Millions of 'ghost' customers slip through the utility bill net

Britain has 1.8 million ‘ghost’ electricity customers and 1.3 million ‘ghost’ gas customers1; people who are either not paying for their gas and electricity at the moment or who have left a property without paying for it.

Research by price comparison website moneysupermarket.com reveals over 2.2 million Brits could have left a property without paying for their energy use and many others are not being billed.

Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Our research uncovers the reality of millions of ghost customers who have slipped through the net, whether through deliberately keeping a low profile or just being lost by their supplier. This seems to be a common occurrence today, especially with younger customers who move more frequently and live in urban areas.

“My advice for people who are unsure of their current gas or electricity supplier is to take all reasonable steps to identify it; otherwise they could be landed with a hefty bill for unpaid energy usage. After a significant period of non-payment, there could also be complications over the amount you owe if you do not retain official proof of when you moved into the property and what your meter readings were at the time.”

The research reveals nine per cent of people have had trouble identifying their gas or electricity supplier, with this issue being most prevalent in London at 13 per cent.

Paul Schofield continued: “Gas prices have come down from their historic winter highs, so now is a much better time to come out of the closet than six months ago! Once you have identified your supplier and settled your bill, you can also work out whether you could save money by shopping around for a more competitive deal.”