Households experiencing delays or failures in smart meter installations will now be entitled to a £40 compensation as per the new regulations effective today. The compensation will apply in cases such as waiting over six weeks for an appointment or if an installation is aborted due to a supplier-controlled fault. Additionally, compensation will be provided if a supplier fails to address reported issues within five working days.
These updated regulations are aimed at supporting the ongoing deployment of smart meters across UK households. Presently, over 70% of households in the UK have either smart meters or advanced metering systems, according to official government data.
Ofgem, the regulatory body, has reported that more than 900,000 non-operational smart meters have been fixed or replaced since 2024. Melissa Giordano, the deputy director at Ofgem, emphasized the benefits of smart meters, including accurate billing, cost-effective tariffs, and real-time energy consumption monitoring.
Furthermore, anticipating a decrease in energy bills this spring, Cornwall Insight forecasts a reduction in the Ofgem price cap from £1,758 to £1,641 annually for a typical dual fuel household. Ofgem is set to announce the next price cap on February 25, covering the period from April 1 to June 30.
Consumers on standard variable rate tariffs will be safeguarded by the Ofgem price cap, with the cap determining charges for gas and electricity units and fixed daily standing charges related to energy network connections. It’s important to note that the energy bill is calculated based on actual consumption levels, and the price cap indicates the expected annual expenditure for an average energy user.