Hundreds of low-income families are falling into debt because they are unable to pay for energy bills which have not been updated on their pre-payment meter.
Meters need to be reset manually whenever a price increase occurs so as customers always pay the correct amount for usage.However, companies are failing to do this and customers are finding themselves with a debt that they thought they were clearing.
One customer received a bill of nearly £1,000 because his energy company had failed to reset his meter.
Nearly 1 million people pay for their energy by inserting a paper token.If companies fail to update them, poorer families could be forced into seeking debtsolutions through no fault of their own.
Companies who do not backdate price rises are EDF Energy and Scottish and Southern Energy but Powergen, British Gas and Scottish Power make a point of always backdating price rises.
Do I still have to pay my debt?
Energy bills have to be paid even if a customer is punished for a company’s slowness in re-setting their meters.If you are faced with extra debt from your energy supplier, your other bills could suffer.Seek the help of a debt management company who will balance all of your outstanding bills so as you can afford to ‘see light’ at the end of the tunnel when unexpected debt comes thundering through your door.
Follow these seven steps of debt and have a peaceful sleep.
