By L Whitmore, 29th June 2010
Energy bills are set to become easier to understand and provide
customers with more information, thanks to new rules introduced by
the regulatory body Ofgem.
The requirements, which will come into force on Thursday, will
legally oblige energy companies to include a greater range of
information on the statements sent out to customers, in addition to
providing them with annual records to keep them informed about how
much they are paying each year and help them to understand how this
breaks down.
The information provided in the annual statement - which will be
received between 1 July and 1 December, depending on the company's
billing cycle - will include such details as the tariff the
customer is on, the amount of energy used over the past twelve
months, and an estimate of how much they can expect to pay next
year based on similar usage patterns without a change of tariff or
an increase in energy costs.
They will also clearly explain any premiums or discounts
affecting the price breakdown, as well as mentioning any deals the
customer may be missing out on, and a guide to changing their
energy supplier.
Similar information is to be included in the regular bills,
ensuring that customers are fully aware of how much they are paying
for their energy and why. The shakeup is just one of a number of
changes being made by energy regulator Ofgem in order to shift the
balance of power toward consumers in their dealings with utility
suppliers.
Other measures include rules preventing energy providers from
selling customers goods or services which are not explained to them
properly or not suited to their needs, which came into force last
October, and regulations which mean that door-to-door energy
salesmen must provide written statements were introduced in
January.
The new rules are hoped to help consumers to manage their
finances and fully understand the options available to them.
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