Craig Sanderson

On 12th May, we were alerted to the latest report by Duncan McLennan for the David Hume Institute - ‘Urgent disruption’ in housing policy required to secure Scotland’s economic future.

This was followed the next day by Housing sector urges energy companies to ramp up meter replacements ahead of RTS switch-off.”

Both pieces refer to alleged ‘emergencies’ which have in fact materialised in clear view over time, but with inadequately appropriate corrective actions. 

In other words, as Professor McLennan argues, a housing emergency you could see coming is not really an emergency - it’s a crisis that should have been managed.

Ditto the situation regarding RTS meters, which could be argued to be even more shameful and unforgivable.

This problem has been discussed in the media for months, if not years. 

Many of those still affected are vulnerable people with little or no understanding of how their energy systems work. 

Writing to them, urging them to check their meters, is a completely inadequate response.

Energy suppliers may not know who has an RTS meter, but they do know what tariff those meters are managing. 

That information could have been used to institute a physical survey of potentially affected properties. 

In the absence of a state-owned energy industry, the blame for this lies squarely with Ofgem. 

As in so many other areas, it has failed miserably in its duty to protect consumers from the actions of incompetent - and in some cases, negligently incompetent  - energy companies operating in a broken market.

Having failed to regulate the meter replacement programme adequately, or even at all up to this point, it could at least have a wee word with its pal Ofcom to delay the switch-off of the radio system till it gets its own house in order.

• Craig Sanderson is a former Link chief executive and member of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission