Households are routinely told to pay to have faulty or broken smart meters replaced – despite energy suppliers promising the devices will help them save money.
In some cases £50 will be offered to replace the display unit which shows how much gas and electricity they are using in pounds and pence.
Money Mail’s mailbag is inundated with letters from dozens of readers who, try as they might, can’t convince their energy supplier to fix faulty smart meters.
Millions of devices have now been rolled out to homes across the country. But 3.2 million households have smart meters that don’t work as they should, and some remain in limbo for months, not knowing how much gas and electricity they use – until a bill comes in.
Households are being offered £50 to replace their smart meter display units that show how much gas and electricity they are using in pounds and pence.
We have now sent a file of more than 50 complaints to regulator Ofgem and Smart Energy GB – the organization behind the meter rollout.
Ofgem says suppliers must replace faulty meters free of charge if they break within 12 months – after that, the energy watchdog says suppliers are free to determine any costs.
Andy Cameron, 71, was told by British Gas that he would have to cover the cost of a replacement display unit after it stopped working in January. British Gas has not specified how much this would be.
The father of two only got a smart meter for the first time 18 months ago when energy prices started to rise.
But after working well for a year, he started getting texts and emails saying his smart meter wasn’t sending any signals or readings to British Gas.
When he contacted his supplier, the former purchasing officer, who lives with his wife Anne in Fife, Scotland, was told that there would be a six-month wait for repairs.
He says, “I need to know how much energy I’m using. I try to regulate our consumption, but I can’t. It is ridiculous.’
British Gas says if a display breaks it will give some customers, such as vulnerable customers, a new device, but says some may have to pay for the replacement of the device.
Eon customers say they are also being asked to pay for replacement display units.
Faulty meters: Some UK households have been left in limbo for months, not knowing how much gas and electricity they are using until a bill arrives
Judith Kennedy, 77, was paid more than £50 by her supplier, Eon, to replace the display unit from her previous supplier, Scottish Power.
The grandmother of six, from Radcliffe in Manchester, thought she was going to get a new device when she joined Eon more than a year ago, but has since learned she would have to bear the cost. She says, “I was an early adopter of smart meters, so it’s very disappointing to be asked to pay.”
Eon says it considers each customer’s circumstances individually.
It will replace a broken display unit for free if it is within the 12 months warranty, after which the customer may need to cover the cost.
A spokesperson for Ofgem said: ‘We expect suppliers to proactively identify when a customer’s smart meter is not working properly and take steps to repair or replace the meter.
Incorrect metering: Some 3.2 million homes in the UK have smart meters that don’t work as they should
“If we have concerns about a supplier’s performance, we will engage with them and take action as necessary in accordance with our enforcement guidelines.”
Consumer champion Martyn James says: ‘Customers are now charged up to £100 to replace a smart meter.
‘But unlike a central heating boiler, you are not the owner of your energy meters. They are the responsibility of the company. If the meter doesn’t work, the energy company has to replace it.’
Richard Hulme, 67, was told that the ongoing problems with his smart meter were the result of an ‘industry-wide’ problem.
The retired director of a pet food company had no problems with his smart meter until a year ago, when he stopped reporting his daily energy consumption. He says: ‘Suppliers advertised smart meters to measure your consumption live, but I can’t monitor mine.’
When he contacted his provider, Shell Energy, they were unable to provide a firm date – and did not elaborate on what the problem is in the industry.
After our intervention, Shell repaired his smart meter free of charge and Richard received a gesture of goodwill.
Kevin Hill, 64, an EDF customer from Lincolnshire, has been given three months to repair his smart meter screen.
EDF also cites the mysterious “industry-wide” problem. In correspondence with Mr. Hill, it said: ‘We have determined that the issues you are experiencing are related to known industry-wide issues and cannot be resolved with the tools currently available to suppliers.’
a.cooke@dailymail.co.uk
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