3. Gas and electricity charges
Gas and electricity suppliers charge in a number of ways. Common payment methods include prepayment meters, quarterly accounts, direct debit and online schemes. Clients have a choice of supplier, although a supplier to whom arrears are owed can object to a transfer in certain circumstances. Ofgem regulates the industry. Suppliers must have codes of practice on the payment of bills and disconnection, including guidance for customers who have difficulty paying. You should obtain copies of the codes of practice of your clients’ suppliers.
Suppliers are required to consider clients ability to pay when recovering debts. Measures to support clients with prepayment meters and people with fuel debt mean that suppliers are expected to:1Condition 27A SLC •offer emergency credit to clients struggling to top up pre-payment meters;
•offer clients ‘friendly-hours credit’ provided overnight, at weekends and on public holidays when their meters have run out or are running low;
•offer extra prepayment credit to clients in vulnerable circumstances to give them time to make alternative arrangements to pay;
•ensure they put clients in debt on realistic and sustainable repayment plans, including making proactive contact with clients and setting repayment rates based on ability to pay.
See CPAG’s Fuel Rights Handbook for more information. It is available free at .