Pay for Room Electricy By Meter?

They usually have an obligation to inform their landlord, and to return the energy provider to the original supplier on vacation therefore advisable to speak to the landlord -not to mention changing from PAYG (visa versa) usually involves changing the meter which means you would have to restore the meter to PAYG on vacation, unless you had consent from the landlord

You do not need consent or to inform the the landlord to do this, if they tried to stop you it would be illegal anyway.

The landlord could ask you to restore it on leaving as you say, but would struggle to put a legal case together if you didn't due to what is involved here, and it is hardly difficult to do so if they really wanted you to do so.
This is not the same as doing work on the house where you would need permission, they cannot interfere with this kind of thing and should not expect you to inform them of your private business.

You can if you want to, but it is not needed.

Just for clarity, could you reference the law you allude to?

It is more of a lack of law allowing them really, and a landlord who attempts to enforce something they have no rights to do would be breaking the law in the same way if I tried to force you to do something.

If they attempted to put it as a clause in the agreement it would be unenforceable as it is not a right the landlord has, and so again the above would be true (something that is unenforceable is meaningless).

Why would it be unenforceable? Why could the landlord not argue it was a term of the contract?

The payg meter would have been installed under the landlord's name or possibly a managing agent. The meter cannot be changed without their permission. The supplier would not do it unless they made an admin error. And it will be within the terms of contract (tenancy) ie no alterations to structure or appliances without consent.

I could change from payg to dd meter as it was specifically in the contract that the tenant is responsible for the meter whilst the landlord is responsible for the supply.

Hope this helps you two clarify

The meter is property of the electricity company and will be under the name of whoever pays the bills.

Landlords can no more stop their removal than they can stop the electric company fitting one where there is not one to start with to recoup debt from a tenant who has arrears (happens to landlords all the time and they can't stop it as you can find easily).

2.4 To arrange immediately with the relevant supply company for all accounts for water, gas, electricity, telephone, and television licence (where applicable) at the Property to be addressed to the Tenant in their own name and to pay all charges for these.

Since you are talking about payg in each rented room then that is not correct. When the landlord converts a property in to a house of multiple occupation (HMO) and installs payg meters through the supplier into each room the meters will be supplied under the landlord's name. He/she will receive an annual statement under his/her name for each meter supplied. The landlord is responsible for the meter.

______________________

This is a separate issue. In this instance the landlord has a DD meter installed for use of the tenant. The tenant is now responsible for the meter. The DD and account will be in the name of the tenant. In this scenario most tenancy agreement in part two of an agreement includesIf the tenant subsequently changes to payg then that is their choice in this situation. It is polite but unnecessary to inform the landlord unless the structure of the building is to be changed. The payg meter would be under the name of the tenant and the tenant is responsible for this meter. The tenant would not have to put the dd meter back when vacating the property unless this had been part of any agreement between landlord and tenant.

Source: Tenancy Agreement Service