Wednesday, September 27, 2023
  • Submit news
  • Contact
  • DMCA
  • Cookie Privacy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Oil Market News
  • Home
  • Marketdaily
  • Price
  • crudenow
  • Companies
  • politics
  • Gas
  • investing
  • Stock
  • OPEChot
  • brend
  • ships
Oil Market News
Home Market

Ofgem ‘asleep at the wheel’ while suppliers fitted prepayment meters

8 months ago
in Market
Ofgem ‘asleep at the wheel’ while suppliers fitted prepayment meters
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Britain’s energy regulator has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” in its monitoring of electricity and gas suppliers found to have been using court warrants to install prepayment meters in customers’ homes.

The behaviour of energy companies has come under fresh scrutiny following allegations on Thursday that debt collection agents acting on behalf of British Gas, the biggest supplier, broke into the homes of vulnerable customers to fit expensive prepayment devices.

It is estimated that more than 4mn customers use prepayment meters. Critics say their use has exacerbated the cost of living crisis and added to the squeeze on vulnerable people. Typically, pre-pay customers pay more for their energy than those who pay by direct debit and they have access to fewer tariffs.

Energy experts on Friday questioned Ofgem’s role in overseeing energy groups, after it twice ranked British Gas — which serves about 7.5mn consumers — top for supporting households in difficulty with their energy bills or deemed vulnerable.

In its first review published in September, the watchdog said British Gas was the only supplier to have had “no significant issues” with its support for customers in payment difficulty.

In its second review into support for vulnerable households, published in November, Ofgem gave British Gas and six rivals the top rating of only “minor weaknesses”.

The regulator on Thursday ordered British Gas to immediately suspend forcibly fitting prepayment meters in customers’ homes following an investigation by The Times newspaper.

It also asked other suppliers to desist from such activities pending probes into the wider market and British Gas, which has apologised for “completely unacceptable” behaviours.

Ofgem rules stipulate that suppliers can neither force-fit a prepayment meter for people in very vulnerable situations nor use warrants on people who would “find the experience very traumatic”.

But experts on Friday pointed out that fuel poverty voice campaigners had voiced concern last summer, citing the sharp rise in the number of court warrants sought by suppliers and a Citizens Advice call in September for a moratorium on installations.

Adam Bell, head of policy at the consultancy Stonehaven and former head of energy strategy at the business department, said the regulator had been “asleep at the wheel”.

“Realistically Ofgem should have started monitoring [prepayment meter installations] at the outset of the [energy price] crisis,” he said.

“What they should have done is notice the numbers creeping up, asked if that would mean anything for the court system — on which getting a warrant for forcible entry relies — and if that meant anything for the quality of decisions that were being made.”

Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, a group of trade unions, charities and local authorities, said Ofgem had taken eight months to act on a problem that had “ramped up” and “had a damaging impact on countless lives”.

Ofgem insisted it always acted “on evidence given to us by the public, whistleblowers, consumer groups and referrals from the independent energy ombudsman”. But it said it lacked “the legal power, remit or finances to set up undercover investigations into frontline installation teams”.

It added that its probes would “examine in detail” the “critical issue” of forced prepayment meter installation.

Caroline Flint, a former Labour minister who is now an adviser to the government on fuel poverty, called for a review into the practice of forcibly fitting prepayment meters.

“I think energy companies have been given the benefit of the doubt on this for too long and now I think it is right to have this moratorium,” she told the BBC on Friday. “It is [also] right to consider whether or not forced installation of meters should happen at all.”

Fuel poverty charities have suggested the government should examine the magistrates courts’ role in issuing warrants to energy companies, after the i newspaper alleged they were sometimes granted in “private back rooms”.



www.ft.com

Latest Oil News

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Diesel/Russia: oil sanctions help tighten supply for industrial fuel

September 26, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Russia dodges G7 price cap sanctions on most of its oil exports

September 25, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Deep divisions over oil and gas industry role challenge UN climate talks

September 24, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Bets on energy transition spark rise in North American pipeline deals

September 23, 2023
Tags: asleepfittedMetersOfgemprepaymentsupplierswheel
Previous Post

Shell: the big bet on natural gas is now paying off

Next Post

EU agrees price caps on Russian oil products

Related Posts

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Diesel/Russia: oil sanctions help tighten supply for industrial fuel

by Oil Market News
September 26, 2023
0

Receive free Lex updatesWe’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Lex news every morning.In February,...

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Russia dodges G7 price cap sanctions on most of its oil exports

by Oil Market News
September 25, 2023
0

Receive free Russian business & finance updatesWe’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Russian business...

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Deep divisions over oil and gas industry role challenge UN climate talks

by Oil Market News
September 24, 2023
0

Deep divisions over how to combat global warming at the next climate summit were on display this week, as efforts...

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Bets on energy transition spark rise in North American pipeline deals

by Oil Market News
September 23, 2023
0

Receive free Energy sector updatesWe’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Energy sector news every...

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Will oil price rally mean even higher air fares?

by Oil Market News
September 22, 2023
0

Receive free Airlines updatesWe’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Airlines news every morning.Airline passengers...

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Russia puts squeeze on oil market with diesel export ban

by Oil Market News
September 21, 2023
0

Receive free Energy sector updatesWe’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Energy sector news every...

Next Post
EU agrees price caps on Russian oil products

EU agrees price caps on Russian oil products

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Trend Oil News

Global stocks pare gains as geopolitical tensions rattle markets By Reuters

Global stocks pare gains as geopolitical tensions rattle markets By Reuters

11 months ago
5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

11 months ago
Stock Market Today Live Updates: Dow, S&P 500 Waver as Investors Weigh Rising

Stock Market Today Live Updates: Dow, S&P 500 Waver as Investors Weigh Rising

1 year ago
Falling oil prices to spur lower taxes for North Dakota drillers

Falling oil prices to spur lower taxes for North Dakota drillers

11 months ago
OPEC+ Will Remain Proactive and Pre-Emptive, Saudi Oil Minister Says – Bloomberg

OPEC+ Will Remain Proactive and Pre-Emptive, Saudi Oil Minister Says – Bloomberg

9 months ago
ADVERTISEMENT
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Diesel/Russia: oil sanctions help tighten supply for industrial fuel

September 26, 2023

Russia dodges G7 price cap sanctions on most of its oil exports

September 25, 2023

Deep divisions over oil and gas industry role challenge UN climate talks

September 24, 2023

Bets on energy transition spark rise in North American pipeline deals

September 23, 2023

Will oil price rally mean even higher air fares?

September 22, 2023

Russia puts squeeze on oil market with diesel export ban

September 21, 2023

Crude Oil

4 Days from Deadline, EU Fails To Agree On Russian Oil Products Price Cap

4 Days from Deadline, EU Fails To Agree On Russian Oil Products Price Cap

February 1, 2023
Oil rises after U.S. fuel stocks draw down; economic concerns loom

Oil prices settle steady on higher U.S. demand, weaker dollar

January 31, 2023
S&P 500 Down 1%; Crude Oil Drops Over 2%

S&P 500 Down 1%; Crude Oil Drops Over 2%

January 30, 2023
Russia Can’t Replace the Energy Market Putin Broke

Russia Can’t Replace the Energy Market Putin Broke

January 29, 2023

Investing

Orbital Sidekick Raises $10M Investment to Monitor Oil and Gas Industry from Space 

Orbital Sidekick Raises $10M Investment to Monitor Oil and Gas Industry from Space 

February 1, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Clean-energy investing poised to top money backing oil and gas after hitting a record

January 31, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

The Cushing® MLP & Infrastructure Total Return Fund Announces Fund Name Change

January 30, 2023
Boeing’s 747, the original jumbo jet, prepares for final send-off By Reuters

Boeing’s 747, the original jumbo jet, prepares for final send-off By Reuters

January 29, 2023

Market

Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Diesel/Russia: oil sanctions help tighten supply for industrial fuel

September 26, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Russia dodges G7 price cap sanctions on most of its oil exports

September 25, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Deep divisions over oil and gas industry role challenge UN climate talks

September 24, 2023
Crude Oil Shielded From Bond and Stock Market Rout

Bets on energy transition spark rise in North American pipeline deals

September 23, 2023

OPEC

US Close- Fed signals more hikes coming, Powell says disinflation process begun, ADP

US Close- Fed signals more hikes coming, Powell says disinflation process begun, ADP

February 1, 2023
‘OPEC does not control the price’: OPEC President | OPEC News

‘OPEC does not control the price’: OPEC President | OPEC News

January 31, 2023
OPEC+ Closely Watches Chinese Factory Data

OPEC+ Closely Watches Chinese Factory Data

January 30, 2023
Week Ahead: FOMC, BOE, ECB, OPEC, NFP and Big Tech Earnings

Week Ahead: FOMC, BOE, ECB, OPEC, NFP and Big Tech Earnings

January 29, 2023
  • Submit news
  • Contact
  • DMCA
  • Cookie Privacy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© 2022 OilMarket.News

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Market
  • Price
  • crude
  • Companies
  • politics
  • Gas
  • investing
  • Stock
  • OPEC
  • brend
  • ships

© 2022 OilMarket.News

wpDiscuz
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.