Your rights when your smart meter causes billing or service issues
Key right
Your supplier is responsible for ensuring your smart meter works correctly. If it is faulty, causing billing errors, or not transmitting readings, your supplier must fix it — and you may be entitled to compensation for any overcharging that resulted.
Ofgem Standard Licence Conditions 12 and 13 place obligations on energy suppliers in relation to metering equipment. Suppliers must ensure that meters installed are accurate, maintained in good working order, and tested when there is reason to doubt their accuracy. If you report a problem with your smart meter, your supplier is required to investigate and rectify it within a reasonable timeframe.
The most frequent smart meter issues include: the meter showing wrong readings or consumption figures, the meter losing its smart functionality after switching supplier (this affects older SMETS1 meters), the in-home display (IHD) not working, the meter failing to transmit readings automatically so the supplier continues to estimate bills, and billing errors caused by the meter recording consumption under the wrong rate.
Older SMETS1 smart meters often lose their smart functions when you switch to a new supplier. They revert to functioning as traditional meters, meaning your new supplier cannot read them remotely and may start sending estimated bills. From 2021, the industry has been upgrading SMETS1 meters to restore smart functions. If your meter has not been upgraded, your supplier has an obligation to arrange this or to read your meter by other means until it is resolved.
If you suspect your smart meter is recording inaccurate consumption, you can request a formal meter accuracy test. Your supplier is obliged to arrange this. If the test confirms the meter is faulty, your supplier must replace it and recalculate your bills for the period the meter was inaccurate. If the meter tests as accurate, you may be charged for the test (usually around £30-50), though this charge is waived if the meter is found to be faulty.
You cannot insist on a traditional meter if your supplier wants to install a smart meter, and the government has mandated a smart meter rollout. However, if a smart meter is causing persistent problems that your supplier cannot resolve, you can request that a traditional meter be installed as a temporary measure while the issue is investigated. This request should be made in writing.
If a faulty smart meter caused you to be overcharged, you are entitled to a full refund of the excess charges. If your supplier failed to rectify a known fault within a reasonable time, additional goodwill compensation may be available through the Energy Ombudsman.
Document the problem
Take your own manual meter readings and compare against what the smart meter shows. Note the dates and discrepancies precisely.
Report the fault to your supplier
Contact your supplier to report the smart meter problem. Ask them to log it as a formal fault and give you a reference number.
Request a meter accuracy test
If you suspect inaccurate readings, formally request a meter accuracy test in writing. Your supplier is obliged to arrange this.
Write a formal complaint
If your supplier has not resolved the issue within a reasonable time or has refused to act, write a formal complaint citing Ofgem SLC 12 and SLC 13.
Escalate to the Ombudsman
If the complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, escalate to the Energy Ombudsman for a free, binding decision.
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Start Your ComplaintFree escalation available. If your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, you can escalate to the Energy Ombudsman at no cost. Their decisions are binding on your supplier.