Frequently asked questions
Everything landlords and property owners ask us about prepaid sub-metering, registration, installation, payments, and support.
What is prepaid electricity sub-metering?
A sub-meter sits between the main Eskom or municipal meter and an individual unit (flat, shop, room) in a property. It measures exactly what that unit uses, so each tenant can be billed — or prepay — for their own consumption instead of the landlord estimating or splitting one big bill. See our full explainer page for a walkthrough with diagrams.
Does sub-metering replace my Eskom or municipal supply?
No. Electricity still comes from Eskom or your municipality through the main meter. Gridix's sub-meters just measure and manage how that supply is divided and paid for within your property.
Why should I install sub-meters as a landlord?
So each tenant pays for exactly what they use. No estimates, no year-end disputes, and no chasing tenants for usage-based adjustments — tenants top up their own prepaid balance and manage their own consumption.
Who is Gridix?
Gridix is a prepaid electricity sub-metering brand under Utility Revenue Systems (Pty) Ltd, built on the group's experience as a pioneer of prepaid metering technology for public and private utilities.
Is Gridix available at my property?
Gridix works with standard prepaid sub-meters installed downstream of your existing Eskom or municipal meter — practically any residential or commercial rental property with individually metered units.
How do I register my property with Gridix?
Online registration is coming soon. In the meantime, email us or call 021 812 1877 and we'll register your details as the account holder, along with your property and the meter(s) installed on it.
What information do I need to register?
Your identity or company details, property address and municipal account details, and your meter's serial number(s). Full validation rules are in our Privacy Policy and on the registration form once live.
How many properties or meters can I register?
As many as you own — each property can have multiple meters linked to it (electricity, water, or gas).
Can I edit my details after registering?
Yes. The portal lets you view your submitted details and either confirm them or edit and resubmit.
Is my information kept secure?
Yes — see our Privacy Policy for how we handle your data under POPIA. Servers are hosted in South Africa.
Where is a sub-meter installed?
Always downstream of your main Eskom or municipal meter — never in place of it. A qualified electrician installs the sub-meter on each individual unit you want billed separately.
Does Gridix install the meters, or do I need my own electrician?
You arrange installation: electricity meters must be installed by a registered electrician, and water meters by a qualified plumber, with all work complying with applicable laws and by-laws. Keep your certificate of compliance — you'll need it.
What meter types does Gridix support?
Electricity sub-meters at launch, with water and gas meter types supported in the data model for future registration.
Can I use a meter I already have installed?
Yes — register the existing meter's serial number and details; you don't need to replace working hardware to join Gridix.
What if the unit previously had a different supplier or sub-meter?
There's a field for "previous supplier" during registration specifically to handle this — it's optional but helps us understand your setup.
How do tenants buy prepaid electricity?
Tenants buy tokens the same way they would for a municipal prepaid meter — via major retailers and banking apps (Pick n Pay, Checkers, Shoprite, Spar, Capitec, Engen, Astron) — and load them directly onto their meter.
How and when do I get paid as a property owner?
Funds collected from token sales are settled to you within the first week of each month, with full transparency via the secure portal.
What if a tenant's token purchase or top-up fails?
We're your first point of contact — reach our support team at info@ursystems.co.za or call our help desk on 021 812 1877 and we'll help resolve it, whether the issue was with your payment method, the retailer, or the meter itself.
Will I be able to see usage vs. my Eskom/municipal bill?
That's on our roadmap — connecting each meter's token history to a usage comparison view — but it isn't available yet.
My meter shows an error or won't accept a token — what do I do?
Contact our support team at info@ursystems.co.za or call our help desk on 021 812 1877 and we'll help you get it sorted.
What happens during loadshedding or a power outage?
The sub-meter retains your token balance — you won't lose credit — and simply resumes measuring usage once power is restored.
Is there a warranty on Gridix meters?
Yes — a 12-month manufacturer warranty for supported meter brands. See our Terms & Conditions for full details.
My meter is in "tamper" mode — what does that mean?
Tamper mode is a built-in security feature that protects against meter interference and electricity theft. If the meter detects something unusual — like an attempt to bypass it, unauthorised access, or certain abnormal power events — it locks itself and stops dispensing electricity until it's reset. Contact our help desk on 021 812 1877 to get it reset — self-service reset via the customer portal is planned for a future release.