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Citizens Advice's research, published July 2018, explores what experiences consumers have when deciding to have a smart meter installed, their satisfaction during the...

Citizens Advice commissioned an early research in 2016 which informed that there were  high levels of consumer satisfaction, but also some areas of concern. Two years and approximately seven million more smart meters later, we are keen to see what progress has been made and whether the smart meter consumer experience has changed.

Smart meters are the ‘building blocks’ that could transform the energy market. To really achieve this, government and industry must ensure that the technology works, allowing all consumers to access new offers and services in the future.

Due to the very compressed time scale, energy suppliers are coming across a range of difficult installation problems, given the huge variation and types of homes across Great Britain. Given the pace at which suppliers are expected to deliver the roll-out, a timely response to identifying and resolving gaps in processes is crucial.

The research showed that 80% of people who had a smart meter installed were satisfied with the installation process, however nearly a fifth of those consumers not have a straight forward installation.

The research also found that multiple installation appointments, were not able to have a smart meter installed or had an appliance that was condemned, and unusable anymore.

The good news is that 55% of the respondents have noticed a positive behavioural change towards energy use, of course with some hurdles like having to provide meter readings, or having a device condemned from the network.

Expectations are that during the smart meter roll-out, consumers are given all the relevant information. More than a quarter of all respondents (26.4%), both smart meter users and non-smart meter users were concerned about how suppliers use smart meter energy usage data. However, 60% of the respondents were reassured once it was explained they can control how often suppliers check meter readings and consent was needed.

Citizens Advice Recommends:

1. It is crucial for suppliers to inform consumers in a way that they can understand their data access rights.
2. Consistency in delivering a “difficult” installation.
3. No consumer in a vulnerable situation or otherwise should be left without a means to cook or heat and light their homes after having an appliance condemned.
4. Citizens Advice will continue to monitor the scale of shock bills and industry should too.
5. All consumers should benefit from accurate bills and energy suppliers should seek to address these issues promptly. The regulator should introduce rules to prevent all back billing for smart meter customers.

Read the full report here.