THOUSANDS of British Gas customers have faulty smart meters which will take months to fix.
Around 4,000 customers are affected by a glitch which means that they can’t see how much they’ve spent through their in-home display, according to The Mail on Sunday.
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To make matters worse, British Gas has said that it could take months to resolve the issue.
The customers affected can’t view their correct energy usage or the amount that this costs on their smart displays.
British Gas has confirmed that they expect the issue can be resolved remotely.
But for now, the supplier still needs to work on a software update to help fix the issue – meaning thousands are left waiting.
A spokesperson for British Gas said: “We have installed around 4.1m smart meters with hand-held IHD devices.
“Most display units work as expected but if there are any issues they can be fixed remotely or via an engineer visit.
“There is a small number of customers, around 0.1 per cent of those with smart meters, who’ll need to wait a little longer if their IHD stops working as a software update is needed at our end – which we are we’re working on.
“We’re sorry and we know this isn’t ideal – the vast majority of our millions of customers with smart meters don’t have issues with their devices.”
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The news comes after some British Gas customers were left furious as the supplier continues to revamp its billing service.
Last August, Centrica announced that it would move more than seven million domestic and small business British Gas customers over to a new billing system.
The move is intended so that customers are able to manage their accounts, view their energy consumption and look over their bills without needing to speak to an agent.
But the change has left some customers “very angry” after they noticed that any energy credits held had disappeared from their accounts.
It appeared that customers didn’t lose their credits – but that a glitch occurred during the switchover process, which meant that account balances weren’t shown accurately.
How do I make a complaint?
Similar to financial services firms, energy companies have to have a complaints procedure for customers to follow.
When you make a complaint, make sure you follow this so they have the information they need to resolve the issue.
Simply explain what the problem is and what you want your supplier to do about it.
British Gas customers wishing to make a complaint can do so online or by phone.
If you have a prepayment meter, you should British Gas on 0330 100 0303.
If you pay by cash, cheque or direct debit, you should call British Gas on 0333 202 9802.
British Gas customers can also complain by letter by writing to Complaints Management Team, PO Box 226, Rotherham, S98 1PB.
Energy suppliers have eight weeks to respond and come to a decision.
If it doesn’t or you’re not happy with the response, you can take the firm to the Energy Ombudsman.
How do I take my complaint to the Energy Ombudsman?
The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.
Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
You can also complain if you haven’t had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.
The Energy Ombudsman then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.
If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier then has 28 days to comply.
If it refuses to, it can be enforced in court.
