Households with smart meters could get £40 compensation from today (Monday, February 23) if they experience issues with the device or struggle to get an appointment to fix it. Late last month, Ofgem confirmed it would be taking forward new rules which mean customers will automatically receive the payment in certain circumstances.
It means energy users will no longer need to chase providers to resolve problems, and get some help with your costs if they fail to meet the new standards. The energy regulator says these Guaranteed Standards will support the rollout of smart meters and provide better outcomes for consumers.
Compensation payments will be made if:
- a customer has to wait more than six weeks for a smart meter installation appointment
- a smart meter installation appointment fails due to a fault within the supplier’s control
- a customer reports a problem with their smart meter, but the supplier does not provide a resolution plan within five working days of the report
The compensation should be transferred straight into your energy account or bank account, as per Consumer Voice.
The consumer rights platform recommends that those experiences issues should contact their energy supplier to report it, after which the supplier if required to give you a resolution plan within five working days.
If they fail to do so, you will be entitled to the compensation payment, with the new rules applying to all energy suppliers in the country.
In parallel, the Government has consulted on introducing a requirement on suppliers to fix smart meters that aren’t working properly – including cases where they fail to send readings to suppliers – as soon as possible, and within a maximum of 90 days.
However, these aren’t yet part of Ofgem‘s standards, and under the current rules you won’t be able to get compensation if it occurs and isn’t fixed within a set timeframe.
However, according to MoneySavingExpert, it doesn’t apply to delays or issues that began before today, and you won’t be able to get compensation from firms that have folded.
Melissa Giordano, Deputy Director of Systems and Processes at Ofgem said: “Smart meters offer customers accurate bills, cheaper tariffs, and real-time energy use tracking.
“Every customer who wants a smart meter should get one quickly, and it should work from day one.
“These new rules will set clear expectations of suppliers, drive better performance, and protect consumers when things go wrong.”
You can find out more about the new Ofgem standards here.