Nearly a quarter of smart meter owners surveyed by Which? reported at least one problem with their meter in the previous 12 months, the consumer body said on 16 February 2023. The survey of 16,000 Which? Connect panel members, carried out in December 2022, included 9,417 people with one or more smart meters1.
Among those who reported a problem, the most common was the energy supplier not automatically receiving readings, cited by 41%. A similar share, 40%, said their in-home display was not working. A quarter, 26%, said the smart meter itself was not working. Smaller numbers reported inaccurate bills (9%), installation issues (6%) and difficulty accessing the meter (5%)1.
"Problems with energy firms receiving gas and electricity readings from smart meters was the most common problem reported in our survey of smart meter owners."
| Problem reported | Share of those reporting a problem |
|---|---|
| Supplier not receiving readings | 41% |
| In-home display not working | 40% |
| Smart meter itself not working | 26% |
| Inaccurate bills | 9% |
| Installation issues | 6% |
| Meter hard to access | 5% |
Which? said the failure of suppliers to receive readings is more common among first-generation, or SMETS1, meters fitted early in the roll-out, and that most of these should have been upgraded by now. It also reported that some customers on Economy 7 tariffs had in-home displays that did not distinguish between day and night usage or show tariff rates1.
Of those who asked their supplier for help with a problem, a third said they were dissatisfied with the response. Which? did not report how many of those surveyed had contacted their supplier1.
Why it matters for households
A smart meter that stops sending readings removes the main practical benefit of having one: bills and direct debits based on actual use rather than estimates. Where readings are not arriving, households can still submit them manually by phone, online account or supplier app, and readings can also be taken directly from the meter itself, since the in-home display is not the meter1. The site's guides on why estimated bills persist with a smart meter and on what to do when a smart meter is not sending readings cover these situations.
A failed in-home display affects visibility of real-time use rather than billing itself, and a standalone monitor is an alternative route to that information, as set out in smart meter vs standalone energy monitor. For prepayment customers, Which? noted that readings matter less because top-ups and support payments such as Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers and the Warm Home Discount can be applied remotely, and that suppliers can see payment difficulty earlier1. The rules suppliers work to are set out in smart meter rules and supplier obligations, and faults and fixes in smart meter faults and troubleshooting.
What happens next
Which? said it is calling on energy companies to prioritise prepayment customers for smart meters where it is right for those households1. No timetable or response from suppliers or government was reported.