Topupmeters

Smart prepaid meters for landlords and operators

Topupmeters presents itself as a provider of smart prepaid secondary meters (sub-meters) that allow landlords to manage electricity and gas billing without handling cash, without risk of theft, and without administrative costs. The company targets private landlords, social housing providers, student accommodation, holiday rentals, caravan parks, local authorities, and asset managers.

How it works and technical features

The system is based on 4G Cat1-Bis connectivity, which the company describes as the first of its kind in this type of meter. No mobile app is required: tenants top up online through a secure website, with instant credit. The meter detects tampering, loss of communication, and high consumption, and sends email alerts when the balance is low. Remote monitoring provides updates every half hour on consumption and balance. Tariffs are updated online instantly, and the meters are MID certified.

Comparison with traditional prepaid meters

Compared with coin or token systems, the Topupmeters meter eliminates cash handling and shop visits. The company notes that traditional meters involve tenant fees of between 10% and 15%, high operating costs, and manual tariff updates, while its model reduces operating costs and enables fully online management.

Setup process

Getting started involves four steps: ordering the meters, activating the service online, installation by a certified electrician, and starting to collect payments. Topupmeters does not provide the installation service; any certified electrical contractor can install the sub-meters and verify their connection to the service. After ordering, the company sends login credentials to the Gateway platform to activate the meters before installation, along with a welcome email with instructions on the process.

Online platform and management

The Gateway platform allows you to monitor consumption, balances, and alerts, manage automatic payments with secure online collections, and export consumption and revenue data. Tenants can register and top up from the company's secure website, without needing to download any app.

Pricing model and legal aspects

The model combines a one-off meter purchase cost and a recurring subscription that covers the SIM, data, portal access, and tariff changes. The company states that its meters are MID approved and that their use is legal, provided the landlord complies with Ofgem's rules on reselling electricity to tenants. Energy tariffs are set by the landlord or their agent through the online portal, to match the bill they receive.

Distribution and presence

In addition to direct sales, the products are available through distribution partners, such as local electrical wholesalers. The company states that it works with partners in the UK, Ireland, and Malta.