Storage heaters stopped working after switching energy supplier? Here's what to do
Stay safe with electrics. Never open your meter, a storage heater's casing or the inside of a fuse box. The checks below only involve switches and dials you'd normally use. If you see scorch marks, smell hot plastic, or a switch keeps tripping, call an electrician.
You switched to a new energy supplier, and now your storage heaters are cold in the morning, or barely warm. The heaters worked fine before, so it's very unlikely they've all broken at once. In most cases the problem is on the supplier's side: the tariff or the meter's off-peak switching hasn't been set up properly for storage heaters.
- Check the heaters' own switches and dials.
- Check the off-peak switches in your fuse box.
- Check your new tariff is an off-peak one.
- Check whether your meter was changed.
- Call the new supplier and use the right words.
- Complain if it isn't fixed.
Each step has important details below. Tap a step to jump to it.
Why it happens
Storage heaters are usually wired to a separate off-peak circuit. It only gets power for a few hours at night, when electricity is cheaper, and the heaters store that heat to release during the day. Your meter switches that circuit on and off.
When you switch supplier, any of these can go wrong:
- You've been put on a single-rate tariff. Some suppliers then change the meter's settings so the off-peak circuit never switches on.
- The off-peak times have changed. The new supplier's cheap hours may be different, so heaters on a separate timer charge at the wrong time or not at all.
- Your meter was replaced, often with a smart meter, and its off-peak switch hasn't been set up.
- An older smart meter stopped working properly with the new supplier. It may have gone back to working like an ordinary meter and lost its switching schedule.
The meter can be billing you correctly while still not switching the heaters on. They're separate settings, which is why the supplier may tell you "everything looks fine".
Renting? You can still do these checks and call the supplier yourself, as you're the one paying the bill. If the heaters themselves turn out to be faulty, that's your landlord's job to fix.
Step by step
1Check the heaters' own switches and dials
- Each heater usually has a switch on the wall next to it, sometimes with a red light. Make sure it's on.
- Most storage heaters have two dials: Input (or "Charge") controls how much heat it stores overnight, and Output (or "Boost") controls how fast it gives that heat out. If Input is on 0 or minimum, it won't store any heat. Set it to the middle or higher for now.
- Check them first thing in the morning. Storage heaters charge overnight, so it's normal for them to be cool by the evening.
If one heater is cold but the others are fine, it's probably that heater, not the supplier. Call an electrician for that one.
2Check the off-peak switches in your fuse box
Many homes with storage heaters have a second, separate fuse box for the off-peak circuit, usually near the meter. Look at both fuse boxes for any switch in the "off" position. If you find one, push it back on once. If it trips again, leave it off and call an electrician.
3Check your new tariff
Look at your new supplier's welcome email, your account or your app. It should say Economy 7, Economy 10, or another tariff with a cheaper night or off-peak rate. If it says a single rate or a standard variable tariff with one price, that's very likely the cause.
Also note the off-peak hours it lists. If your heaters have their own timer, check it matches these times.
4Check whether your meter was changed
Was a new meter fitted around the time you switched? If so, the problem is very likely that the new meter's off-peak switch hasn't been set up. Our guide No hot water after a smart meter on Economy 7 explains this in detail, and the same fix applies to storage heaters.
If your meter wasn't changed, look at its display at night during the off-peak hours. Many meters show which rate is in use (often "Rate 2" or "Low" at night) or have a light or symbol for the off-peak switch. If it never changes, the meter isn't switching.
5Call the new supplier and use the right words
Many people get passed around, so be specific. You could say:
- "I have storage heaters on an off-peak circuit. They stopped charging after I switched to you on [date]."
- "Please check I'm on a tariff that's suitable for storage heaters, such as Economy 7, and that my meter is set to switch my off-peak circuit on at night. It isn't enough for the meter to just record the night rate."
- If you have a smart meter: "Please check the auxiliary load control switch (ALCS) schedule has been sent to my meter."
- "What exactly are my off-peak hours now?"
Write down the date, time and name of everyone you speak to. Some fixes can be sent to the meter remotely, which can take a few days. Others need an engineer to visit. If so, ask them to book one, and explain if you have no other heating.
If you're elderly, disabled, have young children or a health condition, ask to be put on the supplier's Priority Services Register. It's free, and it can get you a faster response when you're without heating.
6If it isn't fixed: complain
If the supplier doesn't sort it, make a formal complaint. Use the word "complaint" so it's logged properly. If it isn't resolved within 8 weeks, or you get a final response you're unhappy with, you can take it to the Energy Ombudsman for free.
If you've had to use plug-in heaters or have paid day rates while this was going on, include that in your complaint and ask for compensation.
Questions people ask
Should I switch back to my old supplier?
Usually there's no need. The new supplier can fix it, and switching again can take weeks and cause the same problem again. Give them the chance to put it right first.
My heaters charge, but my bills have gone up a lot. Why?
The heaters may be charging during the day rate because the off-peak times have changed, or because a timer no longer matches. Ask your supplier for your exact off-peak hours and check any timers. If you're on a single-rate tariff, storage heaters will cost a lot more to run.
Is it safe to use a plug-in heater in the meantime?
Yes, if it's in good condition and used as the manufacturer says. Don't cover it, keep it away from curtains and furniture, plug it straight into the wall rather than an extension lead, and don't leave it on overnight or when you're out.