Which? published research on 7 November 2024 finding that energy customers wait more than seven weeks on average to have a smart meter or in-home monitor fault fixed. The consumer body surveyed 325 of its members who had experienced a problem in the past six months and contacted their supplier about it, drawn from a panel of 10,193 smart meter households, in an online survey carried out in July 20241.
The figures differ sharply between resolved and unresolved cases. Customers whose issue was eventually fixed had waited just over seven weeks on average, and had contacted their supplier roughly every other week during that time. For those whose problem was still not resolved at the point of the survey, the wait had reached nearly 14 weeks on average, with no end in sight. Three in 10 of this group said it had been five to six months since they first contacted their supplier and the issue remained outstanding1.
"Energy customers are waiting more than seven weeks on average to get their smart meter or monitor fixed, according to our latest research."
Which? also cites government data from August showing that around 3.5 million smart meters in homes in England, Scotland and Wales are not operating in smart mode. That figure does not include households with problems affecting the in-home display, which Which? describes as arguably the most useful part of the smart meter for customers because it shows gas and electricity use and cost in real time1.
The two fault types have different consequences. A meter that is not sending data to the supplier typically leaves the household on estimated bills and sending manual readings again, but it usually still measures consumption correctly. A monitor that shows no data, inaccurate data or has lost its connection does not affect the meter itself, which is often located outside or under the stairs and continues to record use1.
| Reported wait | Average time |
|---|---|
| Issue ultimately fixed | More than seven weeks |
| Issue still unresolved | Nearly 14 weeks |
Why it matters for households
A smart meter that has stopped reporting in smart mode removes the automatic reading flow between the home and the supplier, which is the mechanism that keeps billing accurate without manual input. Households in that position are pushed back towards submitting their own readings to avoid estimated bills, and lose the near-real-time consumption data that supports decisions about when and how energy is used at home. A failed in-home display removes the same visibility even where the meter itself is working, which is why the two faults carry different practical weight for a household trying to track its own use.
The wait times also sit against the guaranteed standards that govern how quickly suppliers must act on faults, and against the point at which a complaint can be escalated. Which? notes that for the first 12 months a supplier must repair or replace a faulty monitor, or offer the next-best solution where repair is technologically impossible; after 12 months, approaches vary and monitors can often be upgraded remotely if the cause is software or network related1. Households that have already raised the issue with customer services are directed by Which? to the supplier's formal complaints process, and can take a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman after eight weeks or on receipt of a deadlock letter1.
What happens next
Which? sets out no further timetable of its own. Its guidance states that complaints not resolved after eight weeks, or closed with a deadlock letter, can go to the Energy Ombudsman, and that switching supplier is an option, though it advises checking first whether a new supplier believes it can fix the issue1. The government data cited on meters not operating in smart mode is from August 2024; no later figure is given1.