Why your energy company isn't fixing your smart meter monitor

Many problems with smart meters relate to the in-home display not working, according to feedback we receive from our members and supporters. 

The in-home display (IHD), also called a smart meter monitor, should show you how much gas and electricity you’re using in near-real time – and how much it’s costing. 

But we’ve heard from customers who are experiencing issues. These include monitors that aren’t updated with the latest tariff information; connection with the smart meter frequently lost, or the monitor just not working at all. 

And many customers are struggling to get their energy supplier to fix the problem. 

Energy companies are only required to fix or replace your display for 12 months after it was provided, after which they can charge you for supplying a new one. Some are doing exactly that while others are going above and beyond the minimum requirements. 

Read on to find out what to do if yours isn't working.

Here we’re focusing on issues with smart meter monitors. We've also looked at other common smart meter problems and how to resolve them.

Problems with smart meter monitors

One of the main benefits of having smart meters is being able to see your real-time gas and electricity use and how much it’s costing you. 

If you prepay for your energy, the smart meter monitor should also show how much credit you have. 

Once your smart meter - or smart meters, if you have both a gas and an electricity supply - is installed, you should be offered a small in-home display that shows you this information. When you know how much energy you’re using at any given time, or while doing different tasks, you can figure out where to cut back. 

But when they don't work as expected, these in-home displays can be a major source of frustration.

We’ve heard about displays with the following issues: 

• Not updated with current tariff information, so costs shown are incorrect 
• Frequently losing connection with the smart meter, or the screen going blank 
• Showing data for one fuel only 
• Showing obviously incorrect figures, for example, energy use for one day costing thousands of pounds.

If your monitor isn’t working, it doesn’t affect your smart meters or energy supply. You won’t be cut off, and usually you won’t need a new smart meter. 

Here's how to read your smart meter if it isn't sending automatic meter readings.

What to do if your smart meter monitor isn’t working

If the screen on your smart meter monitor has gone blank, first check whether it's connected to a power supply. Once unplugged, monitors tend to have only a few hours' battery life.

Try putting new batteries in your monitor – if that brings your monitor back to life, then the problem is with the power cable. 

If your monitor turns on but isn’t displaying your energy use, it’s probably struggling to connect to the smart meter. Try these tips: 

• Plug in the monitor closer to your electricity meter (if you can). Some displays have an indicator showing how strong the signal is from your smart meter. 
• Wait seven days after you first spot that your energy use isn’t appearing – according to British Gas, most monitors restart automatically within a week. 

If your display still isn’t working correctly, or is showing incorrect figures for your energy use or cost, then you need to contact your energy provider. Use these links to head straight to your energy firm's help section: 

• British Gas 
• EDF Energy
• E.ON Next
• Octopus Energy 
• Ovo Energy
• Scottish Power
• Utilita
• Utility Warehouse

Your energy firm should investigate the problem with your monitor and try to fix it before considering a replacement.

Do I have to pay for a new smart meter monitor if mine breaks? 

If your smart meter monitor was provided by your energy firm less than 12 months ago and it’s broken, or no longer working as it should be, your energy provider should fix any faults and repair or replace it as needed. 

Replacements should be free of charge during this period (unless the damage was caused by you, or you have lost it). That’s according to rules set by the energy regulator Ofgem, which all gas and electricity suppliers must follow. 

But after 12 months, energy firms are allowed to charge you for a replacement monitor. And it’s up to them to set their price. 

Firms still have different policies – we contacted the eight biggest suppliers about theirs and looked on their websites. 

Information correct when we contacted suppliers in April 2024.

New voluntary principles from government say that companies should:

• troubleshoot smart meter monitor problems effectively
• offer a replacement monitor (or route to buy one) if it's missing or broken
• ensure a replacement monitor is working correctly in a timely manner.

The suppliers that have signed up to them are: E (Gas & Electricity), E.ON Next, Ecotricity, Good Energy, Octopus Energy, Ovo Energy, Scottish Power, Utilita and Utility Warehouse. 

Can my new energy supplier fix my smart meter monitor?

If you've switched supplier from the one that provided your smart meter monitor and it stops working, all is not lost.

All of the suppliers we spoke to said that they would continue to work with customers who have switched to try to get their monitor working again.

Utilita told us that it can support a variety of smart meters and IHDs. Ovo Energy said it has experience with all the major IHD providers in the UK and, if it can't resolve the issue, would replace it with one of an Ovo monitor.

Octopus Energy and Utility Warehouse told us that they are able to resolve most problems where a customer's IHD can't connect.

How to keep an eye on your energy use without a smart meter monitor 

An IHD isn’t the only way to see your energy use data and how much you’re spending. Your online energy account will usually have granular information, and many firms provide an app where you can see the information, though the data isn't in real time as it is with an IHD.

But Octopus Energy has a new device, the Octopus Home Mini, which updates the data in customers' apps and online accounts every 5-15 seconds. It connects to the smart meter securely to collect the data, so customers can see how much energy they're using and how much it's costing in near real time.

Octopus says it has fitted a Home Mini for 70,000 customers so far – and they're free.

If you didn’t want an IHD when your smart meters were installed, but have since changed your mind, you are still entitled to get one from your energy company for up to 12 months. It should not charge you for this. 

There are also companies that sell IHDs and other types of energy monitor that you can connect to your smart meter, as well as third-party apps that use your smart meter data (if you consent) to give you insights into your use. 

Find out more about how to use your smart meter readings data.

Your rights if you buy a smart meter monitor 

If you buy a new IHD from your energy company and it's faulty, then your rights are the same as with any faulty goods you have bought.

It should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If not, you're entitled to a refund, replacement or repair. 

You have 30 days from taking ownership of a product to claim a refund if it's faulty. After this, you have to give the retailer an opportunity to repair or replace it first.

For the first six months, you are entitled to a full refund if the product can't be repaired or replaced (unless the seller can prove that the fault wasn't present when you bought it).

Know your rights if you bought a faulty product.

The Ivie Bud IHD (available for EDF Energy and E.ON Next customers) has a 12-month warranty. This states that if a fault occurs within 12 months, it will replace the monitor or refund the price paid, unless the issue is caused by your internet, smart meter equipment, misuse, improper storage, installation, or an external event outside its control (eg a flood or fire).

You'll need to return it to them to inspect and confirm if it is faulty.