Faulty smart meters are on the rise in Britain with some households reporting being hit by bill rises as a result.
The number of meters not operating in ‘smart mode’ went up from 2.7million to 3.98million between June 2023 and the start of 2024, according to Department for Energy Security and Net Zero figures.
In other words, millions of supposedly ‘smart’ meters are actually no smarter than the older meters they replaced and have gone dumb.
DESNZ said that reporting errors by a minority of suppliers could be behind the rise.
Questions to answer: The number of meters not operating in ‘smart mode’ is on the rise
If so, these suppliers would be obliged to repair the faulty meters, according to the trade association for the energy industry – Energy UK.
But how can you tell if your smart meter is faulty? And what should you do if you think it is? Find out below.
How do smart meters work?
Smart meters measure how much gas and electricity a household uses and share that information with you in close-to-real time.
They also send this information to your energy supplier via a wireless network similar to the internet but exclusively for smart meters.
If they lose connection, customers often rely on estimated bills, which are supposed to be corrected once the supplier has manual meter readings.
Smart Energy GB, a non-profit organisation focusing on the benefits of smart meters, says there are roughly 35million smart meters in Britain, the ‘vast majority’ of which are operating as intended.
It said 88.6 per cent were operating in smart mode at the end of 2023, up from 87.3 per cent the previous year.
Bill concerns: If your energy firm is not getting smart meter readings, you could overpay
How to know if your smart meter is faulty?
Some customers have either paid too much on their energy bills and struggled to get their money back – or too little and gone into debt – because their meters have not been in smart mode.
Two in five customers’ suppliers were not receiving meter readings, while one in 10 said their meters were not sending readings in the first place, according to a Which? survey.
You can see if your supplier is getting your readings by checking your latest statement – or looking at your supplier’s app if they have one – and seeing if readings are marked as ‘smart’.
If they are not, you can check how often your smart meter is supposed to be sending readings to your provider – either monthly, hourly, or half-hourly.
Making this more frequent could improve the accuracy of bills.
Another possible cause of the issue, which is not necessarily your smart meter’s fault, is if the supplier itself is having connectivity issues.
In this case, you may need to submit readings manually to ensure your bills are accurate while any problems are being resolved.
You can see if your supplier is getting your readings by checking your latest statement – or looking at your supplier’s app if they have one – and seeing if readings are marked as ‘smart’
What to do if your smart meter is faulty?
If you still think it might be your meter that is at fault, you can check its connection using this Citizens Advice tool.
Contact your energy provider if your smart meter is not connecting properly, making sure you submit manual readings while the issue is ongoing to make sure your bills are accurate.
If your smart meter monitor is at fault, then you can try moving it closer to your meters, checking its battery or that it is plugged in, or check your supplier’s website for further troubleshooting tips.
If a smart meter monitor is broken, or not working as it should within 12 months of installation, your supplier should replace it free of charge unless you damaged it yourself.
After 12 months, you can be charged for a new smart meter, although some energy firms will waive this fee.
