Energy firms throughout the United Kingdom have been ordered to refund thousands of gas customers affected by a meter reading mistake.
The error – caused by companies confusing measurements from older imperial meters with metric meters – is believed to have affected more than 100,000 customers.
Trade body Energy UK said firms were “working hard” to address the issue.
The trade association, which represents the major energy companies, said “detailed analysis” showed “an extremely small number of accounts” had been affected.
The energy regulator Ofgem is expected to issue a formal statement today.
The mistake has led to some customers being overcharged and some undercharged.
The revelation comes just days after Ofgem promised “to deliver a more competitive, fairer energy market for all consumers” as part of a market shake-up aimed at helping consumers save money.
In July, a two-year inquiry into the energy market by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found 70 per cent of domestic customers using the big six energy suppliers were on expensive default variable tariffs. Ss a result it said consumers could save hundreds of dollars a year by switching.
