Martin Lewis issues 'upgrade now' warning ahead of deadline this month
Radio teleswitch service (RTS) meters are being switched off on June 30 - meaning anyone with this type of meter needs to upgrade their system to a smart meter now
Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning for hundreds of thousands of households with an old type of energy meter ahead of a deadline this month.
Radio teleswitch service (RTS) meters are being switched off on June 30 - meaning anyone with this type of meter needs to upgrade their system to a smart meter now.
If you don't switch, it could mean your heating and hot water stops working properly. RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and they use a radio signal to switch between peak and off-peak electricity rates.
In a post published on X, Martin Lewis said: 'Warning! Got an old Economy 7 or multi-rate electricity meter? The 'Radio Teleswitch Service' which allows some old (non-smart) meters to function will be switched off at end of this month.
'It could mean your heating & hot water won't function properly, or incorrect bills. You need a meter upgrade now.'
If you need to replace your meter, contact your electricity provider as soon as possible. They will be able to upgrade you to a smart meter, or another alternative, free of charge.
You may have an RTS meter if you have a switch box near your energy meter labelled Radio Teleswitch, if you have electric or storage heaters, if there is no gas supply to your area, or if you get cheaper energy at different times of day.
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, last month warned there will still be hundreds of thousands of RTS meters on the date they are due to be switched off.
Mr Francis told the Work and Pensions Committee: 'The process is doomed to failure. We are not going to see the RTS switch off on the first of July.
'There's still going to be hundreds of thousands of RTS meters in people's homes on the date that they're saying they're going to start winding down the signal.
'We don't know what is going to happen. The risks that have been outlined are either that your hot water and your heating are always on and you're going to be running up a massive bill, or it's always off.'
Charlotte Friel, director for Retail Pricing & Systems for Ofgem, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life.
'Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day.
'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from 30 June.
'We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience.'
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The National
3 days ago
- The National
RTS switch-off in July will put vulnerable Scots at risk
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The Guardian
6 days ago
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Having his meter replaced by EDF 18 months ago (the network was originally due to be switched off in March 2024) was, he said, 'one of the worst financial decisions I have ever taken'. 'Initially my smart meter was set up incorrectly to charge all units at day rates,' he said. 'This was subsequently corrected but the adjusted smart meter then malfunctioned in different ways.' 'A recent review of my electricity usage between January and April 2025 has revealed that a third of my night units have been charged as day units, due to the smart meter overriding my heater settings.' Two appointments to replace the meter were missed by the supplier. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Jones is now on a priority list to have his meter changed. After the Guardian contacted EDF it apologised for the missed appointments and applied compensation. It is now investigating the billing errors. Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, said 'no customer should be financially disadvantaged' as a result of the swap. Suppliers should be 'offering the same or equivalent tariffs after their RTS meter has been upgraded', it added. The meters are replaced at a rate of 1,800 a day but Ofgem wants the work to 'go faster' still. The government said the energy minister, Ofgem and Energy UK will meet fortnightly to review the progress of the phase-out, with particular attention paid to Scotland where about a third of the remaining meters are located. Charlotte Friel, the Ofgem director for retail pricing and systems, said the cautious approach being adopted 'should reassure customers' but it 'remains crucial that these meters are replaced urgently'. 'It's vital to engage with your supplier when offered an appointment,' she added. Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said the RTS switch-off process was doomed to failure after it became clear that the deadline was simply unachievable. 'We now need to see a plan published that sets out how the gradual switch-off will take place, including which regions will be affected and when,' he said. 'Crucially, we also need firm and binding reassurances that no customers will be left without heating or hot water, and that no household will face higher bills as a result of the changes.'
