People are asked to be “sincere and open” about their experience of switching to an energy prepayment meter as part of a review.
The way prepaid meters are operated has come under the spotlight after British Gas agents were revealed to have broken into the homes of vulnerable people to force meters into them.
Now regulator Ofgem wants to hear directly from customers.
Your views – good and bad – can be entered through a Citizens Advice website.
“We need to work hand-in-hand with consumer groups to analyze and act on customer experiences, not just what suppliers are telling us. We need customers to give us open and honest feedback on their experience of migrating to prepaid meters,” said Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer of Ofgem.
“Our rules are clear that installing enforced prepayment meters must be a last resort when all other options have been exhausted. We will not hesitate to take strict enforcement action if we find that suppliers have not followed the rules.”
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While some households are opting for a prepayment meter – as it allows people to pay as they drive – others have been forced to have a meter when they default on their bills, while some have a meter from a previous tenant or owner inherit.
The cost per unit of energy is higher than direct debit due to the associated costs for suppliers. There are around four million households with prepayment meters in the UK.
After break-ins to forcibly install meters were revealed to be taking place, Ofgem asked suppliers to enact a six-week pause on all forced installations until the end of March.
The regulator launched its investigation, saying all suppliers who discover wrongdoing in their own business should compensate affected customers without waiting for the results of the investigation.
Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Forcibly installing prepayment meters can have devastating consequences.
“We work with Ofgem to ensure people’s experiences are heard. By sharing their experiences, people can help uncover wrongdoing and help the regulator develop new safeguards to ensure it never happens again.”
Earlier this week Age UK called for an amnesty for prepayment meters that would allow people to have them removed from their homes.
But Energy UK, which represents the company, claims an amnesty could mean other households would foot the bill.
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