How long does it take to get a smart meter fixed?
Energy customers are waiting more than seven weeks on average to get their smart meter or monitor fixed, according to our latest research.*
In that time, they contacted their supplier roughly every other week about the issue.
But that's just the people who told us their smart meter issue had ultimately been fixed. For those in our survey whose problems with their smart meters or monitors weren't yet resolved, the wait had been even longer. They'd been waiting nearly 14 weeks on average with no end in sight.
Three in 10 said it had been five to six months since they first contacted their supplier about the smart meter issue, and it still hadn't been sorted.
Are you having smart meter problems? Keep reading for our tips, or see our guide to common smart meter problems and how to solve them.
*We asked 10,193 members of our Which? Connect panel with smart meters to get in touch if they've had a problem with theirs or their smart meter monitor. Then we surveyed 325 of them who'd had an issue in the past six months and contacted their supplier about it. Online survey, July 2024.
Which? Get Answers podcast: how to ensure your smart meter is working properly
Smart meter issues
According to government data from August, around 3.5 million smart meters in homes in England, Scotland, and Wales aren't working in smart mode.
Often that's because they're not sending data via the smart meter network to their energy supplier, leaving customers with estimated bills and having to send meter readings again.
But this number doesn't include the people having problems with their smart meter monitor or in-home display. This is arguably the most useful bit of the smart meter for energy customers at home, as it lets you see how much gas and electricity you're using and how much it's costing, in real time. We often hear from members frustrated that theirs is either not working or not accurate.
Remember though that if your smart meter monitor isn't working, your smart meter (often outside, under the stairs etc) often still will be.
And if your smart meter isn't sending data to your supplier, it's usually still measuring your gas and electricity use correctly.
Smart meter problems? Here's what to do first
If your smart meter isn't sending readings to your supplier, try following these steps:
- Check if your statements are estimated and if smart meter readings are being recorded in your online account.
- Check whether your smart meter should work in smart mode using Citizens Advice's tool.
- Contact your supplier and ask them to investigate. It might ask you to follow a few steps to help establish the problem.
- Your supplier might try to fix your meter remotely or send an engineer to fix or replace it.
- Take regular meter readings from your smart meter/s and send them to your supplier. This way, you should still get accurate bills.
Find out how to read a smart meter.
Smart meter monitor problems? Here's what to do first
We've heard from people whose smart meter monitors show no data, inaccurate data or lose connection with their smart meter. If this sounds like you, try these quick steps:
- Turn your monitor off and on again
- Move it closer to your smart meter for better signal
- Check it's fully charged or plugged-in
- Check your supplier's troubleshooting guides for tips on your particular model.
If you've had no success, tell your energy supplier about the problem and ask them to investigate. For the first 12 months, it must repair or replace your monitor or offer the 'next-best' solution if it's technologically impossible to do so.
After 12 months, suppliers take different approaches. Monitors can often be remotely upgraded, if the issue is with a software update or network connection.
Find out why your energy company isn't fixing your smart meter monitor, including if you have to pay for a new one if yours breaks.
What to do if your smart meter issue still isn't solved
If you have been in touch with your energy supplier's customer service so far, now is the time to make a formal complaint.
Follow your supplier's complaints process to do this. It should be set out on its website or sometimes on the back of your bills.
If it's not solved after eight weeks, or you get a 'deadlock letter', you can take your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
You can also switch supplier to get better customer service, although it's worth checking first whether the new supplier thinks it'll be able to fix the issue.
See the best energy suppliers for 2024.
