Energy firms have been warned they will be punished if they fail to switch over nearly half a million obsolete electricity meters in the next two months.
Hundreds of thousands of households risk losing their hot water or heating if they do not take action and get help from their supplier as soon as possible, ahead of a technological change.
Radio teleswitching system (RTS) meters will stop working on 30 June when the radio signals which tell them what tariff to apply are switched off for good.
Energy UK said that at the end of March, there were still 430,000 RTS meters active in the UK, with the rate of replacing them running at around 1,000 per day, not enough to change all the meters by the deadline.
Ministers have been meeting the industry and the regulator Ofgem every other week to push them to speed up the rate so that households are not left without hot water or heating.
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They have also ordered suppliers to ensure that no consumers end up being hit with higher bills than before as a result of getting a new meter.
Ofgem has warned that any company which did not meet its legal obligations could face penalties. A spokesman said: “The RTS upgrade programme is an urgent consumer welfare issue and Ofgem is determined to explore every avenue to ensure that customers are protected when this ageing 40-year-old technology is phased out from 30 June 2025.
“Ofgem set up a taskforce alongside Energy UK, bringing together suppliers and the wider sector to accelerate the rate of meter upgrades to its highest level yet, and solve complex technical barriers posed in certain remote regions.”
An RTS Meter. Thousands have been warned to switch to a smart meter ahead of the 30 June deadlineWhat to do if you need to switch
Customers who are worried that they may have an RTS meter which has not yet been replaced should contact their supplier immediately. If they are unhappy with the responses and service they receive from their provider, they can ask the energy ombudsman to intervene.
The Ofgem spokesman said: “We urge any customers who may have previously struggled to get their RTS meter replaced to please contact their supplier again to arrange an appointment.
“Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are scrutinising on an ongoing basis to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the phased switch-off process begins.”
Any firm which falls short of its obligations could be subject to a range of penalties, which in the past have included large fines and compensation payments to affected households.
By default, RTS meters are being replaced by smart meters, but households which cannot have or do not want a smart meter may have other options. It should not cost the consumer any money to replace their RTS meter.
A spokesman for Smart Energy GB said: “The RTS switch-off could result in households with radio teleswitch meters losing control of their heating and hot water. It is therefore crucial that anyone with an RTS meter accepts an upgrade from their supplier now. Most RTS meter replacements will be a smart meter, which can be programmed to deliver a similar service to RTS and offer the best option for the vast majority of homes and businesses.”
A Government spokesman added: “The technology behind the radio teleswitch service is reaching the end of its operational life and is due to be switched off from June 2025. Industry must work urgently to continue to increase the pace of replacements. We are determined that no consumers will be left worse off as a result of radio teleswitch meter replacements.”
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