Moving your meter: costs, steps, and what to expect
Ready to get booked in?
What you need to know
Is this the right place?
This page is for domestic customers who want to move their meter to a new location.
If you are a business and are looking to move your meter, please contact Octopus Energy for Business.
How long does it take?
If the meter move is within 1 metre, inside and not within any housing or meter box, we can normally book you in fairly quickly for a free standard move; this does depend on engineer capacity and region.
However, for more complex moves, it can take up to 4-6 weeks.
Who does what?
Octopus will sort the metering side of these jobs.
If your meter move is more complex, you will most likely need your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for electricity or your Gas Distribution Network (GDN) for gas to move your incoming supply first.
Where to start?
Ready to get moving? Fill out our Request Form - this is the fastest way to start the process and get a quick overview of what we can do.
As a general rule, we can usually move your meter if it's a standard meter move:
within 1m of the incoming supply
indoors and on the same side of the wall
not mounted inside a meter box
More complex setups that are outdoors or need to be moved farther may require your local network operator to do some prep work.
If you’re unsure about your setup, get in touch, and we’ll be happy to help!
Is my meter move standard or complex?
| Standard Move (Octopus only) | Complex Move (DNO/GDN Required) |
|---|---|
| The meter is already inside and is staying there. | Moving a meter from inside the house to an external meter box. |
| The new location is within 1 metre of the current main fuse or emergency control valve. | Any move greater than 1 metre from the current supply point. |
| The meter is not being moved to the other side of a wall. | Moving the meter to the other side of the same wall. |
| The above, and the move maintains a gap of at least 30cm between gas and electricity meters. | Any meter currently located in an outside box that needs to be moved. |
Standard meter move
If you move is standard, we can send one of our friendly technicians to move your meter to its new location.
If you don’t have a smart meter yet, they will upgrade this at the same time. This means you'll be billed accurately for what you use.
As long as your supply is live when we arrive, we’ll get you reconnected and back up and running before we head off.
Complex meter move
These moves require your network operator to change the incoming supply before we attend.
We need at least 6 weeks' notice to coordinate the booking. Typically, the operator attends in the morning, and we arrive that afternoon to move the meter.
Because your supply will be left disconnected, you must arrange your own electrician or gas safe engineer to handle the final reconnection.
Timelines
Standard meter move
Fill in our request form and get started with your meter move. This will help you understand the process and whether your meter move is standard or more complex.
If it's a standard meter move, we can book you in for a meter technician to attend to it. They will install a new-generation smart meter at the same time if you don’t already have one!
We’ll install your smart meter(s) and get your supply live and ready.
Complex meter moves
You may need to request a quote for works from your DNO/GDN. If you are unsure about this, get in touch with us, and we’ll take a quick look.
Once you have accepted the quote and paid. You should be offered a date for the work (ideally 4-6 weeks in the future).
Fill in our request form right away. We need 4-6 weeks' notice to sync up with that date.
On the day, the network operator moves the supply in the morning (8 am - 12 pm).
We arrive to move your meter(s); usually 1 pm - 5 pm.
Your Electrician or Gas Safe engineer steps in to connect the meter to your internal appliances.
The technical bits
You might hear some technical jargon when arranging your meter move. Here is a breakdown of the key bits involved in shifting your supply:
| Jargon | Explanation | Who’s responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Cut out /main fuse/service head | Where the DNO terminates the supply from the grid in your property. | The DNO (Distribution Network Operator) |
| Emergency control valve (ECV) | Where the GDN terminates the supply from the grid in your property. | The GDN (Gas Distribution Network) |
Frequently asked questions
No, these works require planning and coordination with the DNO/GDN. For a property having the meter moved, we’ll need to follow the standard meter move request process.
When on site, we'll always aim to install a fully working SMETS2 set-up.
Not only do they save the hassle of giving monthly meter reads, but they could also save you money! No more estimated bills, and access to all of our most innovative tariffs.
No, the network operator will disconnect the supply to the meter and install the new incoming supply in the new location.
The existing meter will be left in place, then moved to the new location, or replaced with an SMETS2 meter if it is a traditional meter or a SMETS1 smart meter.
No. Your grid connection needs to be live on-site before we can install the meter.
Not necessarily, but you’ll need the owner’s consent before we make any changes.
If you have a complex meter move, the DNO/GDN will most likely charge for a new connection and, in some cases, for a quote even if you do not accept it.
At Octopus, smart meters are installed at no extra cost, but occasionally additional metering work may be needed. If anything further is needed, we will let you know as soon as possible.
Yes, as long as the correct details are on the national databases. Feel free to get in touch with us to check this.
No, it’s not compulsory to have a smart meter installed. However, we recommend upgrading. Smart meters can save you time, effort and money by helping you manage your energy more efficiently.
Traditional meters are also no longer manufactured or refurbished, so for a new connection, a smart meter will be offered.
In most cases, we can facilitate a temporary supply - get in touch to find out more.
Find who your DNO is here.
Find who your GDN is here.
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