<p>英国燃气公司将支付超过 9000 万英镑的罚款和赔偿，因为它在脆弱客户的家中强制安装了预付费电表。</p>
<p>这家能源供应商由 FTSE 100 公司 Centrica 拥有，已同意向能源监管机构 Ofgem 支付 2000 万英镑，因为监管机构发现其违反了许可证条件，未达到所需标准。</p>
<p>除了罚款外，英国燃气公司还将向受影响者提供赔偿，并为脆弱客户注销 7000 万英镑的能源债务。</p>
<p>此次赔偿是基于对英国燃气公司进行的为期三年的调查。</p>
<p>在《泰晤士报》的一项调查发现，代表英国燃气公司的债务催收员被报告进入家庭并强制安装电表，即使他们知道这些人有 “极端脆弱” 的情况后，Ofgem 开始审查该公司的做法。</p>
<p>这些揭露引发了议员、消费者权益活动家以及政府部长们的愤怒。</p>
<p>如果客户无法与其能源供应商达成还款协议，预付费电表可以作为最后手段强制安装。</p>
<p>然而，英国燃气公司在 2023 年表示，一项内部调查发现至少有 13 起案例，Arvato 的员工在没有适当解释客户脆弱情况的情况下进行了强制安装。</p>
<p>Ofgem 首席执行官 Tim Jarvis 表示：“显然，英国燃气公司在对待大量脆弱客户方面未能达到标准，他们在未获同意的情况下安装了预付费电表，采取措施纠正这一点是正确的。”</p>
<p>“在有令状的情况下安装预付费电表应仅作为最后手段，必须进行严格检查，以确保债务的回收是合法、适度和安全的。”</p>
<p>英国燃气公司表示，将对 2018 年至 2021 年间的客户记录进行审查，并向任何受影响者提供赔偿。</p>
<p>母公司 Centrica 的首席执行官 Chris O’Shea 表示：“发生的事情不应发生，我对受到影响的预付费客户感到抱歉。当我们做错事时，我们会纠正它。”</p>
<p>“当这些问题在 2023 年浮出水面时，我们立即道歉，停止了相关活动，并迅速采取行动改善我们的流程，改变我们与债务客户的互动方式，特别是那些处于脆弱情况的客户。”</p>
<p>Ofgem 随后禁止在高风险家庭中未经客户许可安装预付费电表的做法。</p>
<p>结束燃料贫困联盟协调员 Simon Francis 表示：“Ofgem 调查的结果确实令人震惊。他们确认英国燃气公司早在 2018 年就知道这些失误，并在 2021 年再次受到警告，但仍未采取足够的行动。”</p>
<p>“这意味着该公司明知故犯地强制将预付费电表安装到客户身上，可能包括残疾人士和有幼儿的家庭。”</p>

森特理克

<p>英国燃气公司将支付超过 9000 万英镑的罚款和赔偿，因在弱势客户的家中强制安装预付费电表。这家由 Centrica 拥有的能源供应商将向能源监管机构 Ofgem 支付 2000 万英镑，并注销 7000 万英镑的能源债务。调查显示，债务催收员的行为不当，引发了议员和消费者权益倡导者的愤怒。Ofgem 已禁止在高风险家庭未经同意的情况下安装预付费电表。英国燃气公司对此表示歉意，并承诺改善其流程</p>

<p>British Gas will pay out more than £90m in fines and compensation after it force-fitted prepayment meters in vulnerable customers’ homes.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>英国燃气公司将支付超过 9000 万英镑的罚款和赔偿，因为它在脆弱客户的家中强制安装了预付费电表。</p>
</div><p>The energy supplier, which is owned by FTSE 100 firm Centrica, has agreed to pay £20m to Ofgem after the regulator found it had breached its licence conditions and fallen short of the standards required.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>这家能源供应商由 FTSE 100 公司 Centrica 拥有，已同意向能源监管机构 Ofgem 支付 2000 万英镑，因为监管机构发现其违反了许可证条件，未达到所需标准。</p>
</div><p>In addition to the fine, British Gas will also provide compensation to those affected and write off £70m in energy debt for vulnerable customers.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>除了罚款外，英国燃气公司还将向受影响者提供赔偿，并为脆弱客户注销 7000 万英镑的能源债务。</p>
</div><p>The redress follows a three-year investigation into British Gas by the energy regulator.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>此次赔偿是基于对英国燃气公司进行的为期三年的调查。</p>
</div><p>Ofgem began examining the company’s practices after an investigation by The Times found that debt collectors acting on behalf of British Gas were reported to be entering homes and force-fitting meters even when they knew people had “extreme vulnerabilities”.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>在《泰晤士报》的一项调查发现，代表英国燃气公司的债务催收员被报告进入家庭并强制安装电表，即使他们知道这些人有 “极端脆弱” 的情况后，Ofgem 开始审查该公司的做法。</p>
</div><p>The revelations caused outrage among MPs and consumer rights campaigners, as well as government ministers.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>这些揭露引发了议员、消费者权益活动家以及政府部长们的愤怒。</p>
</div><p>Prepayment meters can be forcibly installed as a last resort if a customer cannot agree on repayment terms with their energy supplier.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>如果客户无法与其能源供应商达成还款协议，预付费电表可以作为最后手段强制安装。</p>
</div><p>However, British Gas said in 2023 that an internal investigation uncovered at least 13 cases where Arvato employees conducted force-fittings without properly explaining how customer vulnerabilities had been considered.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>然而，英国燃气公司在 2023 年表示，一项内部调查发现至少有 13 起案例，Arvato 的员工在没有适当解释客户脆弱情况的情况下进行了强制安装。</p>
</div><p>Tim Jarvis, chief executive of Ofgem, said: “It is clear that British Gas fell short in its treatment of an unacceptable number of vulnerable customers who had a PPM installed without consent, and it’s right that they’ve taken action to put things right.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Ofgem 首席执行官 Tim Jarvis 表示：“显然，英国燃气公司在对待大量脆弱客户方面未能达到标准，他们在未获同意的情况下安装了预付费电表，采取措施纠正这一点是正确的。”</p>
</div><p>“The installation of prepayment meters under warrant should only be a last resort, with rigorous checks to ensure debt is recovered lawfully, proportionately and safely</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>“在有令状的情况下安装预付费电表应仅作为最后手段，必须进行严格检查，以确保债务的回收是合法、适度和安全的。”</p>
</div><p>British Gas said it will conduct a review of customer records between 2018 and 2021 and provide compensation to any of those affected.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>英国燃气公司表示，将对 2018 年至 2021 年间的客户记录进行审查，并向任何受影响者提供赔偿。</p>
</div><p>Chris O’Shea, chief executive of parent company Centrica, said: “What happened should never have happened, and I am sorry to the prepayment customers who were affected. When we get things wrong, we make them right.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>母公司 Centrica 的首席执行官 Chris O’Shea 表示：“发生的事情不应发生，我对受到影响的预付费客户感到抱歉。当我们做错事时，我们会纠正它。”</p>
</div><p>“When these issues came to light in 2023, we apologised, stopped the activity immediately and took rapid action to improve our processes and change how we engage with customers in debt, particularly those in vulnerable situations.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>“当这些问题在 2023 年浮出水面时，我们立即道歉，停止了相关活动，并迅速采取行动改善我们的流程，改变我们与债务客户的互动方式，特别是那些处于脆弱情况的客户。”</p>
</div><p>Ofgem has since banned the practice of installing prepayment meters in high-risk households without a customer’s permission.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Ofgem 随后禁止在高风险家庭中未经客户许可安装预付费电表的做法。</p>
</div><p>Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “The results of the Ofgem investigation are truly shocking. They have confirmed that British Gas knew about these failings as far back as 2018, was warned again in 2021, and still did not take adequate action</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>结束燃料贫困联盟协调员 Simon Francis 表示：“Ofgem 调查的结果确实令人震惊。他们确认英国燃气公司早在 2018 年就知道这些失误，并在 2021 年再次受到警告，但仍未采取足够的行动。”</p>
</div><p>“That means the firm knowingly forced prepayment meters onto customers, potentially including those with disabilities and families with young children.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>“这意味着该公司明知故犯地强制将预付费电表安装到客户身上，可能包括残疾人士和有幼儿的家庭。”</p>
</div>

英国天然气公司将因预付费电表丑闻支付 9000 万英镑