Latest news with #energycustomers
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'My credit score has been destroyed by fake energy debt'
A woman who had a prepayment meter forcibly installed in her home over a debt she did not owe says her credit score is still ruined years Asante – a church pastor – spent years battling with Scottish Power over a non-existent debt before the company apologised and wiped the remaining balance last Favour says her credit score is still ruined due to the false debt and she remains unable to get a credit card or take out a phone Power said it had removed the credit markers against Favour's record last year but she is concerned her score could take years to recover. The energy firm said: "We've shared with credit reference agencies that she has a prepayment meter with a zero balance, which should have a positive impact on her credit score."The error began when Scottish Power wrongly believed she owed them more than £2,000, which eventually led to the firm forcibly installing a prepayment meter into her Glasgow home in late 2022, while she was out of the country visiting was later discovered that the false debt had arisen because Scottish Power had wrongly opened and closed multiple accounts in her name. The company has since recognised the mistakes, apologised and wiped the Favour said she remains unable to take out a loan, phone contract or get a credit card because of the default on her account. It comes as thousands of energy customers are set to receive payouts, and could see debts written off, in response to widespread controversy over the force-fitting of prepayment meters into people's announcement last month followed a review by the energy regulator Ofgem, and could see eligible customers receiving payments starting at £40 and rising up to £1, years, energy companies were allowed to force-fit prepayment meters into people's homes when bills went unpaid but a scandal erupted during the energy cost crisis of 2022 when suppliers were found to have forced the meters on vulnerable intense criticism, Ofgem introduced a moratorium on forced installations in 2023 but allowed companies to restart the practice less than a year later – albeit with stricter rules in place to protect vulnerable customers who have been affected by the practice of force-fitting prepayment meters over the years have told BBC Scotland News that the compensation payments do not compare with how heavily their lives were impacted. Favour told the BBC: "It's really affected me emotionally, financially, and it's also ruined my credit score because a bill that wasn't mine was forced into my name and given to the credit agencies."For the last six years I have been on the list for not getting any credit from anywhere due to that."My credit score has been ruined, I can't apply for anything at the moment. What I've been through compared with £1,000 is not enough."Favour said she no longer trusts energy companies after the ordeal. 'No compassion' The review from Ofgem into this practice had an assessment period of 1 January 2022 to 31 January 2023, meaning Favour could be eligible for compensation. But many other customers may not has epilepsy and asthma and says that a long-running disagreement with her energy company at the time had a severe impact on her 34-year-old nursing student told the BBC she was so distressed by having a prepayment meter forcibly installed into her home that she had multiple seizures which resulted in who lived in a one-bedroom council flat in Fife at the time, says her then-energy supplier Npower increased her monthly bills from £60 a month in 2014 to about £200 - and said she had a debt of about £1, disputed this which led to a row that would continue for another three claims that a wiring issue with her storage heating meant that it was turning on when it shouldn't have been, including when she was at work. When she called Npower to ask them to assess the issue the company was "really forceful and harassing" and "threatening with bailiffs"."They had no compassion or consideration that there was clearly a huge issue for a one-bedroom flat," she said several appointments were made for the firm to visit and investigate an issue with the heating, but nobody showed up. 'It was torture' Then, in 2017, she returned home from work to find that her flat had been broken into and a prepayment meter installed."They couldn't attend to check my meter but they could attend to force entry into my house," she said."I was having a lot of seizures at the time because of the stress. It really freaked me out and made me feel so unsafe."Energy firm has since acquired Npower and Rebekah says that her debt was finally written off in December 2024 after she applied for a winter heating scheme for vulnerable she believes that even if she were to receive compensation, it would not be enough."It was a constant battle," she said."I had to miss work countless times due to the seizures. I'd end up with horrific injuries."And yes, my debt has now been wiped off and I'm grateful for that, but the stress of it was torture."An Next spokesperson said: "While this case predates our acquisition of Npower and Rebekah was not an customer at the time, we are pleased that we have since been able to offer direct support and resolve the issue for her." Organisations such as Citizens Advice Scotland have long-opposed the practice of forced installations even prior to it catching headlines in 2022, and raised particular concerns around safeguards in place for vulnerable a 62-year-old cleaner from Hamilton, told the BBC she remains affected to this day by having a prepayment meter forced into her home in 2015."I was a single mother, working-part time on minimum wage, and came in from work one day right before Christmas to see an envelope with new keys in it," she said. "They'd broken in and put a prepayment meter in."Susan said she had fallen into debt of about £3,500 with energy provider EDF after struggling with the death of her father alongside having a disability and mental health issues."I know it was my fault for racking up the debt and I buried my head in the sand, but they never gave me the option to pay it off in instalments at all and I didn't know they'd break in when I wasn't there," she said."It was so upsetting because I couldn't talk to anybody about it and I was embarrassed about the debt. I didn't want my family to know."Susan thinks there are not enough protections in place to support vulnerable customers who find themselves in debt, and says she would have agreed to a repayment plan if she had been made aware it was an said: "If they'd have told me they were coming, I would have arranged to take time off work so that at least there wouldn't be people in my house when I wasn't there."I'm not vulnerable now like I was then, I am doing much better, but there were not measures in place to protect vulnerable people."It was just awful. They could see that a kid lived here, that it was Christmas. What a time of year to do that to somebody."Susan said because prepayment meters are generally more expensive than other payment methods, her bills are a "fortune" and she is still paying off the debt to this has been approached for comment. Distressing cases As of 2024, Ofgem has introduced rules which means companies cannot force-fit meters if an occupant of the house is over 75 with no other support, is under two years old, needs energy for health reasons, or suffers from a chronic or terminal Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, which represents energy firms, said suppliers had been working closely with Ofgem to meet the regulator's requirements, but said there were instances where forced fittings were Advice Scotland director of impact David Hilferty said the compensation scheme is welcome said: "We have always opposed forced installations as they take away people's choice, pushing them to pay money upfront which they often can't afford."Our network has seen many distressing cases over the years of people who have been forced to disconnect their heating supply or go into debt as a result of this, so it's right that they should be compensated."What's important now is that suppliers deliver this compensation quickly and do the right thing for those who have experienced unnecessary harm."
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Energy meter update as customers say they can't get appointments to replace them before switch off
FRUSTRATED energy customers claim they can't secure appointments to replace outdated electricity meters which stop working from next month. The meters, powered by the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), are set to become obsolete as the system is switched off in phases from June 30. Households still relying on these old devices are being urged to upgrade to smart meters to avoid losing power or being stuck paying extortionate rates. The RTS system, which broadcasts a signal alongside BBC Radio 4's long-wave channel, currently controls the switching of electricity rates at different times of the day. Some meters even use it to automatically manage heating and hot water systems. But as the RTS signal is scrapped, these meters will no longer function properly, leaving families in limbo. This means that starting from June, these meters could be left jammed on peak time electricity rates depending on when the RTS signal dies. The official shutdown of RTS is set to begin on June 30, but Ofgem told The Sun that the switch-off will happen in phases, meaning some meters might keep working until September, according to insiders. Despite the looming deadline, countless customers are blasting energy firms for failing to provide appointments to replace their outdated meters before June 30. A ScottishPower customer highlighted the difficulty in arranging a meter change for a late mother's property. She said on X (formerly Twitter): "I need you to change the RTS meter in my late mother's property prior to selling it. "This is not proving easy and I have been fobbed off on several occasions. Meanwhile the deadline is near..." Another ScottishPower customer reported being offered a smart meter appointment in August, raising concerns about a month without power. I visited a 'smart cottage' that tracks my phone to warm up & switch lights before I get home - and I'm obsessed She said: "Are you for real? I've just managed to make my appointment for a smart meter and it's not until the August 4? "Do I actually have to spend over a month without power? Absolutely pathetic." Similar issues are being reported with other energy providers. One EDF Energy customer said: "Getting very frustrated, we've been trying to get an appointment for a smart meter to be installed for my elderly mother. "Keep being told there is no availability to do this, what happens come June 30 and there is still no availability, will you switch off her heating and hot water?" Another EDF customer claimed the company refused to offer an appointment to change their RTS meter, potentially leaving them without electricity after June. Meanwhile, OVO Energy customers are also experiencing difficulties, with one reporting a three-month wait for an appointment that was ultimately cancelled just 15 minutes beforehand. She said: "Three month wait to get an appointment for change out of RTS meter. "Time booked in, burnt the entire day being available and cancelled 15 minutes before." Falkirk Councillor Clair Mackie-Brown, who has been pushing for her constituents to get their outdated meters replaced quickly, has criticised Ofgem for poor communication, saying it has caused "panic" among ScottishPower customers due to confusing messages. She told The Sun that hundreds of customers have contacted her, saying they've been given appointments after the June 30 deadline. They're being reassured that "everything will be fine," even though Ofgem has warned otherwise. Councillor Mackie-Brown called the situation a "disgrace," highlighting that 136,000 RTS meters are still in use across Scotland, many of which provide power to fuel poor households in areas like Falkirk. Ofgem has reiterated that the switch off will still take place from June 30. However, the regulator told The Sun that the first phase of the shutdown will target areas or meter groups where enough meters have already been replaced. This is to ensure that areas with a high number of still-active RTS meters won't be affected right away. Despite this it has still not confirmed which regions will be switched off first. A spokesperson added: "The RTS upgrade programme is an urgent consumer welfare issue and Ofgem is determined to explore every avenue to ensure that customers are protected when this ageing 40-year-old technology is phased out. "Ofgem has also demanded action plans from every supplier, which we are scrutinising on an ongoing basis to ensure that robust contingencies are in place to protect any customers who remain on RTS meters after the phased switch-off process begins." Scottish Power told The Sun that it is committed to provide every affected customer with an appointment as soon as possible. A spokesperson said: "We continue to encourage the remaining 20% of our RTS customers to let us schedule appointments to ensure no loss of service and we strongly encourage them to book an appointment as soon as they receive an offer to avoid any inconvenience as delaying may result in limited availability or longer wait times. "We would like to reassure all our customers that we are committed to providing them with an appointment to switch over their RTS meter and that whilst the switch off begins from June 30 it will be done in phases out to the end of September." EDF and Ovo were contacted for comment. How do I know if I have an RTS electricity meter? YOU'LL be able to tell if you have a meter that relies on the RTS quite easily. The oldest RTS-powered meters have a switch box labelled "Radio Teleswitch" located next to the physical electricity meter. Others may have the RTS switch box included within the electricity meter as a single box on the wall. If you're unsure about the type of electricity meter in your home - call your supplier as they'll usually have this information on hand. RTS is also sometimes called dynamically teleswitched (DTS). What's the alternative to RTS? Smart meters offer the same features as RTS in that they can record the different prices at different times of day offered by Economy 7 tariffs. They work using a digital signal and can also show your energy usage in real time, something many users find useful for reducing it and saving money. Smart meters are being rolled out by suppliers across the country and around 36million households have one, though they are not without issues. Around one in ten are thought to be "dumb" according to recent data from Ofgem. Issues include a broken display and trouble connecting to the network in some areas, while many first-generation smart meters have outdated technology, though this is unlikely to be an issue with ones fitted now. Suppliers should make efforts to fix smart meters that are not working, but you may have to make meter readings in the meantime to ensure accurate bills. Monitors—the part of the smart meter that shows readings and usage—less than 12 months old should be replaced or fixed for free. You can ask your supplier for a traditional meter instead, but as smart meters are replacing them, they are not obligated to give you one. What is a smart meter? SMART meters are gas and electricity meters that can digitally send readings to your energy supplier. They show you how much energy you are using in pounds and pence, so can be used to help reduce your energy bill. Unlike traditional meters, which simply register a running total of energy used, smart meters can record half-hourly price and consumption data and provide automatic meter readings to your energy supplier. Most homes have two meters, one for gas and one for electricity – both will be replaced with smart meters. You will also be offered an in-home display to show you the cost and amount of energy you are using at any given time It will update every 30 minutes for gas and in near real-time for electricity. Can I keep my RTS tariff? Suppliers have been told by Ofgem that they must take reasonable steps to ensure they are on a like-for-like tariff after moving to a smart meter. In some cases where this isn't possible, they must work with the customer to agree an appropriate tariff. There may be more smart meter-only tariffs available to some customers that could save them money. If you haven't been contacted by your supplier already, you don't need to wait for a letter asking you to switch, you can contact them directly.
