Meter alert as switch off awareness wanes

Householders warned not to delay upgrade

- STAFF REPORTER

People in Stirling with ageing energy meters that are being gradually switched off have been urged not to delay having them replaced, amid fears that public awareness about the issue is falling.

Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the energy advice service energyadvice.scot, is warning of waning interest among customers about the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off.

Unless the meters are replaced, customers risk losing control of their heating and hot water or being moved onto a more expensive single-rate tariff. The charity has recorded a downturn in people asking about the issue, despite a high-profile campaign involving TV presenter Lorraine Kelly.

This is likely to have been caused by the last-minute decision to delay the switch-off, which was supposed to happen at the end of June but is now being done in phases instead.