Ofgem fines Shell for overcharging retail customers

Shell’s consumer business - Shell Energy Retail - has been ordered by regulator Ofgem to pay pack £536,970 after it overcharged customers on its default tariffs.

Shell will automatically issue £106,000 in refunds to affected customers, while those with prepayment meters will have the cash added as credit.

Ofgem has also ordered Shell to pay £400,000 to its voluntary consumer redress fund and £30,970 in goodwill payments to customers.

Ofgem said: "Tariff updates were sent to prepayment meters to amend rates in response to changes in the level of the price cap, but due to a variety of operational issues, not all meters were successfully updated to the revised rates.

"The result of this issue was that over 11,000 prepayment customers paid above the rates allowed under the price cap at the time.

"The average amount being refunded to affected customers is £9.40."