Storage Heaters Not Charging Overnight? Here's Why and How to Fix It
If your storage heaters have been cold since late June or early July 2026, you have almost certainly been affected by the Radio Teleswitch shutdown. This is not a fault with your heaters, your electricity supply or your meter. The national radio signal that controlled when your heating switched on overnight was permanently turned off on 30 June 2026 — and without a replacement control, your heaters will remain cold.
This guide is for residents, building managers and property owners who have discovered the problem and want a clear explanation of what happened and how to get it fixed quickly.
Quick answer: Your heaters are not broken. The radio teleswitch that switched them on overnight stopped working when the national signal was turned off on 30 June 2026. An electrician can fit a programmable time clock in 1–2 hours (£150–£300) and your heating works again that same day. If you rent, report it to your landlord — the repair is their responsibility.
What You Are Experiencing
Your storage heaters used to charge automatically overnight. You would hear them click on late in the evening, they would warm up through the night, and by morning they were full of heat ready to release through the day. You never had to think about it — it just happened.
Now, nothing happens. The heaters stay cold. No click, no warmth, no charging. They are not broken — they simply are not receiving power during the overnight period because the switch that used to turn them on no longer works.
What Went Wrong
The radio signal that told your heating when to switch on was turned off on 30 June 2026
Your building has a device called a teleswitch (or radio teleswitch) that controlled when your off-peak electricity circuit switched on and off. This device received a radio signal from a BBC transmitter that told it when to activate. On 30 June 2026, that radio signal was permanently turned off.
Without the signal, the teleswitch cannot switch your off-peak circuit on. Your storage heaters are connected to the off-peak circuit. No switching means no power to the heaters overnight. No power means no heat stored for the next day.
This affects thousands of properties across the UK — it is not unique to your building, your street or your area. Every property that still relied on a teleswitch for off-peak switching has been affected simultaneously.
Is It Definitely the Teleswitch?
If your storage heaters stopped working around 30 June to 1 July 2026, the teleswitch shutdown is almost certainly the cause. However, you can confirm by checking for these signs:
Signs it is the teleswitch:
- All storage heaters in the property stopped at the same time
- The heaters themselves are not faulty (they may still work if manually powered)
- Your electricity supply is otherwise normal (lights, sockets all working)
- You have a small box near your electricity meter labelled "Radio Teleswitch" or similar
- Your electricity tariff is Economy 7 or Economy 10
- Other properties in your building or neighbourhood have the same problem
- Only one heater affected (more likely a faulty heater or individual thermostat)
- Problem started before 30 June 2026 (unrelated fault)
- Your electricity supply has also been affected (possible supply issue)
- You do not have a teleswitch or off-peak tariff
The Fix
The solution is to replace the old teleswitch with a programmable time clock. This is a device that does the same job — switching your off-peak circuit on and off at set times — but it works independently using its own internal clock rather than relying on an external radio signal.
What a Time Clock Does
With a time clock fitted, heaters charge overnight on the cheap rate and release heat through the day
A time clock is programmed with your off-peak times (for example, midnight to 7:00 AM for Economy 7). At midnight, it switches on the off-peak circuit. Your storage heaters start charging. At 7:00 AM, it switches the circuit off. Your heaters stop charging and start releasing heat.
It does exactly what the teleswitch used to do — just without needing a radio signal to tell it when.
How Long Does Installation Take?
For an individual property, the installation typically takes 1 to 2 hours. A qualified electrician removes the old teleswitch, installs the time clock, programmes it with your off-peak times, and tests that your heaters charge correctly.
For communal systems in blocks of flats, the work may take half a day but fixes the entire building in one visit.
How Much Does It Cost?
- Individual flat: £150 to £300
- Communal system (whole block): £300 to £800
Who Pays?
If you rent: Your landlord is responsible for maintaining the heating system in working order. Contact your landlord or property manager and ask them to arrange the replacement. This is their obligation, not yours.
If you are a leaseholder in a managed block: Check your lease and service charge arrangements. The communal electrical installation is typically the freeholder's or management company's responsibility.
If you own your property: You are responsible for arranging and paying for the replacement yourself. Contact a qualified electrician — preferably one experienced with teleswitch replacements.
What to Do Right Now
If You Rent (Council, Housing Association or Private)
1. Report the problem to your landlord, housing association or council repairs team. Explain that your storage heaters have stopped working since the teleswitch shutdown on 30 June 2026 and you need a time clock replacement.
2. Be specific — say "teleswitch replacement needed" rather than just "heating not working." This helps them diagnose the issue immediately without sending someone to inspect first.
3. Follow up if you do not hear back within a few days. This is a heating failure and should be treated as an urgent repair, not routine maintenance.
4. Document the request — keep a record of when you reported it and any response. This is important if the issue is not resolved promptly.
If You Own Your Property
1. Contact a qualified electrician — look for NICEIC or NAPIT registered electricians in your area. Ask specifically about teleswitch replacement experience.
2. Confirm your tariff times — contact your electricity supplier and ask for your exact off-peak hours. The electrician needs this information to programme the time clock correctly.
3. Book the work — most electricians can complete this within a week of booking. Some offer same-day or next-day service for urgent cases.
If You Manage a Building
1. Identify all affected properties in your building or portfolio. Any property with a teleswitch controlling storage heaters is affected.
2. Communicate with residents — explain what has happened and that you are arranging a fix.
3. Appoint a qualified contractor — for multiple properties, a bulk programme is more efficient and cost-effective than individual callouts.
4. Prioritise vulnerable residents — elderly and health-compromised residents should be first in the queue.
Temporary Measures While Waiting
While you wait for the time clock installation:
Portable electric heaters can provide temporary warmth. Use them safely — keep away from curtains and furniture, do not leave unattended, and do not overload sockets. Be aware that portable heaters on the standard tariff rate will increase your electricity costs.
Extra layers and blankets are the simplest interim measure. Close curtains to retain heat, use draught excluders, and keep internal doors closed to concentrate warmth in the rooms you use most.
Check for hardship support — if you are elderly, disabled or on a low income, contact your local council or energy supplier about emergency heating support. Some suppliers have hardship funds for customers affected by the teleswitch shutdown.
Do NOT attempt to bypass the teleswitch yourself. This is electrical work that must be done by a qualified electrician. Tampering with electrical installations is dangerous and could result in electrocution, fire, or damage to your electrical system.
Getting It Fixed in Manchester
Manchester Compliance is carrying out teleswitch replacements across Greater Manchester — for individual homeowners, private tenants (via their landlords), housing associations and local authority properties.
Call 0161 706 1360 for a same-week appointment. We carry out the complete replacement in one visit: remove the old teleswitch, install the time clock, programme it, test your heaters, and issue certification. Your heating will be working again that same day.
Email: hello@manchestercompliance.co.uk
Service area: Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale and all surrounding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my storage heaters suddenly cold?
The national Radio Teleswitch signal that switched your heaters on overnight was permanently turned off on 30 June 2026. Your heaters are fine — they are just not receiving power during the off-peak window any more.
Whose job is it to fix this?
If you rent (council, housing association or private), your landlord must fix it — heating repairs are their legal responsibility. If you own your home, you arrange it yourself with a qualified electrician. If you are a leaseholder in a managed block with communal switching, it is usually the management company's responsibility.
Can I fix or bypass the teleswitch myself?
No. It sits on or near the meter board, and tampering with it risks electric shock, fire, and problems with your electricity supplier. The safe fix — a programmable time clock — must be fitted by a qualified electrician, and only takes 1 to 2 hours.
Will my electricity bills go up because of this?
Not once it is fixed properly. A correctly programmed time clock keeps your heaters charging in the cheap off-peak window, exactly as before. What does cost more is relying on plug-in portable heaters at the peak daytime rate while you wait — another reason to get the replacement booked quickly.
Do I need new storage heaters or a new meter?
Almost never. The existing heaters work as soon as power is restored to the off-peak circuit. The meter usually stays too — though if your old meter has the teleswitch built in, your energy supplier will need to exchange it, which your electrician will tell you after a quick look.
Is this the same problem everyone with Economy 7 is having?
Yes — this is a national issue affecting every property that still relied on a radio teleswitch, including thousands across Greater Manchester, especially sheltered housing and ex-NORWEB installations from the 1980s and 90s. You are not being singled out, but the fix does need arranging property by property.