Press Releases

  • Fair Energy Prices for Low Income Customers -
    23 April 2007

North Hertfordshire Homes Demands Fair Energy Prices for Low Income Customers

North Hertfordshire Homes is calling on gas and electricity companies to end unfair charging for pre-pay meter customers.

Although pre-pay and token meter customers tend to be on lower incomes, they can pay as much as £103 a year more for gas and electricity than quarterly billed or standard credit consumers, and as much as £146 more for their energy than direct debit customers*.

The local housing association has joined a national letter writing campaign, led by its trade body the National Housing Federation in partnership with gas and electricity watchdog Energywatch, calling on the major energy suppliers to level prices between pre-pay customers and standard credit customers.

“People who use pre-pay meters often have to pay more than other consumers for their electricity and this is simply not fair.  North Hertfordshire Homes takes the welfare of its tenants very seriously and by highlighting this issue we can help save them money” commented Victoria Hisgrove, Operations Director for NHH.

David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said:

“Too often, the poorest people in society end up paying more for the kind of services most people take for granted. It’s unfair that pre-pay meter customers, are often faced with steeper bills for energy than other consumers despite being on lower incomes. This kind of unfair pricing needs to stop” said David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation.

Ends 

Note to Editors:

  1. *figures from Energywatch.
  2. North Hertfordshire Homes is a Registered Social Landlord that was set up in April 2003 to take ownership of North Hertfordshire District Council’s housing stock.
  3. NHH owns and manages around 8,500 homes across north Hertfordshire – from Royston to Wheathampstead.
  4. NHH plans to provide around 500 new affordable homes across Hertfordshire over the next four years. 
  5. The National Housing Federation represents 1,400 independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England. Together, our members provide 2 million affordable homes for around 5 million people. www.housing.org.uk 
  6. For further information please contact Sally Bailey on Tel: 01462 705491 or by email sally.bailey@nhh.org.uk .



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