Family faces shock £1,400 demand for meter switch-off or face having no heating

Daily Mail​

06-06-2025

An energy firm tried to charge a Scots family £1,400 to change their meter before it is switched off this month, it has emerged.
MSPs and consumer groups last night issued a warning to families that their energy supplier must pay the cost of replacing Radio Teleswitching Systems (RTS) meters.
It follows revelations that a supplier tried to charge one Orkney household £1,400 to replace their meter, including £200 for a hotel booking, £382 for a ferry and £820 for a day's work.
The supplier – which has not been named – only backtracked from forcing the family to pay when challenged by Liam McArthur, Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney.
It triggered a warning that customers should never pay for work which needs to take place before the RTS system is shut down at the end of this month.
As of last month, 124,864 of the RTS meters still needed to be replaced in Scotland.
Mr McArthur, said: 'I am deeply concerned to hear reports of some energy suppliers attempting to charge constituents to have their RTS meters replaced with smart meters.
'It is the obligation of suppliers to ensure customers have a working meter, and that there are no upfront costs for customers, including businesses, who pay for their meters through billing.
'Suppliers should also not be telling customers in places such as Orkney that they are required to cover costs related to accommodation or travel for engineers. This is simply not the case.'
Mr McArthur said he contacted the supplier and it dropped the demand for payment.
The RTS system – a feature of older electricity meters linked to heating and hot water usage – uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates.
But the technology is becoming obsolete and energy firms have a deadline to change customers' meters by June 30.
It has led to concerns that some households could lose their heating and hot water if their meter is not replaced in time.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, which runs energyadvice.scot, said: 'Suppliers should install smart meters at no cost. If that is not possible, they still have a duty to replace RTS meters with a suitable alternative, and customers should not be charged.'
Advice Direct Scotland supported one customer who faced a £700 kitchen repair bill following a meter replacement, and another quoted £1,290 to move a fuse by an inch for a smart meter.
Energy UK, which represents most suppliers but not the one responsible for imposing the £1,400 charge in Orkney, said: 'Customers should not expect to pay for an RTS meter replacement. We also urge customers to look out for scammers pretending to be suppliers.'
A spokesman for Ofgem said: 'We will look into this and hold to account any supplier that breaches our rules.'