Pensioner hit with £700 repair bill after being 'forced' to install smart meter (2025)

Thousands of Scots could be left without heating or hot water this summer if meters are not replaced before June 30 when the national switch-off takes place.

A pensioner was hit with a £700 repair bill to fix her kitchen after being 'forced' to install a smart meter ahead of a national switch-off of old meter systems.

Christina Milligan, from Wishaw, said she felt “aggressively” pressured to make the change by her energy supplier, who warned that her Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meter would stop working after June 30.

The 69-year-old said she felt trapped by the need to comply with the upgrade and her kitchen was "demolished" so the new meter could be fitted.

Christina, a retired headteacher, said: “My kitchen was in place since 1989 and now it has been demolished. When they said I needed to replace my electricity meter, I did not expect to remove my kitchen cupboards.

"Someone came out to look at my meter and said they could not get into it as it is in a kitchen cupboard.

“Eventually they told me there was no choice but to demolish my cupboards at my own cost.

"The bill was £700. I was appalled at how complex it was.

"The whole way it has been handled is a shambles.”

RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and used longwave radio signals from outdated transmitters to switch between peak and off-peak rates.

According to the latest figures from the UK Government, around 139,000 RTS meters remained in Scotland as of March 7, of which 47,277 are in the Highlands and Islands.

Thousands of people could be left without heating or moved onto a more expensive single-rate tariff if meters are not replaced before summer.

Christina has since been offered £100 from her energy supplier after complaining about the cost of her kitchen repairs.

She added: “I had arranged to do it but at one point, they cancelled it and gave no reason. They have taken no account of people’s ability to pay for the remedial work. They do not care at all.

"There are ways to deal with it rather than issuing these aggressively worded statements.”

Advice Direct Scotland has seen a rise in calls from worried households about the switchover.

The charity has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off deadline.

Regulator Ofgem is pushing firms to complete the switchover on time, but earlier this week UK energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh described current progress as "not acceptable".

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “Christina’s experience shows the disruption households can face when meters are hard to access. While the meters themselves should be upgraded for free, there can be additional costs. That’s why it’s so important to take action before the deadline. With the June switchover deadline getting closer, we’re seeing more enquiries and expect that number to grow.

“If you have an RTS meter, it could stop working properly once the signal is turned off, meaning your heating and hot water might not work at the right times or you could be billed incorrectly. You might also have fewer tariff options available. Replacing your RTS meter now can help avoid these problems. Suppliers should be contacting customers, but you can also get in touch with them directly.

“If you know someone with an RTS meter, particularly someone vulnerable, encourage them to make the switch soon.”

Anyone who has not received a letter or email should contact their supplier now. Those needing support can call energyadvice.scot on 0808 196 8660.

energyadvice.scot provides free, impartial, and practical advice on energy bills to anyone in Scotland. Advisers can be contacted at www.energyadvice.scot and on freephone 0808 196 8660, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.