Smart Meters and Solar Panels for Renters: What You Can and Can't Do

You can request a smart meter and install plug-in solar as a renter — but there are a few things to know about export registers, landlord meters, and taking your kit when you move.

The Good News for Renters

Two things work in your favour:

You can request a smart meter without your landlord's permission. The electricity account is in your name, the meter is your supplier's property, and the upgrade is free. Your landlord has no say in this.
Plug-in solar doesn't require building modifications. A balcony kit or garden-mounted system plugs into a standard 13A socket. When you move out, you unplug it and take it with you.

This makes the combination of smart meter + plug-in solar genuinely portable. You invest once, take it to your next flat, and keep saving.

Getting a Smart Meter as a Renter

Contact your electricity supplier and request a SMETS2 installation. You need to be the named account holder — if your electricity is included in rent or managed by your landlord, you'll need to talk to them first.

The installation involves replacing the existing meter on the wall. This is a like-for-like swap, not a modification to the property. Your landlord cannot reasonably object, and Ofgem's guidance supports renters' right to request a smart meter.

If the current meter is in a communal meter cupboard (common in flats), the installation may require building access. Coordinate with your building manager for the engineer's visit.

Export Register and SEG as a Renter

Once your smart meter is in and you've installed plug-in solar, you can apply for the Smart Export Guarantee exactly as an owner-occupier would. The SEG agreement is between you and the energy supplier, not linked to property ownership.

When you move out:

Cancel or transfer your SEG agreement (your supplier can advise)
Take your plug-in solar panels with you
The smart meter stays — it belongs to the supplier, and the next tenant benefits from it

Smart Meter Data When You Move

Your historical smart meter data belongs to you while you're the account holder. Download it before you close the account. Most supplier apps let you export data as CSV — useful for comparing performance at your new address.

At your new property, you may need to request another smart meter installation if one isn't already fitted. If there is one, confirm it's SMETS2 and ask for the export register to be enabled.

Flatshare Complications

If you're in a flatshare where one person holds the electricity account, the smart meter data and SEG payments go to that person. If you're the one installing plug-in solar, discuss how to share the savings fairly.

A practical approach: use a smart plug monitor on the solar circuit to measure actual generation. Split the value of that generation (import rate × kWh) proportionally.

Landlord-Supplied Electricity (Sub-Metering)

Some rental properties — particularly HMOs and purpose-built flats — have sub-metering where the landlord buys electricity in bulk and charges tenants individually. In this case:

You don't have a direct supplier relationship, so you can't request a smart meter
Plug-in solar would reduce your consumption, but the savings pass through the landlord's billing system
You have no route to SEG payments

This setup is relatively rare. If you do pay a named electricity supplier directly (even in a rented flat), you have full smart meter and solar rights.