UK utilities rapped for billing backlog

Northern Electric and Northern Electric and Gas (NE&G) have been rapped by utilities regulator Ofgem, after computer problems left a backlog of 12,000 customers waiting for a bill.

Both companies were found to be in breach of the Electricity Act, which requires utilities to provide customers with timely and accurate bills.

The regulator has told the companies they must limit the number of new customers signed up to 6,500 per month until February next year.

Northern Electric has responded that it will be providing Ofgem with a weekly update of billing statistics and will continue to transfer customers onto its integrated billing system to take of the problem.