Warning for people with smart meters as nearly 4 million households affected by fault

An energy industry expert has warned the millions of households using a smart meter that they could be overpaying on their energy bills and not realising it, after it emerged that over four million smart meters nationwide are faulty - but there is an easy way to spot a faulty meter.

Smart meters measure in real-time a household's gas and electricity usage, allowing millions of consumers greater control over how much they pay to light and heat their homes. But in the past year, there has been an increase in faulty meters sending out faulty readings - leaving some people with a nasty surprise bill.

The four million faulty units represent just over 10 per cent of all smart meters, with 35 million active meters in the country. Once a meter becomes faulty and is not in "smart mode", households start receiving estimated bills based on old usage rates that can be significantly higher than expected.

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The trade body for the energy industry, Energy UK, has stated that it is the responsibility of suppliers to replace any broken smart meters. If yours is faulty, you should get in touch with your energy supplier as soon as possible or potentially face a more expensive bill.

What the experts have to say

James Longley, Managing Director at Utility Bidder, has covered some of the key questions from people who may be facing issues due to a faulty smart metre:

What is 'smart mode’ and what happens if my meter isn’t set to this?

“Your meter is required to work in smart mode to automatically send meter readings to your suppliers, and if this isn’t working, then you would have to send meter readings to the supplier yourself.”

How will I know when there is a problem with my smart meter?

“The interactive screen on your prepayment meter may also be a giveaway if error messages are appearing. If you can’t navigate through the display unit to see how much energy you’re using, then you may be getting estimated bills. You should be concerned if you receive an unexpected bill or if your total payments are higher than usual.

"However, your bills could still be correct if your in-home display is faulty. It is best to check your statement or energy company’s app to see if readings are from your ‘smart’ display.”

Am I responsible for contacting my energy supplier?

“You need to contact your energy supplier straight away if your gas or electricity stops working or your bills look incorrect, and once you have done this, they are legally obliged to send someone out to take a look at the meter and either repair or replace it.

"If your power supply is still working at the time of contact, the supplier will take the necessary steps to fix the problem - whether this is booking an appointment further down the line or looking at any faults remotely.”

Do I have the right smart meter for my needs?

“Energy meters have an expiry date, known as a ‘certification date’. This can be anywhere from 10-30 years, and you should expect to be contacted by your energy supplier once this lifespan is due to expire.

"Older meters may require manual readings and risk uneven estimated bills. Newer smart meters, however, should offer automatic readings, accurate, timely bills, and easier monitoring of your energy usage."

What are the benefits of having a smart meter?

“Not everyone opts for a smart meter, but having such control over your readings can give you a greater range of tariff options. When the energy price cap drops, you may want to consider switching providers or your type of energy tariff if you want to get the most out of the new limits.

"You can check how often you send data to your energy provider, as often as every half hour, to receive more accurate pricing and find out where you can save money in your daily routine. Also, in the future, customers with smart metres are much more likely to qualify for the lower pricing that suppliers offer.”