the decimal place).

If you have a keypad

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press 9 on the keypad.
2. A series of letters will appear: IMP KWH.
3. Then you’ll see 8 digits (e.g. 0012565.3) followed by kWh at the bottom right of the screen.
4. This is your read, so in this case your reading would be 12565.

If you have an Economy 7 smart meter (your meter records day and night usage):

1. Press 6 on the keypad until you see 'IMP R01' followed by 8 digits - this is usually your night/off-peak reading.
2. Then keep on pressing 6 on the keypad until you see 'IMP R02' followed by 8 digits - this is usually your peak/normal reading.
3. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.

If you have two buttons

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the "Display" or "Display Select" button.
2. By pressing the button the meter display will scroll through to the meter reading. The number you're after is the one followed by kWh.
3. As before write down all the digits, ignoring any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
4. In this example the meter reading is 23541.

If you have A and B buttons

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the A button.
2. Keep on pressing this until you get to TOTAL ACT IMPORT.
3. The number shown below this is your meter reading.
4. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
5. In this example the meter reading is 11256.

If you have 3 buttons

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the middle button.
2. The number shown below IMP is your meter reading.
3. If you have a 2-rate meter, R1 indicates Rate 1, R2 is Rate 2 and T is total.
4. You can press the middle button again to see all the readings.
5. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
6. In this example the meter reading is 23541.

If you have an orange button on the left and blue buttons on the right

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the orange button.
2. You'll see a row of digits followed by kWh.
3. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
4. The reading in this example is 12565.

Gas smart meters

To find your gas read you're looking for the number followed by "M3" (but remembering to ignore the numbers after the decimal place).

If you have a keypad

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press 9 on the keypad.
2. VOLUME will appear on the screen.
3. Then you’ll see a row of digits (e.g. 00063.5) followed by M3 at the bottom right of the screen.
4. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
5. The read in this example is 00063.

If you have A and B buttons

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the A button.
2. Keep on pressing this until you get to METER INDEX.
3. The number shown below this is your meter reading.
4. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
5. In this example the meter reading is 63.

If you have a left arrow, a circle and a right arrow

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the middle 'circle' button.
2. The screen will show 'current meter reading' written along the top.
3. You'll see a row of digits followed by m3.
4. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
5. The read in this example is 63.

If you have 3 square red buttons

or

Your buttons may or may not be labelled A, B and C. To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the 'A' or left button.
2. You'll see a row of digits followed by m3.
3. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
4. The read in this example is 135.

If you have an orange and a blue arrow to the right of the screen

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the orange button.
2. You'll see a row of digits followed by m3.
3. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
4. In this example the meter reading is 135.

If you have two white buttons to the right of your display. Your buttons might have arrows and other markings around them.

To get a reading from these smart meters:

1. Press the right button. This might be labelled 'OK'.
2. The display should wake up and you'll see a row of digits followed by m3.
3. Ignore any digits after a decimal point if you have one. We only require the whole numbers.
4. In this example the meter reading is 135.

Meters come in many different shapes and sizes, and each one is read differently. Just to complicate things further, your electricity and gas meters record your usage in different units (electricity in kWh, and gas in m³ or ft³).

We’ve compiled a list to help you work out which type of meter you have and how to read it. If you've got a smart meter try our guide How to read your smart meter.

Once you know how to read your meter, make sure you regularly submit your readings online to keep you on top of your energy. You can also set up email reminders online.

Does your electricity meter look like any of these?

Single rate meter

Digital:

Analogue

• If so, write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 07220

Two rate meter

• If you have a 2-rate meter, that means the meter records how much energy you use during you the day and night time.
• The row marked 'LOW', 'L' or 'NIGHT') shows how many units of off-peak electricity you have used.
• The row marked 'NORMAL', 'N' or 'DAY') shows how many units of peak electricity you have used.
• If your meter isn't clearly labelled, we can help you find out which is day and which is night.
• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 556315 & 217457.

Dial meter

• Each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so check which way each dial turns. Read the dials from left to right, ignoring the dial marked 1/10.
• Write down the number that the pointer has just passed e.g. if the pointer is between 2 and 3 write down 2.
• The reading for the above meter is 26929.

Does your gas meter resemble any of these?

Gas imperial meter

• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 2988.

Dial meter

• Each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so check which way each turns.
• Read the dials from left to right.
• Write down the number that the pointer has just passed e.g. if the pointer is between 2 and 3 write down 2.
• The reading for the above meter is 2692.

Gas metric meter

• Write down all the numbers from left to right including any zeros. Ignore any numbers after the decimal point or which may be shown in red.
• The reading for the above meter is 75793.

We understand that you may not use your energy evenly throughout the year, so paying an equal amount each month doesn't suit everyone.

That's why we offer the option to pay a different amount during summer months and winter months, so you pay more when your usage is higher and less when your usage is lower.

We also have a guide to making Equal Direct Debit Payments. You can switch to equal Direct Debit payments through your online account at any time. 

How we calculate summer and winter payment amounts

Firstly, we calculate your estimated annual energy cost and divide this by 12, giving your average monthly payment amount. We then adjust this for the time of year, reducing your average payment by 25% during the summer months and increasing it by 25% for the winter.

Your summer payments are taken between April and September and your winter payments between October and March.

Whether you pay by equal monthly instalments or by a seasonally adjusted amounts, you'll pay exactly the same amount over the course of 12 months.

Your estimated annual usage is based on all the information you provided to us during your quote process. The most accurate way to estimate your costs is using annual kWh figures (these can be found on your energy bills), but if you don't know this or have them to hand, we can help you estimate your annual cost by looking at the tariff you are currently on and how much you are paying, or by selecting either the 'basic estimate' or 'detailed estimate' options.

In the above example we expect to spend £600 during the course of the next 12 months based on the information provided. This means that an average payment amount is £50 per month (£600 / 12 months = £50).

Summer payments are calculated by reducing this by 25%, in this case: £50 x 75% = £37.50.
The winter payments are calculated in a similar way by increasing the average payment by 25%: £50 x 125% = £62.50.

Adding up all the payments over the course of the year: 6 x Summer Payment (£37.50) + 6 x Winter Payment (£62.50) = £600, the same as if you paid equally through the year. 

What this means for your Account Balance

As we take payment in advance of your usage, we expect your account to remain in credit for most of the year. However, if you are paying seasonally adjusted amounts, we would expect the fluctuation of your account balance throughout the year to be less than if you paid equal amounts each month. Those paying an equal amount each month could expect to see a much bigger credit towards the end of summer, and a much bigger debit towards the end of winter.

During your first month, your account will be in credit because we've taken your first Direct Debit but we haven't produced your first statement yet. Your next month's Account Balance will be calculated as follows: the Account Balance from the previous period (i.e. your first payment) - your charges for the month before + plus your next month's advance payment.

In the example above, the January Account Balance is the winter payment amount (£62.50). The February Account Balance is the previous month's Account Balance (£62.50) - January energy charges (£71) + February advance payment (£62.50) = £54 CR.

Switching from equal to seasonal Direct Debit payments

You can switch from equal to seasonal Direct Debit payments or vice versa. We simply require at least 7 days' notice before your scheduled payment date. We may also require you to make a top-up payment if your switch will result in an overall shortfall in payments, or if your account is in debit. You can change your payment plan via your online account.

I want my switch to happen later

Once you’ve signed up and your switch has started, the switch will take 21 days and unfortunately we can't delay this for you. 

If you are concerned you will be charged an early exit fee by your current supplier, it is worth noting that fees cannot be charged if you’re in the last 42-49 days of your contract. You can find out more about Exit Fees.

If you still want to delay your start date you will need to cancel your switch, which you can do through your online account, and then reapply again in the future (at least 21 days before your preferred supply start date). You can only cancel your switch within your 14-day cooling off period. After your cooling off period, industry processes are underway and the switch cannot be stopped. 

If you do cancel your switch, please note that the one tariff we have on offer at any time is subject to change, so we cannot guarantee that the same tariff will be available if you try to switch again in the future.

I want my switch to happen sooner

Once you’ve signed up and your switch has started, the switch will take 21 days and unfortunately we can't speed this up for you. 

If you have recently moved into your house and wanted us to supply you from the start, unfortunately we still can't speed up the switch and you will have a different supplier for a short time. To find out who this is, please ask your Network Operator. Find your Network Operator by entering your postcode here.

If you wanted to bring your switch forward because your current supplier's contract is due to end soon, unfortunately we still can't speed up the switch. Your current supplier will continue to supply you with energy after their contract ends, your energy won't be turned off! Usually a supplier will charge you on their standard variable tariff, however we would advise you contact your current supplier to find out the rates that will apply during this time.

If you'd like So Energy to supply your new home, please see our FAQ - I'm moving out, can So Energy supply my new property?

If you're ending your 12 month fixed contract early and we haven't sent you an email informing you that your tariff is coming to an end, you will be subject to early exit fees.

To process your move, we'll need to take a few details from you. You can provide them by completing this form. 

Remember not to cancel your Direct Debit

We take payments and issue refunds via Direct Debit so please do not cancel this until your final balance has been settled. Only once this has been completed should you cancel your Direct Direct with us.

If you have cancelled your Direct Debit please get in touch as soon as possible to get this re-instated otherwise you may be subject to a missed payment fee (set out in our Terms and Conditions).

We know moving house is a busy time, so we're trying to make it as pain free as possible. Send us an email help@so.energy or give us a call on 0330 111 5050, and we'll talk you through it.

When you switch to So Energy, we will take your first Direct Debit payment on or around the date that your energy supply starts (Supply Start Date). Your exact payment date will be shown in your Welcome Pack.

If your payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, the money will come out of your bank account a little later, on the next banking day. Further monthly payments will be taken on the same date each month. 

Your monthly energy statements usually take 2-5 days for us to prepare and send to you, so you will see your first statement a little time after you have made your second payment. 

Why we take payment in advance

By taking payment in advance, we are able to buy your gas and electricity in advance at better rates and we then pass these savings on to you. That's part of the reason why our prices are much more competitive than other suppliers. Having credit in your account also means you should have a bit of buffer for winter time, when most peoples' energy usage tends to be much higher, reducing your risk of falling into energy debt.

What is a smart meter?

Smart meters are the next-generation technology, measuring the energy you use, sending your meter readings straight to your supplier so you don’t have to. This will help ensure you are billed accurately, bringing an end to estimated bills. They also make you aware of your energy usage in real time, allowing you to monitor how much you're spending. You may see us referring to smart meters as SMETS here and there, this acronym stands for Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification. 

Does So Energy support my second-generation smart meter (SMETS2)?

So Energy support all second-generation smart meters, also known as SMETS2 meters. If you have a SMETS2 and wish to join our supply, your meter should automatically connect to us and start providing us with reads when we take over supply.

If you have a SMETS2 meter and you are already on our supply, these should be 'woken up' and communicating with us. If you feel your smart meter has not woken up yet, please get in contact with us.

Can I get a smart meter?

We are in the early stages of our second generation smart meter roll out in selected areas of the country and we're working hard to offer these to all our customers in the very near future. If you don't have a smart meter and would like to get one, please get in touch via help@so.energy and we will be back in touch when we have engineers in your area to get that shiny new meter installed. We are planning to have coverage across the country in 2021, so don't worry if you haven't heard from us in a while, we might not be near you just yet. 

When we do have availability in your area, you may receive an email from smart.install@so.energy requesting that you book your appointment online with one of our partner engineers, so do look out for that email.

For more information on how to prepare for your installation, read more here or to find out more about our partner engineers and their no-contact smart meter installations, please check out this page here.

Why smart meters?

Smart meters save money, they save time and they save energy (gas, electricity and your own).

• No more meter readings - Smart meters send us regular, automatic readings, meaning you’ll never need to root around under the stairs using the torch on your phone to take a reading to send us ever again. 
• No more estimated bills - Since smart meters send aforementioned regular readings, we always have accurate data for your energy usage, so we’ll never have to base a bill on estimated usage ever again. This helps you by ensuring you’re not overpaying, and it helps us to know how much energy to buy in advance for So Energy customers.  
• Save energy and money - Smart meters come with in-home displays, little monitors that show your real-time energy usage. With this, you can keep an eye on the appliances that use the most energy, make changes and see instant improvements in your consumption

Does So Energy support my first-generation smart meter (SMETS1) installed with my previous supplier?

Good news. The Data Communications Company (DCC) is in the process of updating first-generation smart meters by moving them over to the new smart communications infrastructure. This migration is being carried out in three groups with a planned finish at the end of 2021. This has been done to provide an even more reliable service and so that your smart meters continue to work if you switch supplier in the future, as all energy suppliers are required to use the new national smart metering communications network.  

What does this mean for me and when will my SMETS1 become smart again?

Here at So we've have been working hard to start communicating with newly-enrolled smart meters. The time and date for which your SMETS1 will be enrolled and adopted to the new smart communications infrastructure depends on a few things, such as the meter manufacturer and energy supplier that installed it. As it’s an industry wide change, we are unable to provide exact timings for each meter as it’s a process that’s largely out of our control however we anticipate that first-generation smart meters will be enrolled throughout 2021. After we take care of the boring stuff in the backend, if your meter is successfully enrolled and communicating with us, you will receive an email from us with the good news that your SMETS1 meter is now smart enabled. This means your meter will do all the useful smart stuff. If for whatever reason the Data Communications Company (DCC) are unable to wake up your meter, we will be in contact to offer you a brand new SMETS2 meter free of charge. 

For the time being, sit back and relax until you hear from us. Your first-generation smart meters will behave like a ‘normal’ meter, meaning you will need to provide us with meter readings via your online account to ensure an accurate energy statement.

Is my smart meter first or second generation?

If you are unsure which type of meter you have, you are able to tell by having a quick look at your electricity meter. The meter will have a square box that sits on top of your electricity meter, it has a number of barcodes on it and a device ID on it which looks like this: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG-HH-II. If you can see these, it means you have a second-generation smart meter.

Can I get a smart meter if I rent/am a landlord?

This depends on who pays the utility bills for the property. Whoever is the account holder and is responsible for paying the utility bills ultimately has the choice on whether a smart meter is to be installed. However, if you are renting but also pay for the gas and electricity, it may still be worth informing your landlord prior to installation that you are intending to install smart meters at the property.

We know energy statements & bills can be a little confusing so we've highlighted areas that may be of interest and explained how we've calculated things. 

If you do have problems or anything isn't clear, just send us an email at help@so.energy or call us on 0330 111 5050 (We're open Monday to Friday, 9am till 5pm).

• Fixed monthly Direct Debit statement
• Pay on receipt of bill (for out of contract customers)
• Final Bills

Fixed monthly Direct Debit statement

Below is an example of a So Energy gas and electricity statement, paid by fixed monthly Direct Debit.

1. This is your Account Number and Bill Reference Number. If you need to talk to us about your statement, it's useful having these to hand.

2. The primary account holder's name is the only name which will appear on statements. If you have any additional names on your account these will not be shown on your statement.

3. The billing address is shown on the front of the statement. If you have a different supply address and billing address, you can find the supply address on page 2 of your statement.

4. This is your billing period, i.e. when your statement runs from and to. If you'd like your statement to end on your reading rather than our estimate, submit your monthly meter reading on (or around) your billing end date. 

5. This is your Account Balance from your previous statement (if it's your first energy statement from us, this will show £0.00).

6. We'll list any payments received or account credits or debits applied to your account since you last statement was produced. Please bear in mind that payments or debits/credits applied outside of the billing period may be shown as we always provide a most up-to-date statement of your account at the time the statement is produced. Any payments/credits will have a (CR) next to them, whilst any account charges/debits will not. Please see below regarding Revised bills.

7. Your Balance Brought Forward is calculated by adding Balance at your last statement and any payments (or other adjustments) made (so in this example, CR £91.73 + CR £73.00 = CR £164.73).

8. All energy usage charges applied during this billing period. A breakdown of these charges is shown on page 2 of the energy statement.

9. This is calculated by adding any Balance Brought Forward and the New charges included in this statement (in this example, CR £164.73 + £36.24 = CR £128.49).

10. This is your estimated energy costs for the next 12 months. It assumes you do not change or renew your energy tariff over this 12 month period which may include charges based on our So Out of Contract, variable tariff. The forecast usage is based on information held by the energy industry about your property (shown on point 15). Your actual energy cost will depend on your usage. For more information about this and how it's calculated see: Estimated Annual Cost.

11. Each month we compare the tariff you're already on against the latest fixed tariff we have on offer and we'll let you know if you're already on the cheapest tariff for you. If there are savings to be made by switching tariff, we'll let you know how much you could save over the next 12 months by doing so. Projected savings are calculated by comparing your Estimated Annual Cost (for each fuel) against the forecast costs if you were to move onto our latest fixed tariff. If you're coming towards the end of your fixed contract, we will double check these savings by comparing the unit rates and standing charges of each tariff, to make sure that switching tariffs is the best option for you. For more information see: Could you pay less.

Revised bills
If there is a Revised bill line in section 6, this is because we've had to reissue your energy statement. We reverse the charges made on the incorrect statement previously issued for the same billing period. You will not be charged twice for the same energy. The most common reason for revising statements is if an incorrect reading had been used to calculate your energy charges (e.g. if we've disputed your opening / final read) and we've gone back and corrected this so we can provide you with an accurate statement.

If you log in to your online account, in the Bills and Statements section you will see a table showing all payments made (credits) and all the charges based on your energy usage (debits).

Please note, for statements that have been revised, we only show the most up to date version of each statement for each billing period on your online account.

12. This is your supply number or S-Number, it is a unique 21-digit reference used to identify your electricity supply point. The bottom 13-digits is known as your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number).

13. This section shows your supply address (this may be different to your billing address if this is not your primary residence), along with your tariff name and the exact period you have been charged in this statement.

14. This is your M-Number or MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number). It is a unique reference used to identify your gas supply point and can be between 6 and 10 digits long.

15. This is your estimated annual energy usage provided to us by the energy industry. It is based on your meter readings. The more readings you give, the more accurate this will be. See How am I charged for my energy for more information.

16. This is how we convert your gas units to kWh.

17. This states all charges included in the billing period as well as VAT. This matches the 'New charges included in this statement' shown on page 1.

18.This section provides details of where you can find more information through our website, and how to get in touch with us if you have any questions.

19. This is an average daily usage, for your reference. This is calculated by taking the total usage for the statement period and dividing this by the number of days, so in this example daily electricity usage is 118.6kWh divided by 28 days = 4 kWh/day (rounded to the nearest whole kWh).

20. This sets out what to do if you're unhappy with the service that we're offering.

21. If you'd like to know what we're getting up to, check out our blog or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Pay on receipt of bill

for So Out of Contract customers

Below is an example of a typical So Energy gas & electricity statement, paid on receipt of bill.

1.This is the total charges due. See page 2 for a breakdown of the charges.

2.This is the date when payment is due. If there is a Direct Debit in place, this is the date on which payment is due to be collected. If this date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, payment will be taken by Direct Debit on the next available banking day, never before the date shown on your statement.

Final Bills

Below is an example of a typical So Energy gas and electricity final bill.

1. These are the charges included in your final bill.

2. This is the total charges due. See page 2 for a breakdown of the charges for this billing period, including the dates and closing readings used to create your final bill, and any exit fees if these apply. If you've switched away from us these reads have been provided by your new supplier and will match the opening readings they are using. If you didn't provide them or they haven't given us the readings you've given to them, then this will be shown as a Closing Estimate, whilst an actual reading will show as Closing Read. If you disagree with a closing reading we've used then please get in touch with your new supplier first.

3. This is the date when payment is due. If there is a Direct Debit in place, this is the date when payment is scheduled to be collected. If this date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, payment will be taken on the next available banking day, never before the date shown on your bill. If you're moving home and taking us with you, we won't collect the outstanding balance, instead we'll automatically transfer the full balance over to your new property.