Government’s target to install “Smart Meters” in every home by 2020 is ambitious; to say the least, as 11 million meters have already been installed but some 42 million homes are still awaiting calls from their energy suppliers, prompting Citizens Advice to call for delay, extend the timetable until 2023 to have a smooth and orderly transformation.
Although Smart Meters (SM) are great leap in modernizing the industry, as it will automatically send readings to energy suppliers, thus making reading meters redundant, it will also help customers to monitor energy usage, as customers will be able to watch how much energy they use, the cost in pound and pence.
But the modernization has not gone as smoothly as expected. In fact it is a hotchpotch programme that has generated 3000 complains registered with Citizens Advice in 2017 and they are on the rise this year. The complaints surround with failure of engineers to turn up, unable to fit SM in the space available and the most common complaint is that SM fails to work due to poor mobile phone signal, as well as when customers switch suppliers, thus restricting the choice, the main reason for privatizing energy firms to give customers choice, move to cheapest firms, thus reducing their ever bulging energy bills.
MPs last month urged government to review the timetable, as it is “Over time, Over Budget and mismanaged.” Many customers, especially elder generation who are oblivious, suspicious of such modernization, are bullied, muzzled into installing meters against their wishes rather than explaining and winning their confidence with charm, politeness and decorous civility. It is time for energy suppliers to inform and educate customers by providing detail literature explaining pros and cons of SM, as well as letting us know the timetable, as most of us are in the dark as to when these SM will be installed in our area.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
