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Thousands of households warned to make vital energy meter check or risk being cut off
Read on to find out if you urgently need to upgrade your meter
HUNDREDS of thousands of energy customers need to act now to avoid being cut off in just a months’ time.
Households with Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters need to switch to a smart meter before June 30 this year, when the service will be switched off.
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Hundreds of thousands of customers on Economy 7 and other multi-rate energy tariffs use these meters, which charge customers cheaper rates depending on the time of day.
This means that anyone who does not swap to a smart meter could find their heating or hot water does not work properly.
Around 530,000 households need to upgrade from an RTS meter, according to the most recent figures from Energy UK.
Suppliers have been urging customers to switch to a smart meter before the deadline.
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They have been individually contacting their customers to book a smart meter installation appointment.
Here we explain what each of the suppliers have said and what you need to do.
Octopus Energy
The energy supplier has revealed to The Sun that around 41,000 RTS meters still need to be replaced before the June deadline.
Octopus is contacting customers to book a meter exchange.
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The energy giant said that roughly half of the affected customers have already booked an appointment to upgrade their meter.
But this leaves approximately 20,500 households that have not yet taken action.
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You can book a smart meter installation in your online account.
E.ON Next
The major energy firm has urged 65,000 customers with RTS meters to take action to avoid being cut off.
Ramona Vlasiu, chief operating officer at E.ON Next, told The Sun: "It is vitally important for customers with RTS meters to respond to us to ensure their meter is upgraded before the radio signal is switched off from June 30.
"We have engineers available to upgrade your meter to ensure your supply is not affected."
What is a smart meter?
SMART meters are gas and electricity meters that can digitally send readings to your energy supplier.
They show you how much energy you are using in pounds and pence, so can be used to help reduce your energy bill.
Unlike traditional meters, which simply register a running total of energy used, smart meters can record half-hourly price and consumption data and provide automatic meter readings to your energy supplier.
Most homes have two meters, one for gas and one for electricity – both will be replaced with smart meters.
You will also be offered an in-home display to show you the cost and amount of energy you are using at any given time
It will update every 30 minutes for gas and in near real-time for electricity.
You can book a smart meter appointment online at eonnext.com/smart.
EDF
EDF has warned its customers with an RTS meter to get in touch with the supplier.
The provider told The Sun: "The Radio Teleswitch Signal (RTS) switch-off date of 30 June 2025 is fast approaching and some customers may not realise they have an RTS meter that needs changing.”
They added that if your home is supplied by an older style meter then it is important to check if it is controlled by a Radio Teleswitch.
So if you have installed a gas supply, or your peak and off-peak rates are billed together then you could still be affected.
They added: “If you have an RTS meter that’s not changed by June 2025, it could have an impact on your heating, hot water and how much you pay for your energy, so it’s important that your meter is exchanged as soon as possible.”
How to check if you have an RTS meter
It is easy to tell if your meter is an RTS one.
The oldest RTS-powered meters have a switch box labelled “Radio Teleswitch” located next to the electric meter.
Others may have the RTS switch box within the electric meter as a single box on the wall.
One way to tell is if you get cheaper energy at different times of the day.
You may be on a tariff called Economy 7, Economy 10 or Total Heat Total Control.
Another way to tell is if your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters, according to Energy UK.
RTS meters are also often used in areas with no gas supply, for example with high rise flats or houses in rural areas.
If your home is in one of these locations then it is worth checking your meter.
If you are still unsure then contact your supplier and ask if you have RTS equipment.
They should be able to tell you if you have one.
If you have one of these meters then you should book a smart meter installation as soon as you can.
A recent investigation by The Sun found that many suppliers are facing a shortage of appointments.
The delays are partly due to the high number of RTS customers who are rushing to upgrade to a smart meter.
What is the alternative to RTS?
Smart meters have the same features as RTS meters and can record different prices at different times of the day, which are offered by Economy 7 tariffs.
They use a digital signal and can show your energy usage in real time, which can help you to save money.
Smart meters are being rolled out by suppliers across the UK and so far around 36million households have one.
But millions of households have one that does not work.
Around one in ten smart meters are thought to have gone dumb, according to industry regulator Ofgem.
Some customers have said that their smart meter monitor has a broken display or it will not connect to the network.
Meanwhile, many first-generation smart meters have outdated technology, which should not be an issue with ones fitted now.
Suppliers should fix smart meters that are not working but you will need to take meter readings in the meantime to make sure your bills are accurate.
Monitors that show your readings and usage should be replaced or fixed for free.
You can ask your supplier for a traditional meter but they are not obliged to give you one as smart meters are being phased in to replace them.
Can I keep my RTS tariff?
Ofgem has told suppliers that they must take reasonable steps to ensure that you are given a like-for-like tariff when switching to a smart meter.
In cases where this is not possible they should work with the customer to agree an appropriate tariff.
There are more smart meter-only tariffs than RTS ones and many of them will save you money.
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If you have not received a letter from your supplier yet then you do not need to wait until you receive one.
You can contact your supplier directly to book an appointment.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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