Smart meter warning as Brits to be fitted new tech despite 'not wanting it'

More than 300,000 homes are at risk of losing their hot water and heating when their electricity are switched off on June 30, the industry has warned. Energy companies have admitted current rates of replacement mean it is likely that thousands of Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters will not have been upgraded before the tech is switched off.

The RTS system is used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water. It uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. However, the technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change customers' meters by June 30.

A spokesman for Energy UK, which represents energy firms, said that at the end of March, 430,000 households remained on an RTS meter and more than 1,000 were being replaced a day.

Campaigners said this implies more than 300,000 households could be left with a meter which doesn't work from July 1.

Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected, whether or not they have a smart meter.

Ned Hammond, Energy UK's Deputy Director for Customers, told the BBC that the rate of replacement is rising.

He added: "Obviously we'd need to increase from there significantly still to replace all the meters by the end of June."

Asked whether it is impossible to get every RTS meter switched over by June 30, he said: "I wouldn't want to say impossible - but clearly very, very difficult to get to that point."

A challenge faced in the roll out of smart meters is that not everyone wants one and some settings aren't suitable for the technology.

Jane from Norfolk told the she is on an RTS meter and doesn't want a smart meter. She told the broadcaster she feels as if she is being forced into getting one, adding: "It's not yet lawful to say I've got to have one. And I really, really don't want one. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are."

Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off.

Other risks identified by Ofgem include electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day - possibly leading to higher bills - and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the watchdog and the Labour Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort.

It said the replacement programme is falling dangerously behind schedule, with energy suppliers unable to meet existing targets and thousands of customers still without a plan for replacement.

The letter reads: "Based on our members' conversations with energy suppliers, we estimate that, in Scotland alone, tens of thousands of RTS meters are yet to be addressed, leaving many consumers in limbo."

Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: "Our member organisations across the country will continue to do all they can to support the transition and raise awareness of the switch, but urgent action is now required.

"There is a very real risk that over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working properly come 1 July 2025.

"With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there's a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households.

"Government, regulators and energy firms need to face up to the looming crisis and ramp up efforts to help people switch.

"At the same time we now need to ensure contingency measures are in place for those who do not make the deadline and require energy suppliers to ensure fair metering and billing practices."

According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if:

- Your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it;

- Your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters;

- There is no gas supply to your area;

- You get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, on an Economy 7 tariff;

- If you haven't been contacted, Ofgem recommends contacting your supplier to arrange the replacement;

- However, beware if someone contacts you claiming you need to pay to change your meter because it is likely to be a scam.