Urgent warning to 100,000 Scots who could have hot water shut off within DAYS – here's what you need to do

Scottish Sun

17-06-2025

Read on for advice on what to do
SWITCH OFF Urgent warning to 100,000 Scots who could have hot water shut off within DAYS – here's what you need to do
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
AN URGENT warning has been issued as thousands of Scots could be left without heating or hot water in just days.
Regulator Ofgem revealed that 113,535 households across Scotland are still using old Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters and haven't transitioned to a smart meter.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
Thousands of Scots could be left without hot water or heating in just days
Credit: PA:Press Association
3
Customers have been urged to to switch to smart meters
Credit: Alamy
The old technology is set to be switched off on June 30 after the deadline was pushed back from March.
And customers have been warned that after the deadline, RTS meters will not work anymore.
If people choose not to upgrade to smart meters, Ofgem has said that "heating and hot water may be left continually on or off", The Herald reports.
There will not be a mass switch off from June 30, but a "phased approach".
Energy UK, which represents energy companies, has revealed what homeowners can do if they still rely on RTS meters.
They advise customers to book replacement appointments as soon as possible.
And have stressed that people should not worry if the appointments are given after the deadline.
All affected households should be contacted in advanced but Scots should contact their supplier to book a replacement as appointments are expected to be booked up quickly.
An Energy UK spokesman said: "There will not be a mass switch off of the RTS national signal on June 3. From this date, we will begin a phase out of the RTS functionality for small groups of meters at a time.
"Customers should still continue to book replacement appointments as soon as possible, and should not worry if the appointment they have been given is for after June 30.
From TV to energy... tips to save you money on 7 bills that are going up in April
"All affected customers will be contacted in advance, but as we expect appointments to be booked up very quickly, the advice still remains for customers to contact their supplier to book a replacement at the earliest convenience."
Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected whether they have a smart meter or not.
Since the 1980s, RTS meters have used a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off peak rates.
The number of homes reliant on the signal was expected to drop as the roll-out of smart meters progressed.