RTS Meter Switch Off - Off Peak turned to standard tariff and standing charge applied

help_need_now

Hello,
My electricity supply is via RTS meter that the energy supply company yet to change. The property has two meter and until 30 June was charged one standing charge on the general supply and the "off peak" meter for the water and storage meter had no standing charge and a lower energy tariff.
From 1 July my electricity supplier has changed the "off peak" meter to standard electricity supply and applying a standard charge on both meters. The result being over 60% increase in the cost of the electricity supply compared to the tariff that ceased on 30 June.
Has anyone else had this occur to them?

DE_612183

which energy company?

dunstonh

From 1 July my electricity supplier has changed the "off peak" meter to standard electricity supply and applying a standard charge on both meters. The result being over 60% increase in the cost of the electricity supply compared to the tariff that ceased on 30 June.

Changing the meter shouldn't change your access to mutli-rate tariffs.  Economy 7 is still supported.  Economy 10 or other legacy hybrid multi-rate tariffs may no longer be available with that supplier but normally that would be discussed with you first (such as switching to economy 7 standard hours instead)

It is probably a mistake but name the supplier so we can be sure. 
What has the supplier said when you asked them about it?

matelodave

Have you previously had an offer or request to get the meter changed to a smart meter or have you requested a smart meter in anticipation of the well publicised RTS switch off.

As has been discussed many many times, this was always a possibility if you left it to the last minute in the hope that it wouldn't happen.

Scot_39

help_need_now said:

Hello,
My electricity supply is via RTS meter that the energy supply company yet to change. The property has two meter and until 30 June was charged one standing charge on the general supply and the "off peak" meter for the water and storage meter had no standing charge and a lower energy tariff.
From 1 July my electricity supplier has changed the "off peak" meter to standard electricity supply and applying a standard charge on both meters. The result being over 60% increase in the cost of the electricity supply compared to the tariff that ceased on 30 June.
Has anyone else had this occur to them?

Sadly yes it is possible - but no it's not normal - as others have had better end of RTS metering to smart transitions.

We only tend to see those with problems here on the forums - so maybe we become a bit skewed / jaded by that too.

So for instance - others have had simiilar single rate tariff notifications from likes of EDF - either as part of tariff rationalisation plan - or perhaps in one case - presumption of old metering (RTS or electromechanical - that may no longer be kept in time sync with expected times) despite a recent smart replacement (c Mar 2025)

You should ideally have had a new smart meter to replace your RTS - have you been contacted but not engaged.  Some suppliers have been offering more reasonable tariff options - than modern E7 let alone single rate - for those who went with the process - others have not.

Q1 - So do you actually have an appointment date yet for the new meter - if not why not ?

Id be making one ASAP if not - (who is your supplier - its OK to tell us) - so as can hopefully sort out a suitable tariff rate before the worst of winter arrives

Once fitted - that should see you have some options - depending on how you heat your home and hot water.

Q2 - How do you heat your hot water and how do you heat your home - and on what tariff / supplier deal ?

I suspect you have little option to switch suppliers before your supplier not only replaces the meters - but  improtantly updates the meter database to reflect new single meter.

But might be limitted if need meter switching to control timings of HW and heating (e.g. for older NSH), at many that could be just E7 / but if willing to switch Snug Octopus utilises meter timing control.  

And more generic time of use can give access to off peak rates not only overnight but during the day if thats likely to suit your heating needs more (so things like Cosy Octopus or other so called Time of Use tariffs that rely on latest generation smart meters) if willing to make changes - or already have heating connected to 24/7 live circuits - with self or external timers set to match those TOU low rate periods).

No supplier has to maintain legacy tariffs per se - and can scrap them at any time.  

But Ofgem may have imposed some degree of "reasonable replacement" towards the end of RTS switch off - not sure from a couple of people who have been struggling though - and I know there was no such protection 10 years ago when I lost my RTS (EOn simplification exercise - nothing to do with LW radio shutdown)

And seems that some might have used the RTS old hard switch off date - of Jun 30th - to make their tariff rationalisation plans active too.  At one stage Ofgem gave them explicit / tacit permission to do so according to a couple of posts here several months ago - before the shutdwon became phased.

Q3 Have you engaged with your supplier at all over RTS replacement, have they contacted you about it in the last x months / 2 years even givn old cutoff date in 2024 ?

Id maybe for instance try to argue they shouldn't be charging you the 2 MPANs - technically the RRMI protection only applied if not on E7 / whitemeter etc - but many suppliers in end applied regardless - certainly if they have been the ones delaying your RTS meter replacment beyond the deadline - e.g. by failing to directly make contact and make you aware of the event.

And Id even think about raising it as a complaint via EO - as it could be Ofgem themselves have failed to update guidance since June 30th became a phased start date - not an end date - and needs wider action.

But their is a risk that Ofgem's so called RRMI protection that prevented dual mpan charging on single rate tariff application for legacy metering - inc RTS - for many - has also ended - as of the 30th June. From their consultation to extend from old 2020 deadline 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/statutory-consultation-extending-protections-non-e7-restricted-meter-customers-slc-22g

"We are proposing to extend the current protections for restricted meter customers to 30 June 2025 and give ourselves the power to extend them further if necessary." ]

It's not nice to be in your situation - but the RTS end of life is already far latter than originally planned.  As is the whole smart meter roll out.

The original smart meter roll out target - was actually 2019 (which makes me part chuckle - part think god what a useless country we have become, can't we do anything any more ) - hence that old 2020 deadline from RRMI protection.

Last years RTS shutdown date - was 31st March 2024 - you should have been contacted by your supplier or contacted them before that date. 

And nearly 16 months after that prevous RTS specific cut off date - we have missed the June 30th date - and folk like you still waiting for suppliers to upgrade them.

help_need_now

Energy supplier is EDF.

As yet they are unable to offer an appointment to change the RTS meter.

So the only thing that changed on 1 July is they moved the meter that was on Standard Variable Heat tariff to standard variable tariff. Based upon last year consumption the tariff increase on that meter the cost increase amounts to an increase 199%. That is the electricity meter for the hot water and storage heaters.

EDF process on meter switch over is sending a text message asking you to click a link or phone them as engineers are in your area on a set week. So far no slots available when contacting them online or by phone. If you have contacted them they do not come back to you with an offer time and date  for the next time they are in the area. This process just repeats.

Scot_39

"EDF process on meter switch over is sending a text message asking you to click a link or phone them as engineers are in your area on a set week"

Although that might seem incredibly frustrating - given the June deadline now passed - the flip side is what happened to me - is meter visitors fitting one meter in an area - then spending maybe 1 hr plus commuting from / to another or back to base in my case (*).

In which time another simple electric meter or two could be installed (yes the simplest jobs really are that quick - or were in smets1 preconfigured meter days).

(*) But that might have been atypical - my meter needed 3 visits (more complex than most RTS as had 3 meter driven circuits - not RTS normal 2 peak / off peak - so first two visits failed - the guy who finally did the work - came from outside the local centres / teams - his depot more like 35 miles away in another region. 

Mine was the only job they scheduled for him that afternoon.

The same guy did 2 other neighbours in the same afternoon - within about a fortnight.

(I could have waited - It wasn't my choice - EOn withdrew support for my meter/tariff - insisted we all replaced them - as part of simplification exercise.)