Many households install a smart meter expecting to access cheaper time-of-use (TOU) energy tariffs.
These tariffs charge different electricity prices depending on the time of day and are often used by homes with:
• electric vehicles
• solar panels
• battery storage systems
However, some customers later discover that their smart meter cannot access these tariffs, even though it appears to be working normally.
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What Are Time-of-Use Tariffs?
Time-of-use tariffs allow electricity prices to change depending on the time of day.
For example:
• electricity may be cheaper overnight
• prices may increase during peak evening hours
These tariffs are often designed for homes that can shift electricity usage to cheaper periods.
For example, charging an electric vehicle overnight or charging a home battery when electricity is cheapest.
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Why a Smart Meter Is Required
Smart tariffs rely on the supplier being able to communicate with and control the meter remotely.
The meter must be able to:
• receive tariff updates
• send half-hourly usage data
• allow the supplier to apply time-based pricing
If the supplier cannot control the meter properly, the tariff may not work.
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Why Some Smart Meters Cannot Access These Tariffs
There are several reasons why this happens.
Supplier Control Problems
Sometimes a meter switches supplier successfully but the new supplier cannot fully control the meter.
The meter may still send readings but cannot receive commands.
This means the supplier cannot apply a time-of-use tariff.
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Commissioning or Installation Issues
During installation, smart meters are commissioned using specific system codes.
If these codes are missing or not transferred correctly between suppliers, the new supplier may not have full control of the meter.
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Older Smart Meter Models
Some older smart meters may not support the newer smart tariff systems used by some suppliers.
In these cases the meter may need to be replaced with a newer model.
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What Customers Can Do
If you cannot access a smart tariff even though you have a smart meter, you should contact your energy supplier.
They may:
• check whether they have full control of the meter
• attempt to recommission the meter remotely
• arrange an engineer visit
• replace the meter if required
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Why This Problem Is Becoming More Common
As more homes install electric vehicles, solar panels and battery systems, demand for smart tariffs is increasing.
These tariffs depend on fully functioning smart meters that suppliers can communicate with and control properly.
When communication or system issues occur, customers may discover that their meter cannot support the tariff they expected.