Energy meters in 300,000 homes could stop working at the end of June

There are serious concerns that 300,000 homes will be left without hot water or heating when an old type of electricity meter is switched off on 30th June.

The deadline for households to replace all Radio Teleswitching System meters with smart meters is looming. If the older meters are not replaced in time, households may find that their heating or hot water is continually left on or off, and they won't be able to switch between peak and off-peak times, meaning energy bills will cost more than before.

In a letter to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers, and Ofgem Chief Executive Jonathan Brearly, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition raised concern about the pace of the RTS replacement programme.

The RTS system is an old electricity meter due to be switched off on 30th June. Most homes have standard meters that will not be affected. However, campaigners such as the End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimate that 300,000 homes with old RTS meters could lose heating come 1st July.

'There is a very real risk that over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working come 1 July 2025,' says Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition.

'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.'

What is an RTS meter?

The Radio Teleswitch Service has been used since the 1980s to tell older electricity meters when to switch between peak and off-peak rates.

In a message for customers, Energy UK explains that 'smart meters are the only replacement for an RTS meter because they can be programmed to deliver a similar service'.

The responsibility for installing the new smart meters lies with electricity suppliers, who should do it free of charge.

If an RTS meter is not replaced by 30th June, it may not work properly. They will lose their ability to switch from day to night rates, and heating or hot water systems might get stuck on the last schedule they used. However, it is unlikely to affect plug sockets and lights.

Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator, says that all energy suppliers should have replaced the RTS meters by the time the Radio Teleswitch signal is turned off.

However, a the end of March, there were still 430,000 households using this type of meter for heating and hot water, according to Energy UK.

It said that 1,000 RTS meters are being replaced every day. However, this daily rate is falling short of the number needed to tackle the 430,000 total figure in time.

What to do if you think you have an RTS meter

If you're not sure if you have an RTS meter, these are the things Energy UK says to look for:

• You have a separate switch box near your meter with a radio teleswitch label on it.
• Your property is heated using electricity or storage heaters.
• There is no gas supply to your area.
• You get cheaper energy at different times of day. You might be on one of the following tariffs: Economy 7, Economy 10, or Total Heat Total Control.

If you think you have an RTS meter and have not been contacted, reach out to your electricity supplier as soon as possible.