As an energy customer its important that you know your rights, particularly if you encounter issues. Over the years, energy companies have been fined many millions of pounds because they did not stick to their terms of trading so this section looks to provide knowledge to help you.
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Under their licencing conditions (27.5 to 27.8), energy companies can only recover what you can afford to pay, so completing a budgeting plan from a debt charity, will inform them what you can afford to pay.
Several energy providers also have hardship funds, used to offset debts, they SHOULD inform you of these if they will help with your situation. Click here for a list of hardship funds
Installing prepayment meters (PPM)
Several energy companies can switch customers to a PPM without seeking household permission but as a condition of their licence have to:
“suppliers must install prepayment meters to pay back debt in a fair and responsible way. Installation of prepayment meters for this reason should only be done as a last resort. ”
Under Ofgem and Energy UK codes of conduct energy companies should not install a PPM if:
The customer lives more than two miles from a top-up point and does not have a car
They are vulnerable and would not understand how to reliably use a PPM
Have medical equipment that requires a constant energy supply
The PPM is situated in an inaccessible position meaning the customer could not operate the meter
• The PPM would have to be situated outside, or in a room to which the household does not have continuous access
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