Energy firms accused of 'dirty tricks'

16/09/2008

Britain's energy firms continue to use "dirty tricks" to inflate customer bills, it has been claimed.

The comments, reported by the Times newspaper, come in the wake of the government's new £910 million autumn energy plan, details of which were unveiled by the prime minister last week.

New policies contained in the plan include a 50 per cent discount for the installation of cavity wall insulation - a process which improves energy efficiency and therefore lowers bills.

However, Mark Todd at energyhelpline.com said that the costs of the policies did not represent good value for money.

"It would have been better for customers if the extra cash was passed directly on to customers who need it," he told the newspaper.

A watchdog also said that many customers are being overcharged when they submit meter readings, having previously unknowingly underpaid on estimated bills.

Figures from Energywatch suggest that this excessive payment can reach £100 per household.

"They simply pay what they are told they owe," the organisation said.

"It would take a mathematician to work out how a bill is calculated…most people don't scrutinise their unit rates or understand how things are calculated."

Tags; Housing Debt and Bills, Young Family Finances,

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