If your smart meter has stopped sending readings, it's your supplier's job to fix it. It should be repaired within 90 days of you reporting it. And if your supplier doesn't look into the fault properly within five working days, you're owed £40 automatically. Here's how it works as of November 2026.

Winter's a bad time for a 'dumb' smart meter. You use more energy, estimated bills can drift a long way from what you actually use, and some tariffs only work if your meter sends half-hourly data. So it's worth knowing what your supplier has to do and how to get things moving.

How do you know if your smart meter has stopped working?

The most common sign is that your supplier starts asking you for meter readings, or your bills switch to estimates. Your in-home display (IHD) might go blank, show old figures or stop matching the numbers on the meter.

Remember that the meter and the display are separate devices. A broken IHD doesn't always mean the meter's faulty, and a working display doesn't prove your supplier is getting readings. Citizens Advice has an online smart meter checker that tells you whether your meter should be on the smart network. If the checker doesn't recognise your meter, it's probably not a smart meter at all.

Some common causes:

  • Weak mobile signal. Your meter sends readings over a dedicated wireless network. If the signal's poor where your meter sits, readings may not get through.
  • Older communications hubs. Some homes still have 2G or 3G hubs, and these can be swapped for newer 4G ones.
  • Gas meter can't reach the hub. Your electricity meter may be fine while the gas meter can't connect. Your supplier is responsible for investigating and fixing this.
  • Switching supplier with an older meter. Some first-generation meters lose their smart functions after a switch.

What does your supplier have to do when you report a fault?

Your supplier is responsible for making sure your meter works properly. Since 23 February 2026, Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance have covered smart meters. Under these rules, once you report a smart meter problem, your supplier has five working days to:

  • carry out an initial assessment
  • take reasonable steps to find out what's wrong
  • offer to confirm the outcome to you in writing.

This doesn't mean the meter has to be fixed within five working days. It means your supplier can't just log your report and leave it.

The government has also set a time limit for repairs. Suppliers must take all reasonable steps to fix a faulty smart meter as soon as possible, and within 90 days of being told about the problem. A supplier that doesn't can face action from Ofgem, including fines or legal action. MoneySavingExpert notes that this 90-day duty doesn't cover broken in-home displays.

The display has its own protection, though. Citizens Advice says that if your supplier gave you the IHD less than a year ago, it has to help you with any problems.

When are you owed £40 automatically?

As of November 2026, the smart meter Guaranteed Standards pay £40 when:

  • you have to wait more than six weeks for a smart meter installation appointment
  • an installation appointment fails because of something within your supplier's control
  • you report a smart meter problem and your supplier doesn't complete the five-working-day assessment.

The payment is meant to be automatic, so you shouldn't have to claim it. It should reach you within 10 working days, either as account credit or as a payment to you. Under the Guaranteed Standards framework, a late payment generally earns you another £40 on top.

Do you get compensation if your meter stays 'dumb' for more than 90 days?

Not automatically yet. Ofgem consulted on a fourth standard, known as GSOP 4, that would pay compensation when a smart meter stays out of smart mode for more than 90 days because of an issue the supplier controls. In January 2026, Ofgem decided not to make a final decision on it then. It said it would keep working on the rule, aiming to bring it in later in 2026. Check Ofgem's website for the latest position before you rely on it.

You don't have to wait for that rule, though. If a fault drags on and it costs you money, through badly wrong estimates or because you couldn't use a tariff that needs smart readings, you can make a formal complaint and ask for redress. The 90-day repair duty means a supplier that misses the deadline has broken its obligations, and you can point to that.

What fixes might your supplier offer?

It depends on where the problem is. The Centre for Sustainable Energy lists options such as:

  • a signal booster or aerial
  • moving the meter somewhere with better signal, such as an outside meter box
  • replacing a 2G or 3G communications hub with a 4G one
  • for gas meters that can't reach the hub, a dual-band hub, a battery-powered booster or specialist wired equipment
  • a newer option that connects through your home broadband, expected from 2027.

You don't have to work out the technical fix yourself. But knowing the options helps if your supplier says nothing can be done.

How do you keep your bills accurate while you wait?

Citizens Advice says that if your meter isn't working in smart mode, you'll need to send regular readings yourself. This matters most in winter. Monthly readings keep your bills and Direct Debit close to what you actually use, so you don't get a large catch-up bill when the meter starts working again.

Each time you read the meter, take a dated photo of the display. Include the serial number on the front plate. If you later need to complain, these photos are strong evidence.

If you're on a prepayment smart meter and your supply has stopped, call your supplier straight away. Citizens Advice says that when a prepayment customer's gas or electricity has already stopped, the supplier has to send someone to repair or replace the meter.

Thinking of switching with a smart meter?

You can still switch supplier if you have a smart meter. But Citizens Advice suggests checking first whether your meter will keep working in smart mode after the switch, especially if it's an older model. If your IHD starts behaving differently more than 48 hours after a switch, contact your new supplier.

What if your supplier still won't fix it?

Make a formal complaint and use the word "complaint" so it's logged as one. Your supplier has eight weeks to resolve it. If it hasn't sorted things out by then, or sends you a deadlock letter saying it can't resolve it, you can take the case to the Energy Ombudsman for free. The Ombudsman is independent and can order your supplier to put things right.

As evidence, keep the date you first reported the fault, any reference numbers, engineer visit dates and your dated meter photos.

What to do next

  • Use the Citizens Advice smart meter checker to see whether your meter should be working in smart mode.
  • Report the fault to your supplier and write down the date and reference number. Both time limits, five working days and 90 days, start from your report.
  • If nobody has assessed the fault within five working days, check that the £40 arrives within 10 working days.
  • Send your own meter readings every month until the fault's fixed, with dated photos.
  • If the meter isn't fixed within 90 days, make a formal complaint and mention the repair deadline.
  • After eight weeks, or as soon as you get a deadlock letter, take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
  • Check Ofgem's website to see whether automatic compensation for meters that stay 'dumb' beyond 90 days has started.

This is general information, not financial advice.

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