Errors in bills hit families for £6.7bn

Customers were overcharged by a total of £6.7bn last year by companies issuing essential bills, including utilities, telecoms and mortgage providers, according to a report by price comparison website uSwitch.

It found 70 per cent of consumers were overcharged on at least one household bill in the last 12 months, with 95 per cent of cases spotted by the customer rather than the bill provider.

A third of customers were overcharged more than once, while one in 10 had fallen victim more than three times in the last year, according to the survey of 1,000 people.

The average amount people were overcharged was £196, while one in 10 said they were overcharged by at least £400.

The most common causes included charges being added that should not have been (42 per cent), incorrect tariff or product details being used (32 per cent) or a special offer or discount not being applied to the bill (25 per cent).

A quarter of consumers said they had received a household bill that simply did not add up.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: “Overcharging on household bills is rife and yet it still seems to be down to the customer to spot it.

“Consumers have to keep their wits about them and ensure that they check all their household bills carefully – if you are not checking then the chances are that a mistake will have slipped through and this could be costing you dear.

“At the same time I would urge companies to do as much as possible to help their customers by making household bills simpler, clearer and easier to understand.”