All energy suppliers in the UK have agreed to halt the forced installation of prepayment meters for vulnerable customers, following pressure from a series of exposes about the practice.
The announcement on Friday came days after a judge effectively banned magistrates in England and Wales from issuing the warrants to forcibly install prepayment meters. The move followed a report that debt agents at Arvato Financial Solutions working for British Gas were ignoring signs that people were vulnerable and fitting prepayment meters under court warrant regardless.
One British Gas engineer based in the north of England spoke to the Guardian under the condition of anonymity about his life in a stab vest installing meters while rehearsing his escape route. This is his story.
‘It was a tough job, but it’s become even harder’
“When the locksmith opened the door to the flat, three blokes appeared from each side and threatened to smash my head in with a baseball bat. We sort of sensed someone was at home, but no one had answered. They said they were going to follow us home, break into our houses. They finally calmed down when we mentioned the police.
“That was last year. I’ve been with British Gas for more than a decade as an engineer and done countless ‘warrant runs’ – days spent fitting meters for people who don’t want them. It’s never been a nice job, but people have become more aggressive recently, and they don’t realise you have the power to enter their homes. Installing smart meters hasn’t helped – it has increased the time you’re inside their property.
I’ve questioned whether a customer is too vulnerable to have a prepay meter
“Before you turn up, a warrant officer, employed by a debt agency, will go on a first visit to speak to the customer and try to sort out payment. Each morning, I’ll get a list of four or five jobs and go with the warrant officer to the property. The officer used to go down to the court to get the warrant, but now they’re processed en masse down in Portsmouth.
“In the past, I’ve questioned whether a customer is too vulnerable to have a prepay meter – I’ve seen walking aids and questioned it to the warrant officer. They say: ‘Well, British Gas have got a list of all the vulnerabilities and they’ve signed it off, so it’s good to go.’ It doesn’t make sense. Also, people have recently been getting warrants for just £100 of debt. That just seems mad, you might’ve just missed one payment.
“But then again, a colleague was on a job years ago where a woman had racked up £30,000 of debt but hadn’t been put on prepay because she was down as disabled. She was spotted dancing on social media, so they installed a meter and she kicked off. The police had to be called.
“When we arrive, the officer will shout through the door who they are and rattle the lock if no one answers. Often people kick off at that point or the locksmith will step in.
View image in fullscreenThe British Gas engineer says they would always park the van the right way to get out on a one-way street. Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/Rex/Shutterstock
“If no one is home, the warrant officer will normally stand at the door in case someone comes back, but they can’t protect you, they’re often older men or women. That said, it might make things worse if they were built like bouncers.
“There are precautions you can take. You have to wear a stab vest at all times, even when you’re sweating in your van. But of course, it can really annoy people when you turn up to their door with a stab vest on.
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Every job you do, you make a note in your head – how am I going to get away
“Every job you do, you make a note in your head: how am I going to get away, how many doors do you have to get through? I always park the van the right way to get out on a one-way street. That’s drummed into you.
“It’s depressing to have to be this cautious – I wouldn’t even trust taking a tea from someone in a warrant property, no matter how nice they’re being. And some jobs are too nasty to do: you arrive at destroyed houses filled with vermin, faeces, drug addicts, needles, alcoholics.
View image in fullscreenSmart meters on a prepayment tariff take longer to fit than traditional ones. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images
“Smart meters take three times longer – about 45 minutes – to fit. The technology often struggles to connect quickly, meaning the job takes even longer.
“People have become a lot more volatile and aggressive as the cost of everything has gone up and they’ve built up massive bills they can’t pay. I’ve had my toolbag picked up and thrown out of the door – they were screaming and shoved me out.
It’s depressing to have to be this cautious
“Years ago, people would calm down when the police turned up. Now, the police don’t really turn up unless you’re being physically attacked. There are lots more dogs, particularly powerful bully XLs, since Covid too. If we know there’s a dog, there’ll be a handler with you – but not every dog barks, so the door will open and there’s a huge dog there.
“A few months ago, my friends and colleagues noticed that I was getting ratty and irritable. This job is not great for your mental health, so I’ve scaled back. It was a tough job, but it’s become even harder.”
How British Gas responded
A spokesperson for British Gas said: “We have already suspended warrant activity and we are carrying out a full detailed investigation into Arvato. Protecting vulnerable customers is a priority and our intention has always been do everything we can to prevent a warrant being carried out.”
