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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned the alleged actions of debt collectors working for British Gas after media reports they broke into customers' homes.
- The report alleges debt collectors sought warrants to break into the homes of customers who were behind on their gas bill
- The average UK household gas bill has doubled in the past year alone
- The British energy regulator has launched an investigation into the allegations
British media reported that debt collectors had obtained court warrants to enter the homes of people who had fallen behind on their energy bills to install prepay gas meters.
In doing so, customers who were unable to pay for their gas in advance would be cut off, leaving them without heating.
The practice allowed the energy provider to side-step rules that limit the circumstances in which they can cut off supplies to customers who are in debt.
Mr Sunak's spokesperson called the report "deeply shocking and concerning."
"Vulnerable families should not be treated so poorly," they said.
Energy Minister Graham Stuart summoned British Gas representatives for a meeting on Thursday, the government said.
The Times said an undercover reporter working for debt collection agency Arvato Financial Solutions accompanied agents to enter homes and "force fit" the meters.
According to the report, in the first 11 months of 2022, energy firms applied for 345,000 warrants to force entry into UK homes.
The newspaper said the customers included a single father with three young children, a mother with a 4-week-old baby, a woman with mental health problems and a woman with a disabled daughter.
British Gas' parent company, Centrica PLC, said it had halted the "unacceptable" practice.
Centrica CEO Chris O'Shea said that "protecting vulnerable customers is an absolute priority, and we have clear processes and policies to ensure we manage customer debt carefully and safely."
"The allegations around our third-party contractor Arvato are unacceptable and we immediately suspended their warrant activity," he said.
Energy prices in Britain have skyrocketed this winter and despite a government support package some people are still unable to afford to heat their homes.
A typical household bill is now 2,500 pounds ($4,313) a year with government help, more than double what it was last winter.
Mr O'Shea said government and industry needed to address the problem of high energy bills and seek a long-term solution as it was not responsible for customers just to rack up debt.
"We need to strike a balance between managing spiralling bad debt and being aware that there are those who refuse to pay and those who cannot pay," he said.
"This is not something that British Gas can solve on its own."
About 1.2 million of British Gas' 7.5 million customers use prepayment meters, O'Shea said. About 20,000 customers have in the past year had meters installed under warrant, which he said was in line with the industry rate.
Britain's energy regulator, Ofgem, said it had launched an investigation, describing the reports as "extremely serious allegations."
Arvato Financial Solutions said it "acts compliantly at all times in accordance with the regulatory requirements in the areas in which we are operationally active".
"We treat customers with whom we come into contact with respect and assess their individual needs at the time of our visit," the company said in a statement.
"If there has been any verbal or any other type of misconduct by individual employees, we deeply regret it."
AP/ Reuters