Ofgem had 'wool pulled over their eyes' amid prepayment meter scandal, says Grant Shapps

Grant Shapps criticises Ofgem for"taking at face value" what energy company bosses were telling them and tells energy suppliers to"refocus" efforts onto their customers, after vulnerable individuals were forced to have prepayment meters installed into their homes.Business Secretary Grant Shapps has hit out at Ofgem for listening to energy company bosses over customers, following the forceful installation of prepayment meters.

Mr Shapps accused the energy regulator of having"the wool pulled over their eyes" and told it to toughen up on suppliers after"vulnerable" customers struggling with their energy bills had pay-as-you go gas and electricity meters wrongfully installed in their homes. It follows an investigation by the Times, which showed that a company used by British Gas to pursue debts, Arvato Financial Solutions, wasA whistleblower also told Sky News that British Gas staff have been under pressure toMr Shapps said he was"appalled" by the"abhorrent behaviour" of energy companies and told them to"refocus their efforts on their consumers".

"I'm also concerned the regulator is too easily having the wool pulled over their eyes by taking at face value what energy companies are telling them," he said. "They need to also listen to customers to make sure this treatment of vulnerable consumers doesn't happen again."In response, Ofgem said it shared Mr Shapps'"shock" at the findings of the investigation.to suspend the forced installation of prepayment meters and review their processes for dealing with customers who have fallen into arrears.

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

For wrongfully see illegally?

I think grantshapps needs to look further British Gas via their app were telling me to put my DD at £400+ up from £85, I refused and when my bill landed guess what? £166 for the new DD is all that was needed But worse, they still say they were right & Ombudsman agreed ofgem

Ofgem don't give a fuck a out the public, they only work for the companies

He's had more 'jobs' than Linda Lovelace. ministerofthis secretaryofthat

How much do you want to bet Arvato were incentivized by having the contract directly tied to the number of meters successfully installed? If you pay them per meter and give them targets they are going to do whatever they need to do to meet those targets. Pretty simple math.

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