British Gas has issued an urgent warning to 12,000 customers who still use Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters to upgrade to smart meters before a critical deadline.
These customers must make the switch by June 30, 2025, or risk facing serious consequences.
After this date, RTS-dependent electricity meters will stop functioning properly.
This could leave households either disconnected, trapped on extortionate electricity rates, or with heating systems that no longer work correctly.
British Gas has issued an urgent warning to 12,000 customers who still use Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters (not pictured)
GETTYThe energy supplier is urging affected customers to arrange a free appointment with an engineer as soon as possible.
RTS meters were commonly used by customers on Economy 7 and multi-rate tariffs, offering cheaper electricity rates at different times of day.
These devices rely on a signal broadcast alongside BBC Radio 4's long-wave channel.
The signal tells the meter when to switch between peak and off-peak electricity rates.
Some RTS meters also control heating and hot water systems automatically.
When the RTS signal is switched off in June, these meters could become stuck on peak-time rates.
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Customers must make the switch by June 30, 2025, or risk facing serious consequences
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This could lead to huge bill increases for affected households.
Alternatively, heating systems controlled by RTS could be left permanently on or off.
British Gas previously managed around 61,000 RTS meters but has now reduced this number significantly.
Across the industry, approximately 415,000 meters still require replacement, according to Ofgem's most recent statistics.
Nearly one million customers relied on RTS meters before the planned switch-off was announced in 2023.
Other major suppliers are also racing to upgrade their customers' meters before the deadline.
Octopus Energy reported around 20,000 customers still need appointments.
E.ON Next is encouraging over 65,000 customers to arrange smart meter installations.
British Gas previously managed around 61,000 RTS meters but has now reduced this number significantly
GETTYEDF has issued warnings to 60,000 of its customers.
Smart meters offer the same functionality as RTS meters, recording different prices at different times of day for Economy 7 tariffs.
They work using a digital signal and display energy usage in real time, helping users reduce consumption and save money.
Around 36 million UK households now have smart meters, though about one in ten are reportedly "dumb" according to Ofgem data.
Customers who haven't been contacted don't need to wait for a letter about switching.
They can contact their supplier directly to arrange a smart meter installation.
A British Gas spokesman said: "It's important that customers with an RTS meter have it exchanged as soon as possible to ensure their heating and hot water continues to work properly after the Radio Teleswitch Service is switched off."
They added: "Many customers have already been in touch and have avoided any issues, but we're urging those who haven't to arrange their free appointment for one of our engineers to visit."
An Ofgem spokesman added: "We expect suppliers to consider a range of innovative solutions to ensure their RTS customers get on to a metering and tariff arrangement appropriate for them."
