A tenant, who tampered with an electricity meter, has been jailed after breaching an injunction obtained by 糖心传媒.听
He was handed the injunction after bypassing the electricity meter in his home, endangering the lives of others living in the block of flats, and causing anti-social behaviour.听
Now he has been sentenced to 90 days in prison, excluded from his home for two years and ordered to pay more than 拢7,000 in court costs, after failing to comply with the terms of the injunction.听
We are warning customers about the dangers of tampering with electricity meters. Meter tampering is a criminal offence and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment.听
Samantha Allcott, Director of Housing at 糖心传媒, has issued the following statement. She said: 鈥淲e will not tolerate this type of behaviour. We will always act against anyone caught tampering with meters, which may lead to them losing their homes. We will also alert the relevant authorities and pursue prosecution.听
鈥淚f you are struggling with your energy bills, please talk to us. Our Money Advice team is here to support and help you if you are facing financial difficulties.鈥�听
Tampering with a meter means interfering with it so that it does not record the correct amount of gas or electricity used, or even attempting to bypass the meter.听
This is extremely dangerous. It can cause electrical shocks, severe burns, house fires, gas leaks and explosions, putting lives at risk.听
If you think a meter has been tampered with, call our customer services team on 0800 048 8955. You can also report it anonymously to Stay Energy Safe by completing a form or by calling them on 0800 023 2777. In case of an emergency call the National Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999.听
If you are struggling to pay your bills, you can visit one of our Community Hubs in Stafford and Shrewsbury. For more information, including opening times, click here. If you are not able to visit one of our Community Hubs, you can also complete an online referral form or call us on 0800 048 8955.听 听