Meters not reading, what are my rights?

Deedoodee

I have gas and electric smart meters and neither have given readings since 19th March 2026. I’ve had two payments of £40 for Guaranteed Standard for Performance because they didn’t reply to me when I notified them . I was told two weeks ago that the meters needs replacing and they’re waiting for an appointment. I was told not the meter is still taking readings so I won’t be billed off estimates. But end of last week I was told (by a different person) that I will be billed off estimates because the meters aren’t reading. Meanwhile I’m still waiting for an appointment.

We’ve been away and out of the house more and purposely using less because of cost of living so I don’t think it will be accurate to use estimates. I also think don’t think Octopus are acting fast enough to fix my meters despite me telling them over and over that I don’t think estimates will be accurate.

What are my rights/ what can I do?

Reed_Richards

One thing you can do is to read the meters yourself and supply the readings to Octopus. Then they don't need to use estimates.

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664941/meters-not-reading-what-are-my-rights

Are the meter screens blank or are they just not providing a reading to Octopus (smart meters presumably?).

lohr500

As per @Reed_Richards comments, if the physical meters are still working and you can access the usage numbers then you can submit actual readings.

Can you see any usage data on either the gas or the electric meters?

Depending on your tariff, the only issue could be if the rates changed on 1st April following the price changes.
If your rates did change, then some estimation will be applied to work out the usage in March and now in April.

Do you use the free Bright phone App? With this you could check to see if the usage is being reported in Bright. If it is, then this would suggest that the meters are still sending readings, but for whatever reason Octopus are struggling to access the data.
The data in Bright is not real time and it can take up to 24 hours for the latest data to be displayed.
But if it is working, you should see the data up to 19th April, which would confirm your meters are still sending data.

Deedoodee

One person from Octopus said the meter is still taking readings but they can’t see them so I won’t have to use estimates

A few days later another person said the meter is not working and I will have to use estimates

screens are blank and unresponsive

Reed_Richards

Gas meters run on a battery so can go blank if the battery runs out. Electricity meters are powered from the mains so it's pretty unusual for an electricity meter to go blank and particularly strange if both the gas and the electricity meters have gone blank.

Rodders53

Photos of both meters may help those who know more than I on how to wake them up (possibly).

Would be strange for both gas and electric meters displays to fail simultaneously.

Gas readings are sent via the electric meter Comms Hub on top though!

Smart meters do store the measurements they make. So it could be possible for the readings to be taken off them after replacement. Does, of course, depend on how broken the broken meters are (e.g. if not just the display). Also may not be an automatic / routine thing to do?? {Others who are more in the know may comment on this aspect, I hope.}

Have you made a formal complaint about the tardiness of the replacements, and that any estimates based on (say) last years' consumption would be inaccurate? Personally I'd write / e-mail as well as calling to get things in writing.

Of course the 'compensation' monies could mitigate some or all of inaccurate estimated use costs?

NB My bright app has data from 18th but only a couple of 30 minute slots on the 19th (yesterday)… It's often a few days late. (Octopus app is often worse, but today is identical to Bright).

Heedtheadvice

Good suggestions on those posts.

I would guess not but is your IHD still working?

If so you could take photos of information it holds.

Deedoodee

Octopus have had videos and photos of both meters and said they need replacing.

I don’t know if the IHD is working. We unplugged it a long time ago and have been monitoring it just with the app.

A complaint was raised ‘on my behalf’. I queried if we should be due a Guaranteed Standards of Performance payment because they didn’t respond to me for over a week after I notified them of the broken meter. I received an email back saying a complaint has been raised on my behalf, there I have no idea what it says. I will query this and if needed raise a second or third complaint about the tardiness and also being told I will definitely not have to use estimates and then later being told something different.

Scot_39

if the meters have failed completely - then Octopus will use estimates - and yes they are legally allowed to - upto that is the 12m limit imposed by backbilling.

I am not saying you should expect that long, but its only been a month, including a major bank holiday that could have impacted meter team availability.

If you can prove a definite shift in load, they might adjust those estimates, if not, they are (I suspect at least capped by) bound by same estimation rules as other suppliers.

Forensic data recovery is expensive and not normal, not even always possible depending on faults. Anecdotal evidence from padt posts suggests estimates are not excessive, possibly erring on low side cf normal even in some cases - maybe to avoid challange.

I think your perhaps being a bit unrealistic in your expectations to get a meter - especially a pair of meters - replaced in just one month - even if faulty - assuming your really meant 19th Mar 2026.

I suspect a little more patience is required.

Background

IRC Octopus allow normal meter appts to be booked only a few weeks (3 ?, 4?) ahead iirc - and many posters here in past have struggled repeatedly over months to get slots in their area.

Your faulty meters will be a priority - but they - or often their subcontractors - have limitted manpower.

Others in certain areas still wait months for appointments / upgrades - at their suppliers.

I wanted to switch to Octopus last sumner, told twice they couldnt offer an appt for new meter I needed for target tariff - a deal breaker given others longer rerm problems getting upgrades.

Fitter / meter avalibility maybe not helped by 2 major shutoffs - rts impacting 100,000s over last year might explain my problem, and out of area cellular shut off in traditional Arqiva lrr areas others delays this.

But just in your 1 month - has been a recent bank holiday and in this area what seems over 1 week, if not nearly 2 weeks of school holidays. But Im on border of 2 areas/authorities.

Reed_Richards

I don’t know if the IHD is working. We unplugged it a long time ago and have been monitoring it just with the app.

If the app cannot tell you your meter reading then in all probability Octopus won't know it either. If you have a WAN problem then your IHD might have information that the app cannot obtain so it's well worth plugging it back in and seeing if it can tell you your meter readings.