Urgent energy warning over huge unexpected bills with millions at risk – how to avoid it
MILLIONS of homes are at risk of shock energy bills linked to their smart meter, a charity has warned.
More than half of British homes now have one of the gadgets but are being exposed to so-called catch-up bills when problems arise, according to Citizen’s Advice.
Faults and poor service from suppliers can mean automatic readings are not taken for long periods of time.
And this can mean that households may underpay.
Shock catch-up bills of £1,000 and upwards have been sent to customers after smart meters went unchecked by suppliers for more than a year in cases seen by Citizens Advice.
One in five households with a smart meter – working out as 2.86 million homes – still have to regularly submit manual meter readings because their device is not doing this automatically, a survey by the charity found.
Read more on energy bills
And almost a third experienced issues with their in-home display (IHD) screen that helps households track their energy usage and costs.
Currently suppliers can back bill customers for an entire year, whether they have a smart meter or not, but Citizens Advice said this period should be cut to six months to avoid hefty catch-up bills.
A quarter of people who asked the charity for help with smart meter issues had billing problems.
The charity now wants new rules that force providers to identify and fix problems as quickly as possible.
Consumers are often left waiting in limbo while suppliers blame issues on the Data Communications Company, which is responsible for the data network the tech relies on.
Government figures show that more than 10% of smart meters were not working properly by the end of last year, but Citizens Advice said this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Citizens Advice wants suppliers to be forced to meet new Guaranteed Standards of Performance, which would ensure timely diagnosis of issues and repairs, with affected consumers automatically compensated if these were not met.
When things go wrong, consumers often struggle to find out what the problem is, who’s responsible and how long it will take to fix it.
Citizens Advice wants to close what it calls an “accountability gap” between suppliers and the Data Communications Company, so all issues can be diagnosed in a timely manner.
Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty said: “The whole point of smart meters is to empower households to save energy and money, but in reality millions are missing out on those benefits due to problems with technology and poor supplier service.
“Energy companies are very keen for customers to get a smart meter but when issues arise they are often nowhere to be found. That has to change.
“Suppliers have been far too sluggish in fixing issues with problem meters.
We explain here how to take and submit a meter reading.
What to do if your smart meter display breaks
If you notice your smart meter display screen suddenly goes blank or your readings don't seem to be right, contact your energy supplier as soon as possible.
You can contact energy suppliers to report faulty displays using the following contact details:
- British Gas: 0330 100 0056 or live web chat
- EDF Energy: 0333 200 5100 or on Whatsapp on 07480 802 942
- E.On Next: email hi@eonnext.com or call 0808 501 5200
- Octopus: email hello@octopus.energy or call 0808 164 1088
- Ovo: 0330 303 5063 or live web chat
- Scottish Power: 0345 058 0002 or live web chat
- Shell Energy: email help@so.energy or call 0330 111 5050
- Utilita: 0345 207 2000 or live web chat
In the meantime, check for flashing lights, unusual symbols or screens that seem to stick. All of these suggest a problem with your system.
If your screen goes blank or disconnects from your network, suppliers recommend trying to turn it off and on first, as basic as that sounds.
Leave the device to rest for a few minutes to allow it to reset, and then make sure it's positioned as close as possible to your actual meter before rebooting it.
Displays that are functional should start showing your correct data again within 24 hours.
If you still find your meter isn't working, ask your supplier to send you a new in-home display. They should send you one for free.
However, The Sun revealed last year that in certain circumstances, some suppliers charge up to £50 to replace faulty smart meter screens, so double check with your supplier first.
If you feel your supplier hasn't helped resolve your issue quickly or you're otherwise unhappy with how it's treated you, you can file a formal complaint with them.
You must do that before you can escalate your complaint further, for example to the Energy Ombudsman.
The firm must respond to your complaint within eight weeks. If it misses this deadline or provides you with a 'deadlock letter', where it can't reach an agreement with you, then you can escalate it to the ombudsman.
You may get compensation if the ombudsman agrees with your complaint.
By Laura Purkess, consumer features editor and consumer champion
HOW TO COMPLAIN
If you have ongoing issues with billing and you're unhappy with your suppliers response you can escalate the issue.
Similar to financial services firms, energy companies have to have a complaints procedure for customers to follow.
When you make a complaint, make sure you follow this so they have the information they need to resolve the issue.
Simply explain what the problem is and what you want your supplier to do about it.
Check your energy supplier's website for an explanation on how to launch a complaint.
Energy suppliers have eight weeks to respond and come to a decision.
If it doesn't or you're not happy with the response, you can take the firm to the Energy Ombudsman.
The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.
Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
You can also complain if you haven't had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.
The Energy Ombudsman then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.
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If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier then has 28 days to comply.
If it refuses to, it can be enforced in court.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year - irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type - this will give you your usage costs.
You'll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage - this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you'll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.