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THTC / Separate Radio Teleswitch and Meter- Can I get a smart meter?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
February 27, 2023
291 replies
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Hoping someone here can help because this has been an on-going battle since before OVO took over SSE and it’s gotten progressively worse recently.

I live in a house that’s meters haven’t been checked, inspected, whatever since at least 1993. I have two meters - one for my storage heaters and water tank, and one for standard electricity. I’ve been trying to get this changed to either a smart meter if available OR just a standard single meter with a day or night rate.

I have email chain(s) going on with SSE/OVO (One email chain is using @sseenergyservices.com and the other is @ovo.com hence posting here) that I seem to just be going around in circles. I finally got through to the Electric Heating Team (EHT) about two weeks ago who changed me onto a single rate THTC tarrif, so both my standard and heating meters are at the same rate - but based on the readings that I’ve been providing, it’s still nearly 500 a month just for two storage heaters and a water tank.

Has anyone else had problems being switched to a single meter? It’s driving me insane and I can’t change providers even if I wanted to because I’m currently bent over a barrel with an old meter system that they won’t change that no one else supports.

Edit: Just to add, it’s Radio Teleswitch Total Heat Total Control (THTC) to be specific.

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on 16/05/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

Update on RTS shutdown:

As part of the RTS Project development, we are really happy to share with you our progress:

As you may be aware, the RTS signal that instructs some of our meters when to move to the “Off Peak Period” will be closing down soon and we need to arrange for all of our RTS customers to have a meter exchange so they don’t lose any of their meter functionality.

The RTS signal will end for our customers on 30 June 2025. The period between 1 July - 30 September 2025 will then be used to close-down the RTS signal and allow us to manage any unexpected customers impacted.

After a very successful pilot, from the 17th June 2024 we will begin writing to our Economy 10 RTS customers to invite them to call us to arrange for their meter exchange.

We are continuing to work at pace to enable the same solution for the majority of our other RTS customers and our aim is to begin writing to these customers in Aug 2024.

We will continue to update you on our progress.

Hey @Noz1954,

I don’t know the exact figures, I’ll see if I can find out. I’d imagine a few thousand as Blastoise advised.

We’ve had a couple of customers on the Forum who’ve advised they have THTC set ups, would be interesting to get a conversation going.

We’ve got an FAQ on exotic types which might have some useful information:

Show previous replies

M

metalsman

Newcomer

We're DD8. When we phoned we were given the choice of a single tariff meter, Economy 7 or Economy 10. It's being changed tomorrow. We can barely contain our excitement!! 😆

Thanks for this information. Can you please keep us up to date as to how the installation went e.g. did they have to modify any wiring going into your consumer unit(s) or any other changes they performed apart from the meter change and the removal of the THTC meter? This would help the rest of us enormously. Incidentally, I am AB33.

Blastoise186

Super User

We're DD8. When we phoned we were given the choice of a single tariff meter, Economy 7 or Economy 10. It's being changed tomorrow. We can barely contain our excitement!! 😆

Thanks for this information. Can you please keep us up to date as to how the installation went e.g. did they have to modify any wiring going into your consumer unit(s) or any other changes they performed apart from the meter change and the removal of the THTC meter? This would help the rest of us enormously. Incidentally, I am AB33.

There will be some wiring changes, but the engineer can do those for you. Pretty much 100% of them are just meter related - your consumer unit wouldn’t be touched.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!

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Cassie511

Rank 4

Update everyone...... Engineer was due at 10am. At 9.45am he phoned to say he can't change the meter because it's a THTC meter 😡😡😡 We have to phone and get the tariff changed first!!! We've been trying to do that for 3 years and can't because it's a THTC meter. They are all completely clueless. The engineer didn't even give the number to phone.

To say we are incensed doesn't even begin to describe our feelings......

C

Cassie511

Rank 4

Update on the update ...... Apparently the person booking the meter change appointment didn't click the button to say which meter we wanted despite going through all the questions!! This wasn't noticed until the engineer looked before coming to the appointment.

Not exactly sure we believe that but another appointment made for Tuesday 17th September. We're so utterly fed up with this..... 😡

Chris_OVO

Community Manager

Hey @Cassie511,

I’m sorry to read this. I know it’s incredibly frustrating for you. It looks like something went wrong, and we need to find a way to fix this for you ASAP.

I’ve asked our Forum_Support team to contact you. If you can keep an eye on your private messages here, they’ll do so.

Renewable energy jokes never get old.

M

metalsman

Newcomer

Update on the update ...... Apparently the person booking the meter change appointment didn't click the button to say which meter we wanted despite going through all the questions!! This wasn't noticed until the engineer looked before coming to the appointment.

Not exactly sure we believe that but another appointment made for Tuesday 17th September. We're so utterly fed up with this..... 😡

It appears that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. I have been deliberately holding off getting the smart meter installed because, from what I have read on various THTC and smart meter forum topics, OVO seems to be clueless as to what is required to complete the installation of the smart meter and the removal of the RTS meter.

It makes no difference whether it be the call centre, support, or meter installers all we seem to get are platitudes like those from @Chris_OVO above saying how frustrating it must be. How many times has he said that? You have no idea how frustrating it is unless you are at the customer end of it and I do realise that he is at the supplier sharp end and it must be frustrating for him to be continually apologising but OVO really need to get their act together and speak with one voice.

Incidentally, I have just been speaking with a neighbour and OVO are replacing his meters next week. I find it strange that OVO are doing his next week (OVO contacted him and offered E10 and nothing else) when they could have written to all the residents in our estate (123 of us and we are nearly all on THTC) and scheduled the whole estate to be done at the one time.

Blastoise186

Super User

I can tell you that this thread is being actively monitored by all of the Forum Moderators and Forum Volunteers. We’ve got ways of flagging things up rapidly if needed. By rapidly I mean it takes me merely two clicks to alert the Forum Moderators to an issue and they’re pretty quick to catch on too. If you need a hand, feel free to post here and we’ll swing by.

We’re probably going to take this backstage to discuss and I sense an opportunity later this week to talk about it with someone who might know useful stuff. This thread will be added to the agenda.

Bear with us - we’re definitely not going to ignore this!

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!

F

Findon1

Newcomer

Update on the update ...... Apparently the person booking the meter change appointment didn't click the button to say which meter we wanted despite going through all the questions!! This wasn't noticed until the engineer looked before coming to the appointment.

Not exactly sure we believe that but another appointment made for Tuesday 17th September. We're so utterly fed up with this..... 😡

I’m totally fed up with OVO too. I’ve been trying to get info on upgrades for years from Hydro/SSE/OVO and, despite many promises, I am still in the dark (thankfully, not literally). Many promised change dates have come and gone and it has got to the point where I cannot trust what OVO ‘Customer Care’ are telling me as it sometimes changes overnight. I can’t change supplier as I’m on THTC (I have tried to change!), I can’t change my current tariff as I’m on an “exotic” meter apparently, I don’t understand all the abbreviations, and it looks my future choices won’t be choices at all. I have no idea what my bills will rise to.

Firedog

Super User

… they could have written to all the residents in our estate (123 of us and we are nearly all on THTC) and scheduled the whole estate to be done at the one time.

Meters are the responsibility of the supplier, so OVO would only ever write to its own customers. Do you know that all of the residents are still with OVO? Granted, if there’s only one meter installation contractor in the area, he might save himself and the customers a bit of time by concentrating his efforts on a single estate, at the expense of course of all the others not on the estate waiting patiently for their turn. That would involve a major coordination exercise between customers, suppliers and installers, but I agree it might make sense. There’s a month’s work to be done, after all, at the rate of 6 meter exchanges a day.

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |

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Cassie511

Rank 4

… they could have written to all the residents in our estate (123 of us and we are nearly all on THTC) and scheduled the whole estate to be done at the one time.

Meters are the responsibility of the supplier, so OVO would only ever write to its own customers. Do you know that all of the residents are still with OVO? Granted, if there’s only one meter installation contractor in the area, he might save himself and the customers a bit of time by concentrating his efforts on a single estate, at the expense of course of all the others not on the estate waiting patiently for their turn. That would involve a major coordination exercise between customers, suppliers and installers, but I agree it might make sense. There’s a month’s work to be done, after all, at the rate of 6 meter exchanges a day.

You ask....Do you know if all the residents are still with OVO??

Almost certainly, because NO OTHER SUPPLIER WILL ACCEPT OUR METERS.

Believe me, we've tried. A few seem to have managed to escape but I've no idea how they did it.

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THTC / Separate Radio Teleswitch and Meter- Can I get a smart meter?

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