NICK HARVEY MP DEPLORES THE ACTIONS OF THE MAJOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLIERS
January 8, 2007 11:21 AM
Background:
The electricity companies are collecting back charges from customers despite having not recalibrated their token electricity prepayment meters to reflect energy price rises, this threatens up to 1.175 million households with unexpected debt, in addition to an overnight price shock when the meter is eventually recalibrated.
News:
Nick Harvey says: 'I always thought that Christmas time was for giving, not taking but the energy companies clearly feel the latter is the case. Electricity companies are back charging those with token metres to reflect new price rises before recalibrating the meters, and this is having an unwelcome impact on lower income families in North Devon. The unfortunate irony is that those who opt for tokens do so in order to pay as they go to avoid debt - so the energy companies are in affect penalising their most vulnerable consumers. I have signed Early Day Motion 154 calling for this practice to cease immediately. It is bad enough that electricity bills have risen by 60% in the last three years without this additional unwelcome burden.
'I am particularly disappointed that Scottish Power, npower and Powergen, have persisted in this practice rather than following the example of Scottish and Southern Energy and EDF Energy, who have not applied their price rises until their token meters have been recalibrated. Fortunately British Gas recently decided to do the decent thing easing the burden for about 150,000 customers. I now call on the others to follow suit rather than inflict unwanted debt on people during the winter.'
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