Households are routinely being told they must pay to have faulty or broken smart meters replaced — despite energy providers promising the devices would help them save money.
In some cases, they are being quoted £50 just to replace the display unit that shows how much gas and electricity they are consuming in pounds and pence.
Money Mail’s postbag has been flooded with letters from scores of readers who, try as they may, simply cannot persuade their energy supplier to fix faulty smart meters.
Millions of the devices have now been rolled out to homes across the country. But 3.2 million homes have smart meters that don’t function as they should, with some left in limbo for months, with no way of knowing how much gas and electricity they are using — until a bill lands.
Households are being quoted £50 to replace their smart meter display units that shows how much gas and electricity they are consuming in pounds and pence.
We have now sent a dossier of more than 50 complaints to regulator Ofgem and Smart Energy GB — the organisation 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 decide any charges.
Andy Cameron, 71, was told by British Gas he would have to cover the cost of a replacement display unit after it stopped working in January. British Gas did not specify how much this would be.
The father-of-two first got a smart meter just 18 months ago when energy prices started to soar.
But after a year of it functioning correctly, he began receiving texts and emails saying his smart meter was not sending signals or readings to British Gas.
When he contacted his supplier, the former procurement officer, who lives in Fife, Scotland, with his wife Anne, was told there was a six-month wait for repairs.
He says: ‘I need to know how much energy I’m using. I’m trying to regulate our consumption but I can’t. It’s ridiculous.’
British Gas says if a display unit breaks it will provide a new device to some customers, such as those who are vulnerable — but says some may need to pay for the unit to be replaced.
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, with no way of knowing how much gas and electricity they are using until a bill lands
Judith Kennedy, 77, was quoted more than £50 by her supplier, Eon, to replace the display unit from her previous provider, Scottish Power.
The grandmother of six, from Radcliffe in Manchester, thought she would be sent a new device when she joined Eon more than a year ago, but has since learnt she would have to cover the cost. She says: ‘I was an early adopter of smart meters so it is 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 its 12-month warranty, after which point the customer may need to cover the cost.
An Ofgem spokesman says: ‘We expect suppliers to proactively identify when a customer’s smart meter is not working properly and take steps to fix or replace the meter.
Faulty readings: Some 3.2 million UK homes have smart meters that don’t function as they should
‘Where we have concerns about a supplier’s performance, we will engage with them and take action as appropriate in accordance with our enforcement guidelines.’
Consumer champion Martyn James says: ‘Customers are now being charged up to £100 to replace a smart meter.
‘But unlike a boiler, you don’t own your energy meters. They are the responsibility of the business. If the meter isn’t working then the energy firm must change it.’
Richard Hulme, 67, was told the ongoing problems with his smart meter were a result of an ‘industry-wide’ problem.
The retired pet food company director had no problems with his smart meter until a year ago, when it would no longer display his daily energy usage. He says: ‘Suppliers were advertising smart meters as a way to measure your usage live, but I cannot monitor mine.’
When he contacted his provider, Shell Energy, it couldn’t give a fix date — and has not gone into further detail about what the industry problem is.
After our involvement, Shell has fixed his smart meter for free and Richard has been offered a gesture of goodwill.
Kevin Hill, 64, an EDF customer from Lincolnshire, has been given a three-month date to fix his smart meter display.
EDF also cites the mysterious ‘industry-wide’ problem. In correspondence to Mr Hill, it said: ‘We’ve identified the problems you’re experiencing are linked to known issues across the industry and can’t be fixed with the tools currently available to suppliers.’
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
