If you suspect that your meter might be faulty, we're here to help. This section covers the most common types of meter faults we encounter, along with what can be done to put things right.  

Quick links:

Who do I contact about the different parts of my meter set up?

When it comes to your electricity and gas supplies, there are a few different parties (yourself included!) that are responsible for different parts of the set-up. That's why we've pulled together some helpful diagrams below, just so that there's no confusion should you ever need any work done. 

Electricity:

*To find out who your electricity District Network Operator (DNO) is and how to contact them, go here.

Gas:

*To find out who your local Gas Transporter (also known as a Gas Distribution Operator) is and how to contact them, go here.


Electricity meter faults

My electricity meter is running too fast (or too slow) 

Meters very rarely record usage incorrectly. However, if you do suspect that your electricity meter is recording incorrectly, please follow our suggested steps below to complete what is known as a Creep Test, which will give you more insight into the issue:

  1. Turn off the main switch on your consumer unit/fuse box and capture a meter reading. No electricity can pass through the consumer unit, therefore the meter should not record any consumption
  2. You should leave the electricity off for about half an hour, then take another reading before switching the electricity back on. If the meter has recorded any consumption at this point, this may indicate a fault so please get in touch with clear photos of your entire electricity meter setup and the result of the Creep Test
  3. If the meter does not record any consumption but you are still concerned, we recommend extending your test to individual electrical appliances you have on the property
  4. Please start by individually turning everything off, then turning each appliance back on one at a time, analysing the effect this has on the meter reading as you go. This is a good way to determine if there is an appliance in your property that is causing high energy usage - we won't be able to assist you with the appliance issue, you'll need to take this up with the trader you bought it from.

How can So Energy confirm if my meter is faulty?

If after following the above steps you suspect there is a problem, please email a clear photo of your entire electricity meter set up to us via help@so.energy and the results of the Creep Test. When you reach out, we may be able offer you a free upgrade to smart meters (depending on availability in your area), as this will enable us to closely monitor your usage to make sure that all is in line going forward! If you are interested to find out more about our smart meters, please visit our page here.

Alternatively, we may offer the option of a Check Meter Test which involves us arranging an appointment to install another meter next to your existing meter so that electricity can be recorded through both. We will then record an installation reading and around a month later, a removal reading. The readings are then used to calculate how fast or slow your meter is recording in comparison to the check meter. For reference, to deem a meter as faulty it must be recording either 2.5% faster or 3.5% slower than the check meter. If the meter is not deemed faulty, a charge is applicable for the test - since meters are very rarely found to actually be faulty, we won't often recommend this test. For a list of our charges, please visit our page here. 

My electricity meter is running backwards

A common cause of electricity meters running in reverse is when solar panels are installed and the meter in situ does not have a 'back stop' function. This makes the meter faulty as we cannot measure your consumption accurately. 

If you suspect that your meter is running backwards, please take a photo of your readings a day apart and email these to help@so.energy so that we can investigate. We will more than likely offer you a smart meter at this point (depending on availability), as smart meters and solar panels just so happen to work great together! 

My economy 7 meter is changing rates at the wrong time

All meters function in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), therefore there will be an hour switchover difference during British Summer Time (BST).  

We've put together a separate section for this topic that you can check out here.

My electricity meter is making a noise

If your electricity meter is sparking and/or you can smell burning: please contact the emergency services if you have any doubts. You should also contact your Distribution Network Operator on 105 to arrange an emergency visit.

If you can hear your electricity meter making an arcing, vibrating or zapping noise: you may require an emergency meter exchange. Please call us on 0330 303 5063 to discuss/arrange this. Please visit our emergency FAQ page for further details.

On occasion, you might think you hear your electricity meter make a beeping noise. In these instances, it's always best to check any carbon monoxide/smoke detectors around the meter, just in case it's those making the noise. If it is definitely your meter making a sound, chances are it may be for one of the following reasons:

  • Low credit (if you have a prepayment meter that you manually top up)
  • If the front cover on the meter has become loose
  • If there are excessive electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the meter

If you can hear a noise coming from your meter, please send across a short video of it making a sound to help@so.energy so that we can take a look/offer you a complimentary upgrade to smart meters. 

My electricity meter is not displaying any readings

If your electricity meter display has gone blank, chances are the meter is faulty. If your reading is usually visible on-screen without needing to press any buttons, please send us a photo just in case there is anything we can suggest to 'wake up' the display.

If you usually press a button to obtain a meter reading and this is no longer working, please send a video of you pressing the button you would usually press (to obtain a reading). 

Please email the photo or video to help@so.energy and we will investigate. If you are unsure how to read your meter, please click here.

So tip: If your meter is found to be faulty at this point, we will more than likely offer you a smart meter so that we can make sure all is in line going forward. To read more about our smart meters, why not check out our page here. 


Gas meter faults

My gas meter is running too fast (or too slow)

Meters are very rarely recording usage incorrectly. If you suspect that your gas meter is recording incorrectly, please follow the steps below to carry on a 'Burns Test':

  1. Turn off all of your gas appliances, including heating, and capture a meter reading
  2. Keep all gas appliances off for around 30 minutes to an hour, then take a further meter reading and compare it against the first to see if there is any advance while everything was off. If there has been an advance in usage, the meter could be faulty
  3. If the meter does not record any consumption but you are still concerned, turn on one item, such as a single gas ring, and then watch the meter for a few minutes. For a single gas ring, the meter should only clock a few units over the course of five minutes
  4. Take a note of your meter reading before and after turning on each appliance/gas ring. If there is a sudden jump after a certain appliance is turned on, it could be that it is faulty (rather than your meter) and we won't be able to assist you with this. 

How can So Energy confirm if my meter is faulty?

If after following the above steps you suspect there is a problem, please email a clear photo of your entire gas meter set up to us via help@so.energy. When you reach out, we may be able to offer you a free upgrade to smart meters (depending on availability in your area), as this will enable us to closely monitor your usage to make sure that all is in line going forward! If you are interested to find out more about our smart meters, please visit our page here, or ask for further details when you reach out.

Alternatively, we may offer for your meter to be sent off to a lab for testing. This is called an OFMAT test, and it's a process carried out by an independent third party. If the meter is not deemed faulty, a charge is applicable for the test - since meters are very rarely found to actually be faulty, we won't often recommend this test. If the test confirms there is a fault, we will monitor the readings on your new meter to get a more accurate representation of your usage and use this to revise any previously incorrect statements.

If you would like to find out more about our smart meters or proceed with an OFMAT Test, please review our charges here and then contact us at help@so.energy to arrange a visit.

My gas meter is making a noise

If you can smell gas: please contact the emergency services if you have any doubts. You should also call the gas emergency line on 0800 111 999. Please visit our emergency FAQ page for further details.

There are two common faults that can cause a gas meter to either make a constant or an intermittent noise. The first being when the regulator is faulty, which results in a humming noise coming from the meter. The second is when the diaphragm in the meter is faulty which causes a mechanical/high-pitched screeching sound.

Both of these faults are considered to be safe but can cause disruption to your household. To diagnose the fault we will need a video of your meter that captures the sound. Please send this over to us at help@so.energy. 

If your meter is considered faulty, we will offer you a free upgrade to smart meters. There should not be a need to recalculate your bills at this point unless we have confirmed the meter is clocking consumption inaccurately as well.

My gas meter is not displaying any readings

If your gas meter display has gone blank, chances are the meter is faulty. If your reading is usually visible on-screen without needing to press any buttons, please send us a photo just in case there is anything we can suggest to 'wake up' the display.

Another alternative (if you have a 2nd-generation meter - SMETS2) is to try and press the button for about 5 seconds.

If you usually press a button to obtain a meter reading, and this is no longer working, please email us a video of you pressing the button you would usually press (to obtain a reading) via help@so.energy.


Smart meter faults

As all of our smart meters are brand new, they very rarely tend to be faulty. That being said, it is possible that you may be experiencing some form of communication error shortly after your installation, which if the case, would have been communicated to you by the engineer during your appointment. If this is the case then fear not, there are no charges involved when it comes to rectifying smart meter faults, and our teams will do their upmost to get this resolved for you as soon as they can. 

For more information on what to expect after your smart meter installation, please check out our section here. 

Looking for any further advice?

Why not check out what Citizens Advice and Which? have to say about faulty meters.