Overview
- Commercial mailings offering smart‑meter installation have reached towns including Freising and Holzkirchen, drawing public warnings from local utilities and the Verbraucherzentrale Bayern on Monday, October 12, 2026.
- The letters create a false sense of urgency by setting short deadlines and promising free installation, with DMG Deutsche Messwesen named in local reports as one example sender.
- Local utilities and consumer advocates say the advertised ‘free’ installation often hides ongoing costs and contract traps, citing offers that include a €99 annual fee and a 24‑month minimum term.
- Under current German law, a mandatory smart‑meter fit applies only to specific cases—households over 6,000 kWh/year, PV systems above 7 kWp, or devices with connection power of at least 4.2 kW installed since January 2024—and municipal utilities are the default metering operators responsible for lawful installation.
- Residents are advised to ignore unsolicited commercial offers, wait for contact from their local metering operator, and consult the Verbraucherzentrale or compare independent quotes before signing to avoid unexpected charges and unwanted service contracts.