The short answer: Ofgem proposes allowing energy suppliers and their representatives to give objective information about low-carbon technologies during smart meter visits. The proposal does not create permission for an unsolicited sales pitch, and it does not replace a survey of the property.
What Ofgem proposes
Ofgem published its consultation on 24 September 2026. It proposes changes to Electricity Supply Licence Standard Licence Condition 41 and Gas Supply Licence Standard Licence Condition 35.
The proposed clarification would let an energy supplier, or a person acting on its behalf, give objective information during a smart meter installation or related visit about:
- the availability of low-carbon technologies;
- their energy-efficiency features; and
- their potential costs and benefits.
Ofgem names heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage and electric-vehicle chargers as examples. The discussion would have to remain secondary to the purpose of the smart meter visit and stop immediately if the consumer asked for it to stop.
What the proposal does not mean
| The proposal supports | It does not establish |
|---|---|
| Objective, non-promotional information about technology options. | Permission to market products or services without the consumer's prior consent. |
| A general explanation of possible costs, benefits and efficiency. | A quotation, design or guarantee that a technology suits that property. |
| A conversation that is secondary to the smart meter visit. | A replacement for roof, electrical, heat-loss, siting or access evidence. |
| A proposed licence clarification open for consultation. | A final rule or a confirmed implementation date. |
The marketing boundary matters. Ofgem's consultation says the existing prohibition on marketing during a smart meter installation would remain unless the customer had given prior consent. Objective information and promotion therefore need separate scripts, training and records.
Why it matters for renewable installers
Smart meter visits reach households at a moment when energy use is already being discussed. Clear, neutral information could help more people understand which technologies exist and ask better questions. For installers, that may produce enquiries that are better informed but still early in the buying journey.
The useful handoff is from general awareness to property evidence. An installer still needs to know whether the roof, fabric, electrical supply, access and proposed equipment locations support a safe and workable design. Treating a general conversation as a suitability check would create false certainty and increase the risk of re-surveys, changed quotes or cancelled jobs.
What a property survey still needs to establish
Heat pumps
A proper ASHP survey can capture property dimensions, fabric evidence, heat-emitter details, outdoor-unit siting, sound-assessment inputs, cylinder options and electrical evidence. These are property-specific facts.
Solar PV
A solar survey can record roof dimensions and condition, orientation, shading and obstructions, access, cable routes, consumer-unit evidence and possible inverter locations before design.
Battery storage
A battery storage survey can document a proposed location, access and clearances, electrical arrangements, cable routes and the existing solar setup where relevant.
The survey does not decide every design question on its own. It gives the installer a checked evidence pack so designers and technical staff can make decisions from the same property record.
What installer teams can prepare now
The consultation is open, so businesses should avoid presenting the proposal as settled. The practical preparation is mainly about process:
- Separate information from marketing. Define neutral facts, promotional claims and the point at which prior consent is needed.
- Use an evidence-led handoff. When a household wants to explore a technology, move the enquiry into the correct qualification and survey route.
- Do not imply property suitability. Scripts should make clear that general costs and benefits depend on the home, energy use and eventual design.
- Train for an immediate stop. The proposed conditions require the discussion to stop if the consumer asks.
- Keep source wording current. Review the final Ofgem decision before changing compliance scripts or field processes.
What homeowners should do with the information
Use the conversation as a starting point. Ask what assumptions sit behind any cost or savings example, whether the information is general or specific to your home, and which evidence will be collected before a quote becomes a design.
Before agreeing to an installation, expect the installer to assess the property and explain the proposed equipment, siting, electrical work, limitations and next steps. A smart meter visit can introduce an option; it cannot establish those details by itself.
Questions homeowners and installers are likely to ask
Can a smart meter installer recommend a heat pump or solar system under the proposal?
Ofgem proposes allowing objective information about low-carbon technologies. Marketing would still require prior consent, and a general discussion would not replace a site-specific survey or design.
Is the Ofgem proposal already in force?
No. Ofgem published a consultation on 24 September 2026 and invited responses by 22 October 2026. The final licence wording may change.
What can a renewable energy survey add after a smart meter visit?
It can capture the property evidence needed for technology-specific decisions: for example, heat loss and siting for a heat pump, roof and electrical evidence for solar, or location and electrical evidence for battery storage.
Consultation source and deadline
Primary source: Ofgem, Low Carbon Technology Information: Proposed changes to Electricity and Gas Supply Standard Licence Conditions, published 24 September 2026.
Responses are invited by 22 October 2026. Read the consultation and response instructions on Ofgem's page before relying on the proposal for compliance decisions.
Turn an informed enquiry into usable site evidence
Vertex provides checked survey reports for installer teams across heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage.