North Dorset housing chiefs hit out over pre-pay meters (From Bournemouth Echo)

North Dorset housing chiefs hit out over pre-pay meters

1:18pm Saturday 28th November 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(2)

SOCIAL housing chiefs in North Dorset have hit out against utility firms who “shamelessly rip off” tenants with pre-pay meters.

Signpost Housing bosses have taken their case to the House of Commons in a bid to make government ministers outlaw higher tariffs for customers dependent on coin-operated and key meters.

Wayne Morris, the chief executive of the Blandford-based landlord, welcomed a parliamentary bill to stop energy firms from charging more for power delivered through meters.

“The energy companies have shamelessly ripped off their poorest customers over many years and at last this group of MPs is taking a stand by proposing a bill which would outlaw this blatant discrimination between different customer types,” said Mr Morris.

Signpost’s financial inclusion officer, Carla Santagostino, recently met up with energy minister David Kidney at the House of Commons to press the social landlord’s case.

Scottish and Southern Energy supplies most of the homes in Dorset with gas and electricity.

A spokesperson for the firm said charges for electricity had been “equalised” for many years, adding that tariffs for gas bought from meters would be reduced this winter.

“We are offering people a real difference at the time when they need it most – during the winter months when they buy most of their gas,” the spokesperson said.

Options to bring the charges in line with direct debit customers on a permanent basis would be kept under review, she added.

“It simply costs more to supply customers with meters. There is the cost of servicing the meters, supplying coins, and energy keys, and the whole infrastructure behind them,” she said.

Many of those using pre-pay metres were owners of second and holiday homes, and not just those considered “vulnerable” or suffering from fuel poverty.