Ofgem has initiated a broad, unbiased, and comprehensive evaluation of British Gas following the disclosure of its subcontractors’ unlawful entry into households to install prepayment meters.
The examination of British Gas will scrutinize whether the company fulfilled all of its responsibilities under its permit to aid residential customers with debt before setting up a prepayment meter or severing their connection.
Additionally, it will inspect whether British Gas and its workforce evaluated whether the installation of a prepayment meter would cause significant psychological harm to a customer with mental health concerns, and exacerbate their symptoms.
Furthermore, the investigation will explore if the British Gas subcontractors responsible for installing meters had the appropriate expertise, including the capability to evaluate a customer’s psychological well-being and cognitive capacity, and were deemed “fit and proper” to enter consumers’ households.
In response, a British Gas representative declared that the accusations surrounding its third-party contractor, Arvato, were unacceptable, and they had immediately halted their warrant operations.
