Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert has issued a warning to anyone who still doesn’t have a working smart meter.
This week is what Martin Lewis has christened ‘Meter Reading Week’, the time, every three months, when energy customers must submit a meter reading to their supplier just as prices change, to avoid being overcharged.
But those who don’t have a working smart meter – especially as many smart meters are broken – will need to take action as well as those with traditional non-smart meters, Martin Lewis’ MSE warned.
Ofgem has raised energy prices again, meaning that the cost of both gas and electricity will increase by 1.2% on January 1. This is on top of a 10% increase that was already in place on October 1.
This means that it’s more important than ever to ensure that you only pay for what you use and pay for it when you use it, not later when it’s more expensive.
Money Saving Expert said: “It’s Meter Reading Week. If you’ve not got a WORKING smart meter, aim to give an up-to-date meter reading within a few days either side of 1 Jan, reducing the risk that your supplier estimates that you’ve used more at the new higher rate than you have.
“If you have smart meters that are working properly in smart mode, so they’re regularly sending meter readings to your provider, there’s no need to do anything, as they do it automatically.
“You may want to double-check your meters are sending reads, though. You can usually see this in your account or on your bill. You can also take a photo of your meters on the day, so you have the readings for safety.
“Giving a meter reading means your supplier will know exactly how much you used when prices change, so you’re fairly charged.”
However, MSE advises that customers should spread out their meter reading submissions and possibly backdate them to avoid crashing websites.
It adds: “Yet if all of us rush to do this on the same day, it can lead to suppliers’ websites crashing and phone lines becoming jammed, which can affect vulnerable people (as we saw in March 2022).
“To avoid that, you can give a reading a few days before or after and any discrepancy should be minor. Or, some firms let you backdate your reading, so if you take the actual meter reading on the day, note it down, but then submit it at a later date.”
