Tough new rules force suppliers to fix faulty smart meters
Families to save on their energy bills with new obligations for suppliers to fix smart meters more quickly, cutting waiting times for billpayers.
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Energy suppliers forced to fix faulty smart meters as soon as possible听or face听fines and听penalties听
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Cutting wait time听to听no more than 90 days听so households can save money on bills听
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Builds on 拢40 compensation if consumers face issues听while getting听a smart meter听installed听听
Families will save money on bills through new obligations that energy suppliers will fix their smart meter more quickly, cutting waiting times for billpayers.
Under tough new standards, suppliers will have no more than 90 days to听repair faulty听smart meters 鈥� or else face听action听from the regulator, which could听include听fines or听legal action.听听
While 92% of smart meters work as they should,听many households have struggled with their smart meters not听operating听in smart mode, meaning they do not send automatic meter readings to suppliers 鈥� and have had to wait far too long to get them fixed.听听
The government鈥檚 changes will help put an end to that 鈥� driving up standards and cracking down on bad听practice听鈥� in the latest step to reform the energy market and put billpayers first.听
Consumers are also听now听eligible for 拢40 in compensation if they face issues听throughout听the听process of installing a听smart meter, such as delayed听or failed听installations, following reforms brought forward by Ofgem last month.听听
And last听summer,听the government published a听guide to smart metering听to support families to gain a better understanding of their rights听by clearly setting out in one place everything households can expect from suppliers when they get a smart meter.听
Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said:听听
Smart meters are听already听helping millions of听people听manage their energy听use听and save on听bills.听
But we know听far too many people听can be waiting听several听months for their听smart听meter听to be听fixed听鈥� and losing money in the process.听
These听new rules will听put an end to this,听making sure meters are fixed in good time 鈥� driving up听standards,听protecting听billpayers, and听helping听more consumers feel the benefits of having a smart meter.
Energy suppliers听will also听be required听to replace all smart meters that are still connected to 2G and 3G before the services are switched off听by听2033, under rules introduced today听鈥� ensuring consumers听continue to听benefit听from their smart meters听as听local听networks move over to 4G services.听听
Almost听40听million households听and small businesses听across Britain already use smart meters to听help them听better听understand听their energy use and bring down their bills.听In 2025,听households with听smart meters saved an estimated 拢700 million听on听their听bills.听听
Notes to editors:
Suppliers听are already required to听take all reasonable steps to fix听smart meters听that are听not working as they should.听The obligations being introduced today will now provide a听time frame听within which suppliers must听provide repairs 鈥� mandating that听suppliers must take all reasonable steps to ensure听that听meters are fixed as soon as possible, and no longer than 90 days after they are notified of the issue.听
Failure to听comply with听these rules could听result听in the energy听regulator putting companies on notice or听enforcing fines.听听
The consultation on the post-2025 smart metering policy framework can be found here:听Smart metering policy framework post 2025 - 扒哥吃瓜听
Ofgem鈥檚 announcement on guaranteed standards of performance for smart meters can be found here:听
40听million households听and small businesses听have a smart meter, according to DESNZ analysis:听Smart meter statistics - 扒哥吃瓜
DESNZ analysis听also听estimates that听households with听smart meters saved听an estimated 拢700 million on their听bills听in 2025.