Curo News

Does your electricity meter need upgrading?

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:33:30 Z

If you’ve got an old-style electricity meter you’ll need to make sure it’s replaced by the end of June or your heating and hot water could stop working, and your bills might be wrong.

Some older Economy 7 and other similar meters use something called ‘Radio Switch Service’ (RTS) to work. This allows meters to switch between peak and off-peak rates, or turn your heating on and off so you can heat your home and let your water heat up over night when the rates are cheaper.

But the RTS is going to be switched off on 30 June 2025, so all of these old meters need to be replaced with modern smart meters before then.

How do I know if I have an RTS meter?

You might have an RTS meter if:

your home has a separate switch box near your meter with a Radio Teleswitch label on it
your home is heated using electricity or storage heaters
there is no gas supply to your area, including households in rural areas and high-rise flats
you get cheaper energy at different times of day, for example, you might be on an Economy 7, Economy 10, or Total Heat Total Control tariff.

If you have an RTS meter it might look like this:

This video can also help you identify if you have an RTS meter, and what you should do next:

If you’re still not sure you can contact your energy supplier and they’ll be able to tell you.

If you don’t know who your supplier is, you can find out through the Ofgem website.

What happens if I do need a new meter?

Your energy supplier should be in touch to arrange to install a new meter. If you haven’t hear from them you can contact them directly.

We’ll arrange for any meters that cover communal areas to be replaced.

What if my meter doesn't get changed?

If you don't change your meter before the deadline of 30 June 2025 then:

your heating and hot water may be left continually on or off
your electric storage heaters may charge at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills
your supplier may be unable confirm your electricity usage during peak or off-peak times, and your electricity costs may be higher than before
you’ll have a more limited choice of tariffs.

You can find out more about replacing your RTS meter on the Ofgem website.

Could you be eligible for an energy saving home upgrade?

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:56:58 Z

You may be able to get free or low cost energy-saving upgrades to your home thanks to a government scheme.

Making your home more energy efficient is not only good for the environment, but also means smaller energy bills, and a healthier living environment.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy scheme designed to help reduce fuel poverty, and make homes more eco-friendly. The scheme asks energy suppliers to install energy-saving measures, such as insulation, in homes that meet certain criteria to make them more energy efficient. It’s aimed at low income and vulnerable households, living in some of the least energy efficient houses.

If you’re a social housing tenant and your home has an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G then you might be eligible for help with insulation or installing a heating system for the first time. You can use the energy performance certificate register to find your home’s energy efficiency rating.

The next steps

If you think that you’re eligible, you can contact your local authority or an energy supplier to see if they’re taking part in the scheme. It doesn’t have to be your energy supplier. There’s a list of suppliers that are taking part on the Ofgem website.
An energy assessor will then visit your home to look at how energy efficient it is, and will then recommend any improvements that can be made.
You’ll be able to discuss the recommendations, then decide if you want to go ahead.
Before any work to your home begins you’ll need get permission from Curo. We’ll ask you to complete a consent form and return it to us for consideration. Please allow up to 30 days for us to get back to you.
Once we’ve agreed to the upgrades, work can begin. Qualified installers will come to your home to carry out the work. When it’s completed, Curo will inspect the changes to make sure that they meet our standards.
Enjoy your more energy efficient home!

Autumn heating check

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:23:01 Z

Summer's a good time to fire up your central heating system briefly, to check everything’s working properly before the cooler weather arrives.

Run your system for around 15 minutes with the thermostat set high enough to call for heating. Check all your radiators get warm when you open the individual radiator valves.

If you find a fault, report it to us now so we can help to get your heating working efficiently before you need it in the autumn.

Some problems may be easy to fix without waiting for an engineer. Try these if you can:

If there are cold spots in any radiators they may just need bleeding.
If your boiler won’t start, check the pressure gauge – it’s usually easy to re-pressurise it.
If you need help adjusting your thermostat or timer, here’s how most Curo-fitted controls work.

Click on the link below for more heating tips and advice:

Lifehacks: Heating

£1m funding award to make Curo homes more energy efficient

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 12:26:35 Z

People living in 113 homes owned by Curo are set to benefit from a £2.07m programme of improvements designed to help them save money on energy bills and reduce the carbon emissions of their properties.

The investment includes £1.03m awarded through the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), with Curo funding £1.04m directly.

Curo is one of several housing associations to secure funding through this scheme as part of a joint bid made with the South West Net Zero Hub. The Hub works across the wider South West to deliver net zero energy projects and is hosted by the West of England Combined Authority.

The improvements will target some of Curo’s least energy efficient properties and include measures that will make a lasting difference to these homes’ energy performance. These will be mostly “fabric first” measures such as roof and wall insulation as well as some solar electricity installations, solar hot water and improved heating and controls that will lower energy bills and keep homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Curo Director for Asset Management & Procurement, Matt Steele, says: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded this funding which will help us to transform the energy efficiency of these homes.

“In our recent Greener Homes survey Curo residents told us they want us to prioritise measures like these that will lessen the environmental impact of our properties and make them easier to keep warm and dry.

“This is the start of an energy investment programme that will continue for years after we’ve upgraded these 113 homes and will result in almost all our customers’ homes having an energy performance rating of A, B or C by 2028/29.”

These upgrades are part of a wider Curo commitment to invest £142m across Curo customers’ homes over the next 10 years, prioritising the thermal performance of each home and tackling some common causes of damp and condensation.

21 per cent of total carbon emissions in the UK come from our homes, according to the Energy Saving Trust, and these home upgrades will help reduce emissions from households in the South West, helping to meet the UK’s net zero ambitions.

Curo has secured this money as part of the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s £778m Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund for energy efficiency upgrades in social housing across the country.

Jon Rattenbury, Programme Manager for the South West Net Zero Hub, said: “This is fantastic news for households in the South West and it takes us a step closer to achieving the region’s net zero targets. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver sustainable home upgrades that will make homes warmer and address fuel poverty.”

Photo: Some of the home upgrades will include solar photo-voltaic panels to generate electricity and reduce residents' energy bills, like these fitted by Curo on properties in Bath.

The Greener Homes survey 2022 - thanks for telling us your priorities

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 11:24:09 Z

Thanks to everyone who took part in our 2022 Greener Homes survey. Congratulations to S Syed (pictured) from Weston, Bath who won £200 in our survey prize draw, and runners-up J Fullbrook of Bear Flat and C Snell from Twerton. We received 525 responses from Curo customers, giving us masses of invaluable information and ideas that we’ll use to plan how we make your homes greener and warmer.

We’ll be doing this with you through our new Greener Homes Panel of Curo residents. We hope to hold our first panel meeting in September 2022.

We’ll be in touch again later in the year with an update. By then we’ll also be able to provide a more detailed look at the survey findings, what we’ve heard and what we aim to do as a result.

In the meantime, here’s a summary of the survey results:

We asked “Are you worried about climate change?”

54% are extremely or very worried
41% are moderately or slightly worried
5% not at all worried

We asked “How important it is for Curo to tackle climate change and look after the environment”

78% think it is extremely or very important
17% think it’s somewhat important
5% think not so or not at all important

We asked “How would you rate Curo on its efforts to tackle climate change and look after the environment”

Majority didn’t know or weren’t sure (56%)
35% didn’t think Curo are doing enough
9% think Curo are doing enough

We asked “Should Curo declare a climate emergency like Bath, Bristol and Wiltshire councils?”

The most popular answer was yes with 70% of all the responses
Don’t know was second with 19%
And no got the smallest response with 11%

We asked “Are you aware that there are energy performance targets for social housing and that many homes will require energy measures by 2030?”

44% were aware of the targets
49% were not aware and
7% were not sure

Right now the target for social housing is for all ‘fuel-poor’ homes to reach energy performance level C by 2030 and be on the way to net zero by 2050 (rating A).

You can check your own home’s energy performance certificate (EPC) by entering your postcode here.

Not all Curo homes will have an EPC because in the past we've only done these assessments when letting homes. We're now increasing the number of EPCs by carrying out this assessment at the same time as your home condition survey.

Are you aware of your ‘carbon footprint?’

69% have never calculated it
22% have used an online calculator
9% were not interested in doing this

If you’re interested, the WWF online calculator is easy to use and takes less than five minutes.

We asked you to rank four statements in order of importance:

Reducing energy use to save money on energy bills was the highest priority with 35%, followed by reducing energy use because of environmental benefits with 29%
In third and fourth place were 'what my home looks like inside' (21%) and 'what my home looks like outside' (14%)

We asked if you would be happy to delay a kitchen or bathroom upgrade if it meant you could have energy saving improvements sooner

52% answered yes
26% said no
22% weren’t sure

In terms of timescales:

40% were willing to wait 1-2 years
36% were willing to wait 3-5 years
17% willing to wait 5-10 years
7% more than 10 years

We asked “Are you aware that all gas boilers in Curo homes will need to be exchanged to low carbon alternative heating by 2035 at the latest if the UK is to meet its carbon emissions targets?”

56% said yes
44% said no

We asked “Would you be happy to switch your gas boiler to an air source heat pump (ASHP):

40% said they would be happy to switch
36% were unsure
13% would not be happy to switch
11% already have electric heating

(ASHPs absorb heat from the outside air which is then heated via an electric pump.)

We asked you to pick the three energy improvements viewed as most important:

Solar panels were the most popular measure
Second was double or triple glazing second
Third was external or internal wall insulation

We asked how you felt about work being done in your home:

67% preferred work be done in one go, no matter how disruptive
21% selected work in stages to reduce disruption
3% were not willing to have work and
9% did not know

We asked if you would change your lifestyle to reduce impact and wider damage to the wider environment

54% were either extremely or very willing
34% somewhat willing
8% willing but not able to
4% not at all willing

We asked how you would feel if we installed electric car charging points:

40% of respondents couldn’t afford an electric car
28% did not have a car
19% would consider getting an electric car soon
1% would use a charge point straight away

We asked you to choose your top three environmental measures from six options:

Making homes more energy efficient was the top answer
Second was planting trees, rewilding and encouraging biodiversity
Third was reducing the use of fossil fuels as an energy source

Thanks again for your time and participation.

Update, April 2023: Find out how we've changed the way we invest in customers' homes as a result of this feedback.

What does the Government's May 2022 cost of living announcement mean for your wallet?

Tue, 31 May 2022 13:56:40 Z

On 27 May 2022, the Government announced a £15 billion package of actions to provide support to millions of households across the UK struggling with the rising cost of living. These measures include a discount on energy bills, a one-off cost of living payment for those on means-tested benefits and in receipt of disability benefits, as well as a £500m increase to the Household Support Fund.

Here's a summary of these measures:

Energy Bills Support Scheme:
Households will receive £400 of support with their energy bills through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Means-tested one-off Cost of Living Payment
More than 8 million households on means-tested benefits will receive a payment of £650 this year. This will be in two instalments: one in July and one in the autumn. There's no need to apply, it will be paid automatically if you're eligible. Here's a list of the means-tested benefits:

Universal Credit
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment & Support Allowance
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Pension Credit

One-off £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment
Pensioner households will received an extra £300 this year to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter.

£150 Disability Cost of Living Payment
In September 2022, those in receipt of disability benefits will receive a one-off payment of £150.

£500m increase and extension of Household Support Fund
The Government is providing an extra £500 million of local support through the Household Support Fund, which will be extended from October 2022 to March 2023.

The Household Support Fund helps vulnerable households, with the money allocated through local authorities. We look forward to hearing from them individually to understand how Curo customers could access this pot of money.

This package of support is welcome news at a time when increasing numbers of people are in need of extra support. It's positive that the Government has recognised the need to support families on the lowest incomes through this crisis.

If you need help with bills, contact us and ask for our Customer Accounts Team or email them directly on customeraccountshelp@curo-group.co.uk.

Take your meter readings on 31 March to avoid being overcharged

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:00:00 Z

Today, 31 March, is the day to take and submit your gas and electricity meter readings before the energy price cap goes up on 1 April 2022.

Doing this will make sure your energy bills are at the lower rate for as long as possible. That's because your energy supplier will try to estimate how much energy you used before and after the price cap went up. So it’s in your best interest to submit up to date meter readings to make sure you only pay the higher rate for energy you use after 1 April.

How to read & submit readings

If you have a smart meter, your meter should automatically send readings every day, but it might not do this. So, it's still worth making a note of your readings today (you could take a photo).

The price cap is the maximum amount suppliers can charge per unit of energy on a standard tariff.

If you have an older prepayment meter, you could top up with energy at the lower price - worth doing if you can afford it. This won’t work with smart prepayment meters – they will know exactly what you used and when.

If you're a Curo resident and struggling with bills, please ask us for help.

Hot tips for heating your home

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:39:36 Z

Keep your home warm and your fuel bills down with these tips from our money saving experts:

1. Take control of your central heating

If you have central heating, the first step is to set your room thermostat to the correct temperature – usually between 18-21°C.

Reducing your thermostat by just 1°C can save up to 10% on your heating costs. Check that radiator valves are set correctly. 1 is low, 5 is high.

The valves should be set to a low temperature in unused rooms and higher in rooms you’d like to be warmer.

If you think any part of your heating system isn’t working correctly please tell us.
2. Getting the best from night storage heaters

If you have night storage heaters make sure you’re on a tariff that offers a cheaper rate for electricity overnight, like ‘Economy 7’. Contact your electricity supplier to check.

Night storage heaters charge up at night and slowly release heat during the day. You can control how quickly the heat is released so that you have enough heat stored to last you through the day.

Watch Curo engineer Mark show you how to set your controls
3. Check you're with the cheapest energy supplier and the best tariff

Did you know you could save up to £216 a year by changing who supplies your gas and electricity, just by using the internet or making a phone call?

For help comparing suppliers and tariffs, and with switching visit Uswitch or call 0800 688 8557.
4. Know where to go for more advice on saving energy

The Energy Saving Trust offers a range of free advice. Look at their website or or call Simple Energy Advice
on 0800 444 202.

Underfloor Insulation with Q-Bot

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 11:36:25 Z

Curo, in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council, have received an award of the Green Homes Grant to part-fund a project of innovative underfloor insulation.

The underfloor insulation will be installed by a company called Q-Bot. The company uses a small robot to install the insulation remotely with minimal disruption. The installation will be hassle free, socially distanced and typically takes just one day.

Watch this video to see how Q-Bot works: