Citizens Advice Response to BEIS’ Consultation on the New and Replacement Obligation (NRO) Activation Date
Citizens Advice support the intentions of the ‘No Backwards Step’ principle and agree that an energy supplier should not be allowed to install a traditional meter in cases where a fully operational SMETS2 smart meter could be installed and where a consumer has no objections.
The NRO should result in fewer time-consuming visits to consumer properties by ensuring that consumers for not have meters installed which will have to be removed shortly after in order to meet the 2020 deadline. Because it comes into effect after the SMETS1 end-date it should not result in more SMETS1 meters being installed with their accompanying reduced functionality. Citizens Advice does however have concerns regarding the potential impact on consumers using prepayment, potential additional costs that may be passed on to consumers and the guidance and communication a consumer will receive about this process.