Hundreds of thousands of households with old-style electricity meters are at risk of losing their hot water and heating when their meter technology starts to shut down in just two months’ time.
The technology powering Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) meters is becoming obsolete and energy suppliers have a deadline to change their customers' meters by 30 June.
Most homes have smart meters or standard meters and will not be impacted. However, experts warn of a “looming crisis” for more than 300,000 homes that have the old RTS meters and could be left without heating and hot water.
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According to the trade body Energy UK, the meter could turn on and off at the wrong time, and customers could have their heating stuck on (or off) constantly. It said customers being left with the meters after the shutdown would be “an unprecedented situation”.
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At the start of April, there were more than 410,000 households using RTS meters for their heating and hot water, according to Energy UK. Almost a third of these homes (about 130,000) are in Scotland. About 58,000 homes in London have an RTS meter.
The trade body said more than 1,000 RTS meters were being switched over each day.
An Energy UK spokesperson told MoneyWeek: “Our main focus is on stepping up installation rates further and continuing this momentum ahead of the deadline.
“It will undoubtedly be challenging to replace all these meters by the 30 June date – it means getting access to every single property to carry out the installation, many of which are in remote areas, which can make both initial contact and arranging the replacement difficult, and ultimately it requires all customers to respond to contact from their supplier.”
Simon Francis, of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition campaign group, estimates that “over 300,000 households will find their RTS meter stops working come 1 July 2025”.
He adds: “The RTS meter replacement programme shows signs of failing meaning urgent action will be needed to prevent vulnerable households potentially being left without heating and hot water.”
The campaign group wrote to Ofgem and government ministers last week warning of the dangers.
It says households risk losing access to heating and hot water, particularly where electric storage heating is used. “Customers may also lose the ability to access cheaper off-peak tariffs, leading to higher energy bills, and could face inaccurate or inconsistent billing.”
Since the 1980s, RTS meters have used a longwave radio frequency to change between peak and off-peak rates.
A phased switch-off of the technology will start at the end of June.
An Ofgem spokesperson tells MoneyWeek: “The RTS upgrade programme is an urgent consumer welfare issue and Ofgem is determined to explore every avenue to ensure that customers are protected when this ageing 40-year-old technology is phased out from 30 June 2025.”
What is an RTS meter?
RTS meters usually control heating and hot water on a separate circuit to the rest of a household's electricity.
This means things like plug sockets and lights are unlikely to be affected by the switch-off.
The RTS network was originally planned to be switched off in March 2024, but this was extended to give energy providers more time to replace all the meters.
How do I know if I have an RTS meter?
You might not know if you have an RTS meter. According to Citizens Advice, you might have one if:
- your house is heated using electricity
- you have electric storage and water heaters
- you get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example if you have a peak and off-peak rate for electricity
Your home may have a separate black switch box near your meter, which might have “radio teleswitch” or “radio telemeter’ printed on it.
RTS meters are more common where there is no gas supply to an area, including households in rural areas and high-rise flats.
If you’re not sure, ask your energy supplier.
What should I do if I have one of these old meters?
Your energy provider may have already contacted you to switch your home over to a smart meter.
If you haven’t heard anything, or are worried you’ll be stuck with an RTS meter beyond 30 June, get in touch with your energy supplier.
A spokesperson for Energy UK said: “We urge remaining RTS customers to contact their supplier without delay to arrange a replacement and ensure a smooth switchover that enables their heating and hot water to continue operating in the same way.”
If a smart meter won’t work in your property – such as because of poor signal – suppliers may fit a special type of meter pre-set with the times for switching between peak and off-peak rates.
Ofgem expects energy suppliers to take reasonable steps to provide similar energy tariffs to those coming off RTS meters so customers do not experience an increase to their bills.
MoneyWeek understands that a working group of government, Ofgem, energy suppliers and district network operators will ensure priority support is available for any remaining RTS households post-switch-off.
