Energy bills often 'inaccurate'

[Legal Beagles]

New consumer watchdog Consumer Focus warns customers they could be paying higher prices for gas and electricity they used before the price rises kicked in.

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Re: Energy bills often 'inaccurate'

Energy bills often 'inaccurate'


Energy firms have come under fire recently for steep price rises


Energy customers could be paying higher prices for gas and electricity used months earlier, the new watchdog Consumer Focus has warned.
The six biggest energy suppliers have raised gas and electricity prices by up to 34% since the summer.
But 16 million people could be charged a higher rate for energy used before the increase because of inaccurate estimated bills, says the group.
The Energy Retail Association denies the industry is profiteering.
The organisation, which began earlier this month, says about a third of customers will get estimated bills this quarter.
"Based on that, consumers could be paying higher prices for gas or electricity used in the past, which for companies makes a very nice windfall," Robert Hammond, of Consumer Focus told the BBC.
The problem arises when the metre is finally read and a catch-up bill arrives. The Energy Retail Association said the industry was not profiteering from the practice but did warn customers not to rely on estimated bills. The only way to solve the problem was for the meter to be read on the day the price takes effect, it said.