British Gas to stop using contractors to force-fit prepayment meters

British Gas has dropped a firm that broke into customers' homes to force-fit prepayment meters on the energy firm's behalf following an outcry.

A report by the Times found agents acting for British Gas had forced their way into vulnerable people's homes.

A review found there had been "no systemic issues" with prepayment meters (PPMs) fitted under warrant.

However, it added that in a small number of cases, "things have gone wrong".

The anger following the revelations of how people working for a third-party contractor - Arvato Financial Solutions - had behaved led to a temporary ban on all forced energy prepayment fittings.

British Gas said it was "permanently" ending all activity with Arvato and would bring the work in-house.

The ban on force-fitting meters under warrant has now been lifted, but under guidance from energy regulator Ofgem, customers must be given more chance to clear debts and forced meter fittings are banned in homes with residents all aged over 85.

The report for British Gas, which was carried out by independent regulatory compliance consultancy, Promontory Financial Services, found that two customers had been forced onto PPMs incorrectly last year.

In two other cases it also found the contractor had acted in a way which "fell below the standard of conduct expected".

Responding to the report, Chris O'Shea, the chief executive of Centrica, which owns British Gas, said: "I was deeply concerned when I saw the way some of our prepayment customers were treated earlier this year.

"It's not how I want us to do business and I'd like to take this opportunity once again to say how sorry I am and to apologise to anyone involved in cases where our actions fell short of the high standards we set ourselves."

In February, in response to the Times report, Arvato said it was "hugely disappointed" by the conduct and "we deeply regret misconduct by individual employees".