Energy companies in the UK have been asked by the industry regulator Ofgem to stop the practice of forcefully exchanging regular energy meters with prepaid ones.
The directive came after the Times found that agents working for Arvato-Financial Solutions, working on behalf of British Gas, had forced their way into the home of a single father of three to install a prepaid meter.
The prepaid meters require the customer to pay their energy bill in advance and they are generally on a more expensive rate.
Due to the soaring cost-of-living crisis in the country, many homes in the UK had been willingly converting their meters to prepaid ones in order to track their usage and not face hefty bills. In cases where the customers are unable to afford to pay the bill, energy firms either cut the energy supply or fit prepaid meters.
In a press release, Ofgem said: “These are extremely serious allegations from The Times. We are launching an urgent investigation into British Gas and we won’t hesitate to take firm enforcement action. It is unacceptable for any supplier to impose forced installations on vulnerable customers struggling to pay their bills before all other options have been exhausted and without carrying out thorough checks to ensure it is safe and practicable to do so.”
The energy watchdog says they have launched a major market-wide review, investigating the rapid growth in prepaid meter installations.
“We are clear that suppliers must work hard to look after their customers at this time, especially those who are vulnerable. The energy crisis is no excuse for unacceptable behaviour towards any customer, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances,” the statement read.
