Smart meter switch

Rising energy costs for UK consumers will only be eased by a switch to ‘smart’ meters, a Scottish energy firm has claimed.

Following the latest announcements of major increases by gas suppliers such as Scottish and Southern Energy, E.On and EDF, Alan Foy, managing director of the Glasgow-based UK Meter Exchange (UKME), says that often inaccurate estimated readings are no longer necessary particularly at a time when costs are mounting for business and domestic users.

Foy said: ‘The first step to controlling gas consumption, especially when users are confronted with massive price increases, is to ensure that you can easily see how much you are consuming.'

He added: ‘One of the key issues facing the industry is that the UK has an ageing meter portfolio with most being more than 15 years old, which means customers are given an estimated reading which can often be extremely inaccurate.

‘Estimated readings are the scourge of the industry and won’t help customers who are trying to efficiently manage their energy consumption especially in the face of these latest increases. Basic errors on invoices can also often be missed and lead to overpayment.