Energy theft and meter tampering

Meter tampering is not a grey area. Whether it happened years ago under a previous occupier, or you suspect it is happening at a neighbouring unit, it is a criminal offence and a genuine safety risk, and there is an established process suppliers and Ofgem use to investigate it.

This guide covers what counts as energy theft, what the law says, and what to do if you suspect tampering, including at a premises you have just moved into.

What counts as energy theft or meter tampering?

Energy theft means using gas or electricity without it being properly recorded and paid for. The most common form is meter tampering: interfering with a meter so it under-records usage, or bypassing it so some or all of the energy used is not measured at all. Ofgem’s guidance also treats reconnecting a meter after a supplier has disconnected it, and stealing energy from another premises’ supply, as forms of theft.

Signs of tampering can include:

• broken or missing security seals on the meter
• a meter case that looks like it has been opened, drilled or damaged
• wiring that bypasses the meter or looks like it has been altered
• scorch marks, unusual heat, or a burning smell near the meter
• a meter reading that does not move, or barely moves, despite clear energy use on site

Any of these can also be a sign of a genuine fault rather than theft, which is exactly why suppliers investigate rather than assume.

Energy theft is not the same as a billing dispute

It is worth separating theft from an ordinary disagreement over a bill. If you think a bill is wrong because of an estimated reading, a rate error, or a meter that has simply stopped working correctly, that is a billing dispute, covered by our guide to how to read a business energy bill and, if unresolved, business energy complaints. Theft specifically involves deliberate interference or unauthorised use, which is why it triggers a safety-led investigation rather than a standard billing query.

Is meter tampering illegal? What are the penalties?

Yes. Illegally abstracting electricity is an offence under section 13 of the Theft Act 1968, committed by dishonestly using electricity without authority, or by dishonestly causing it to be wasted or diverted. Gas theft is treated in a similar way under the same general theft framework, alongside the Gas Act 1986 and Electricity Act 1989, which govern the licensed supply and distribution of energy. Where tampering has damaged a meter or broken its seals, criminal damage offences can also apply. A conviction can carry a prison sentence and a fine, on top of any civil liability to the supplier for energy used but not paid for.

How common is energy theft and who investigates it?

Ofgem requires suppliers to detect, investigate and prevent theft of gas and electricity as part of their supply licence conditions. To support this, Ofgem approved two changes to the Retail Energy Code in 2025: the introduction of a national Energy Theft Unit (decision R0233), and an Energy Theft Referral Assessment Service (decision R0234), both published on 26 June 2025 with an implementation date the following day. The Referral Assessment Service acts as a first line of assessment, gathering information on suspected theft and referring the most serious cases on for full investigation, working alongside individual suppliers’ own theft teams.

Ofgem’s own guidance is blunt about the safety risk: meter tampering has been linked to serious injuries and deaths in Great Britain from fire, explosion, electric shock and gas leaks, which is why suspected tampering is treated as urgent rather than just a billing issue.

Why does this matter to honest customers as well?

Theft that goes undetected does not just create a safety risk on the premises where it happens. Ofgem’s decision approving the Energy Theft Referral Assessment Service cites research estimating energy theft adds around £27 a year to the average consumer’s bill, since the cost of stolen gas and electricity is ultimately spread across everyone else’s charges. That is a separate issue from your own contract, but it is part of why Ofgem and suppliers put real resource into detecting and stopping it, rather than treating it as a minor loss to write off.

What should you do if you suspect meter tampering at your business?

1. Do not touch or attempt to fix the meter yourself. Tampered meters and wiring can be dangerous, and disturbing evidence can also make an investigation harder.
2. Contact your energy supplier as soon as possible, describing what you have seen. Photos help if you can take them safely without touching anything.
3. Report it to Stay Energy Safe if you would rather do so anonymously, or if it does not involve your own supply, for example a neighbouring unit.
4. Cooperate with any investigation, which will usually involve a supplier engineer inspecting the meter.
5. Keep your own records of what you found and when, particularly if the tampering may predate your occupation of the site.

What if you suspect a previous occupier tampered with the meter?

This comes up often in commercial premises that have changed hands, particularly units that were empty for a period or had a previous tenant who left in a hurry or in dispute with their supplier. If you notice signs of tampering after moving in:

• Report it to your new supplier straight away, even though it was not your doing. Suppliers would rather investigate and rule it out than leave a genuine safety issue unaddressed.
• You are not automatically liable for a previous occupier’s actions. Suppliers are expected to investigate before attributing responsibility for any unpaid or under-recorded energy, and the timeline of when you moved in is directly relevant evidence.
• Expect a meter inspection or replacement. If tampering is confirmed, the supplier will usually need to replace the meter and correct the account going forward.
• Ask about back-billing. If it turns out under-recorded usage needs to be billed retrospectively, our guide to back-billing rules for businesses explains the limits on how far back a supplier can charge, particularly for a microbusiness.

Our guide to change of tenancy covers the wider process of taking on a new premises’ energy supply, including opening meter readings, which is worth doing alongside checking for any signs of tampering.

Can you be held liable for theft you did not commit?

Suppliers are required to investigate rather than simply bill the current account holder for any discrepancy they find. Being the person who reports suspected tampering, or the new occupier of a site where it happened before you arrived, does not make you responsible for it. That said, cooperating fully, including allowing access for an inspection and providing move-in evidence such as a tenancy start date or opening meter reading, is the most direct way to keep any investigation moving and avoid a dispute dragging on.

If you disagree with how a supplier has handled a theft-related billing issue on your account, our guide to business energy complaints explains how to escalate it, including to the Energy Ombudsman if you are a micro or small business.

How do you report suspected energy theft?

Report it through Stay Energy Safe, or by calling 0800 023 2777. You can report anonymously, and you do not need to be certain theft is taking place: suppliers investigate reports rather than acting on a report alone, so a false alarm causes no harm to anyone involved. This route covers both electricity and gas theft, and both domestic and business premises.

If the issue is specifically with your own account, for example a meter you believe is faulty or has clearly been interfered with, contacting your own supplier directly is usually the fastest route, since they can combine an investigation with fixing your billing.

What is the Energy Theft Referral Assessment Service?

The Energy Theft Referral Assessment Service is a Great Britain-wide service, approved by Ofgem under the Retail Energy Code in 2025, that sits alongside the national Energy Theft Unit. Its role is to take referrals about suspected theft, assess them, and pass the most serious cases on for full investigation, giving suppliers and enforcement bodies a more consistent way to handle theft reports than each supplier working entirely on its own. For a business reporting a concern, this mostly happens in the background; what matters practically is still reporting through your supplier or Stay Energy Safe as set out above.

What happens to your bill if tampering is found?

If an investigation confirms your meter was tampered with, whether by you, a previous occupier, or someone else with access to the site, the supplier will typically:

• replace the meter, often with a smart or check meter that is harder to interfere with
• estimate the energy that was used but not recorded, based on the property, equipment and typical usage
• issue a corrected bill for the estimated shortfall, subject to back-billing limits

This is separate from any criminal investigation, which is handled by the police or other enforcement bodies rather than by your supplier. If you believe an estimate is too high, you can challenge it through your supplier’s complaints process in the same way as any other disputed bill; see our guide to how to read a business energy bill for what a corrected bill should show.

Quick reference: what to do and who to contact

Situation	What to do
You spot signs of tampering on your own meter	Do not touch it; contact your supplier immediately and describe what you found
You suspect a previous occupier tampered with the meter	Contact your new supplier, mention the timeline of when you moved in, and cooperate with an inspection
You suspect theft somewhere that is not your own supply	Report anonymously via Stay Energy Safe or call 0800 023 2777
You disagree with a corrected bill after an investigation	Raise it through your supplier’s complaints process, then the Energy Ombudsman if unresolved and you qualify
You are moving into a new premises	Take an opening meter reading and check the meter’s condition as part of your change of tenancy checks

Energy theft is one of the few issues on a business energy account that is genuinely urgent rather than something to deal with at your convenience, both because of the safety risk and because an unresolved case can leave your billing unclear for longer than it needs to. Reporting a genuine concern promptly, and cooperating with whatever investigation follows, is the fastest way to get it sorted.

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Frequently asked questions