Sunita Somvanshi
Hundreds of thousands of UK homes could lose their heating and hot water control or face higher energy bills when Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters stop working on June 30, 2025.
Energy companies are racing to replace these outdated meters with smart meters before the deadline, but industry figures suggest many households will miss out.
At the end of March, there were still 430,000 households using RTS meters for their heating and hot water, according to Energy UK, with suppliers currently replacing just over 1,000 meters daily. At this pace, more than 300,000 households could still have non-functioning meters when the switch-off happens.
“It will be very, very difficult to get to that point,” admitted Ned Hammond, Energy UK’s deputy director for customers, when asked if all meters could be replaced in time.
The RTS technology, introduced in the 1980s, uses radio signals to switch between peak and off-peak electricity rates for tariffs like Economy 7. These meters often control electric storage heaters and hot water systems in homes without gas supply, particularly in rural areas and high-rise flats.
When the radio signal stops on June 30, affected homes face three main problems:
- Heating and hot water systems may get stuck permanently on or off
- Electric storage heaters might charge at the wrong times, wasting energy
- Bills could rise sharply as the meter defaults to charging peak rates for all electricity use
Energy regulator Ofgem has called this “an urgent consumer welfare issue” and is working on new rules to protect customers during the transition.
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British Gas, which previously managed around 61,000 RTS meters, has reduced this number significantly but still needs to reach 12,000 homes. Other major suppliers including EDF, which has warned 60,000 of its customers, face similar challenges.
Simon Francis from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition warned about “a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households” and pointed to problems with engineer availability in rural areas.
The RTS network was originally planned to be switched off in March 2024, but this was extended to give energy companies more time. Despite this extension, suppliers are still targeting the June 30 cutoff and developing plans for what they call a “managed and very careful phase down of the system.”
Some customers remain reluctant to switch. Jane from Norfolk told the BBC she doesn’t want a smart meter despite having an RTS meter. “I’m perfectly happy with the way things are,” she said.
Others want to upgrade but have been told it isn’t possible. Diane Gray from Cumbria received a letter in December saying her supplier couldn’t install a meter compatible with her current heating setup, though they’ve since promised installation in early June.
“It is very concerning,” Gray said. “Because they’re doing it in the summer, come the winter I keep thinking there must be some solution they’re going to give us before we need to start using the heating.”
If your energy supplier cannot fit a smart meter in your home, Ofgem says your supplier must install a “suitable meter” with no disruption to your service.
Customers can check if they have an RTS meter by looking for:
- A separate switch box near the meter with a “Radio Teleswitch” label
- Electric heating or storage heaters
- No gas supply to the area
- Cheaper energy at different times of day (like Economy 7)
Anyone with an RTS meter who hasn’t been contacted should reach out to their supplier immediately to arrange a free smart meter installation.
The government has stated that the industry must “work urgently to continue to increase the pace of replacements” to avoid widespread disruption when the June deadline arrives.
