MP169 'Managing the Consumer’s refusal of a Smart Meter'

Suppliers are unable to comply with consumer requests or Ombudsman remedies to install a smart meter in ‘dumb’ mode. The SEC does not allow for the Devices on the Smart Metering Inventory to be either installed and not commissioned (this is a transient state and not an enduring one) or to fit the meters without also fitting the DCC provided Communications Hub (as reference above in Gas and Electricity Supply Licence Condition 54.9). There is no concept, by design, of fitting a smart meter in ‘dumb’ mode.

Whilst it is not mandatory to have a smart meter fitted, legally, the Supplier decides the type of meter to be fitted. Along with the government’s roll out targets on Suppliers and the lack of availability of traditional type meters it is becoming more likely that a Supplier will only have a smart meter to install into a property.

The title of the modification was amended as the original title was misleading and led to confusion about consumer rights (although some documents still display the original title).

One Proposed Solution is to introduce a ‘Restricted’ mode to be applicable to Devices which are SMETS2+ only and in credit mode. This would mean that there would be a Data Service Provider (DSP) System flag which indicates that a Smart Meter has restricted communications due to consumer choice.

There would also be a mechanism via the Self-Service Interface (SSI)/ Self-Service Management Interface (SSMI) whereby a Supplier can set or clear the ‘Restricted’ mode for a meter. This would limit the SRVs which could be delivered to and from ‘Restricted’ Devices.

This change, if implemented would introduce an additional step to ‘all reasonable steps’ which can only be taken after the current all reasonable steps have been exhausted.

Another Proposed Solution is to implement and Agreed Procedure where Suppliers record that the consumer does not want their meter to communicate with the DCC and only billing reads are taken once a month (as required by law for billing purposes).