Brits are being alerted to the potential risk of a malfunctioning smart meter, which could inadvertently lead to higher costs. It’s estimated that around 36 million UK households depend on a smart meter for their energy usage calculations.
However, official statistics reveal that approximately 10 per cent of these devices are defective and not functioning as intended. Smart meters, the latest generation of energy meters, automatically monitor gas and electricity usage at regular intervals.
This data is then transmitted to your energy supplier, enabling them to provide a more accurate – and typically cheaper – bill. Yet, industry regulator Ofgem has disclosed that a shocking number of smart meters fail to send automatic readings to providers, resulting in ineffective tracking of energy consumption.
According to the data, among the suppliers with the highest percentage of faulty meters, British Gas tops the list at 16.3%, closely followed by Scottish Power at 14.5%, and EDF at 12.1%. Conversely, E, Ovo, and Utilita have the lowest percentages of faulty meters at 2.6%, 5.6%, and 5.8% respectively.
Based on these figures, it’s estimated that around 2.6 million households are using faulty smart meters. Here’s how to determine if your smart meter isn’t working properly.
The first indication that your smart meter isn’t functioning correctly is if it fails to display anything on its screen. Additionally, you may notice that your bills are significantly higher than usual or than what you anticipated based on your usage.
Accurate bills should bear a ‘smart’ mark to signify that they’re derived from your smart meter’s data. In some instances, they may be marked with an ‘e’, indicating that you are being billed based on an estimate from the provider.
If you suspect your smart meter isn’t operating correctly, it’s recommended to contact your energy provider promptly so they can dispatch an engineer to test it and rectify any issues. Generally, the repair should be free of charge, however, if your smart meter isn’t faulty, you could still incur a charge.
