'Shambolic' nationwide meter replacement 'could leave households without hot water'

A mass switch-off of nearly 300,000 electricity meters has been branded a “shambles” as it formally got under way.

Critics warn households risk being left without hot water or heating - an even bigger issue if the process is not concluded by the autumn, which is looking highly unlikely. Some older electricity meters will stop working when the Radio Teleswitch Service - a signal that tells them when to switch between peak and off-peak rates - is phased out. These meters, which include some Economy 7 versions, will have to be removed and replaced with more modern smart meters instead.

But despite the industry having ages to prepare for the switch over, it is believed there are nearly 300,000 of the older style meters still in people’s homes. The deadline has already been delayed from March last year.

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The process is starting off slowly for fears that large numbers of people will be caught out, with concerns ranging from them being left with no electricity, through to not being able to turn the heating off, and electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day and possibly leading to higher bills.

Industry body Energy UK said a “small number” of meters were deactivated yesterday, without going into more detail. Sources suggested plans have been approved by regulator Ofgem and ministers to switch off around 600 in July.

Energy UK also refused to reveal where the first areas were, despite saying people with affected meters had been informed directly, as had MPs, MSPs and local authorities with activity within their areas. Other sources said it is understood to include parts of south-east London, the East Midlands and south Wales.

With the heatwave, campaigners are less concerned now than what will happen when the cold weather hits later in the year. Without a dramatic increase in the switch to smart meters, there are concerns that people could be left without hot water and heating in the autumn, when temperatures begin to tumble.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “It’s all a shambles”. Speaking last month, he said: “Government, regulators and energy firms need to face up to the looming crisis and ramp up efforts to help people switch.”

Dhara Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, said: “Hundreds of thousands of people have already replaced their meter successfully, and suppliers have ramped up resources and are ready to go. Due to high demand, appointments are being booked up quickly, and so people should get in touch as soon as possible, and not wait until it’s too late.”

She added: “It remains our objective to replace as many meters as possible quickly whilst still carefully managing our approach, as the longer the service runs the more chance of failure, which could affect hundreds of thousands of homes at once.
“So we need everyone’s help in responding to suppliers’ communications, ensuring they book an appointment and sticking to appointments if they have them booked.”

There are different reasons why households might still have one of the older meters, with one reason being they live in an area with no gas supply. According to Energy UK, you may have an RTS meter if:

* The property is heated using electricity or storage heaters.
* You get cheaper energy at different times of day (usually overnight). The tariff might be Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control.
* There is no gas supply to the property. This is often the case in blocks of flats and premises in rural areas.
* There may be a separate switch box near your consumer’s meter with a Radio Teleswitch (RTS) label on it.