British Gas sorry its agents broke into customers’ homes

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government says is responding to “deeply shocking” revelations that debt collectors working for British Gas broke into customers’ homes to install prepay gas meters that left vulnerable people at risk of having their heating cut off. British Gas parent company Centrica PLC said it had halted the “unacceptable” practice. The Times of London reported that debt collectors obtained court warrants to enter the homes of indebted customers and installed meters that require up front payments. The newspaper said the customers included a single father with three young children whose door was forced open by a locksmith and a mother with a 4-week-old baby. The U.K.’s energy regular said Thursday it was investigating