Meter Tampering: Spotting and Preventing Energy Theft

Meter tampering is much more common – and much more dangerous – than you think.

It costs innocent consumers an estimated £1.4 billion each year, adding around £50 to every household energy bill (Retail Energy Code Company). Sometimes, meter tampering also costs innocent people their lives.

Knowing how to tell if a meter has been tampered with and how to report meter tampering is crucial to keep you, your loved ones, and your community safe. In fact, 30% of tradespeople have seen evidence of meter tampering in clients’ homes (Direct Line).

What Is Meter Tampering?

Meter tampering is deliberately interfering with a gas or electricity meter to prevent it from accurately recording the amount of energy used, or bypassing a meter so it doesn’t record energy used at all.

Meter tampering is one of the most common forms of energy theft in the UK. Energy theft is estimated to occur in 1 in every 150 homes.

Theft is always illegal.

Signs of Meter Tampering: What to Look For

Whether it’s electric meter tampering or gas meter tampering, warning signs may visible on the meter itself and inside the property. There are also signs of meter tampering specific to tenants. 

Signs of Tampering on the Meter Itself

• Numbers not visible, not moving, or running backwards.
• Loose wires or unusual wiring.
• Burn or scorch marks on the meter casing.
• Sparks coming from the meter or wiring.
• Crackling or hissing noises around the meter.
• Wires that don’t lead back to the fuse board or trip switch panel.
• Pipes that have been bypassed, or look out of place, or the use of rubber tubing.
• The smell of gas around the meter.
• Signs of overheating such as smoke, burning smells or leaking bitumen.
• Meter that appears to have been moved or repositioned.
• Security seals and stickers that look broken or replaced.
• Meter readings that seem unusually low or static over time.
• Meter that does not match the serial number on the bill or appears to have been replaced with a different meter.

Always report signs of a tampered meter 100% anonymously to Stay Energy Safe.

Signs of Tampering Inside a Home or Business

These are signs of meter tampering you may notice in your day-to-day use of the property rather than at the meter itself.

• Sparks from multiple sockets and switches.
• Electric shocks from multiple appliances, taps, the bath or shower.
• Meters locked away.
• The smell of gas.
• A prepayment meter that doesn’t need topping up.
• Gas flames that are bigger than you would expect.
• If you are a landlord, you should be suspicious if tenants won’t give you access to the meters. 

Signs to Look for if You Are a Tenant

If your landlord manages the bills, there are a few extra signs of a tampered meter worth watching for. 

• Your landlord charges a fixed or very low amount for bills, regardless of how much energy you use.
• Your access to the meters is restricted, or you are refused access.
• Bills are included in your rent, which seems unusually low to include these costs.

If any of this sounds familiar, read our guide to rogue landlords and meter tampering to understand your rights. 

How to Tell if an Electric Meter Has Been Tampered With

There are specific signs of electric meter tampering.

Start with a visual inspection of the meter itself:

1. Check for a broken or missing security seal.
2. Check for scorch marks or discolouration on the casing.
3. Check that the wires going into the fuse board come from the meter or another legitimate source, such as a solar panel inverter.
4. Check for any additional wiring or bypasses.

If anything looks altered, don’t touch it. Remember these are just visual checks, so don’t pull or move any cables or wiring, or unscrew anything to look.

Always report signs of a tampered electric meter to Stay Energy Safe.

How to Tell if a Gas Meter Has Been Tampered With

There are also signs specific to gas meter tampering. 

1. Check for the smell of gas near the meter.
2. Check for unusual pipework.
3. Check for rubber tubing bypassing the meter.
4. Check whether the unions (bolts) on top of the meter are are scratched or worn, as this is a sign that they are taken on and off repeatedly, when they should only be tightened once. It could mean the meter is being swapped or rotated. 

If you smell gas, do not investigate any further. Call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately, on 0800 111 999.

The Dangers of a Tampered Meter

A rigged meter can be unstable. It is only a matter of time before tragedy could strike.

People have caused house fires, gas leaks and electrocuted themselves when trying to cut through wires (Energy Networks Association (ENA)). You can read terrifying real-life meter tampering stories here.

If large amounts of gas build up, just one flick of a light switch can cause a dangerous explosion that can rip through the entire building. 

Rigged meters with loose connections can become so hot that they start fires.

Interfering with the wires at the meter can also make switches or appliances ‘live’ to the touch or cause them to overheat or malfunction. It puts anyone using these appliances at risk of shocks and severe burns.

These same risks sit behind some of the UK’s most serious gas explosions. A tampered meter can also increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, since interfering with the supply can affect how safely nearby appliances run. 

Can Smart Meters Detect Tampering?

Smart meters play a growing role in meter tampering detection. They transmit usage data to your supplier in near real-time, which makes unusual patterns, such as a sudden drop in recorded use, much easier to detect than with older meters.

All smart meters in Great Britain must meet minimum technical requirements, which include a defined set of tamper alerts. These are designed to flag signs of interference automatically, so somebody can then physically inspect the meter if needed. 

However, they are not foolproof. A smart meter can only report what it detects, so it’s still worth knowing the physical signs of meter tampering and reporting anything suspicious. 

What Are the Legal Consequences of Meter Tampering?

Criminals who carry out illegal electricity and gas meter tampering can face up to five years in prison, a criminal record and fines which vary depending on the seriousness of the theft.

The person responsible for the property, such as a landlord or energy account holder, can be held liable in certain circumstances, even if they did not carry out the meter tampering themselves.

Meter tampering might seem like a clever way to save money, but the consequences can be life changing. Some have suffered devastating damage to their property because of rigged meters. Some have even lost their lives and taken the lives of innocent people around them.

It is every person’s responsibility to help stop this crime. Always report your suspicions to Stay Energy Safe.

To learn more about meter tampering consequences and full sentencing detail, read our stealing electricity article. 

How to Report Meter Tampering Anonymously

If you suspect meter tampering, don’t touch the meter yourself. Report it 100% anonymously.

Call Stay Energy Safe free on 0800 023 2777. The line is open 24/7. You can also report online using the simple online form. 

If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 first.

Reporting energy theft is helping to save lives.