A major change in the process through which forced prepayment meter (PPM) warrants were issued left magistrates with not enough power to reject them.

In a joint hearing set up by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and the Justice Committee, former magistrate Robin Cantrill-Fenwick said: “I think it’s important to understand that because in 2019, despite all of those concerns, the process was changed such that the field was tilted even further in favour of the energy company.

“So, we were required to take on an almost entirely performative and uncritical role, applying and approving these warrant applications in bulk, much less judicial discretion, in the current process.

“So it’s a bulk process rather than having individual warrants in front of us. That’d be a spreadsheet. That’s a spreadsheet. would contain many more applications in a list.”

This inquiry follows reports and undercover investigations by The Times and The i newspaper which raised concerns about vulnerable individuals being subjected to forced installations.

Mr Cantrill-Fenwick added: “Some of the courthouses are dealing with up to a thousand per list. It was my experience that I was sort of dealing with between 15 and a hundred. The occupants don’t know when, where or what time, the application is being dealt with.

“And there is much less information on the spreadsheet. So, partial address, and name if available. My recollection is the amount was on there, although I’ve seen subsequent guidance that suggests it’s not always the case. The warrant officer would then come on the phone, no longer physically required, to come to court.

“They would read a fair template declaration, to say that they’ve done everything that they needed to do. And they would then notify us if they were withdrawing an application.

“So, because the magistrates had so much less information before them, there were no grounds on which we could then question a warrant. And so you’re entirely reliant on the warrant officer to withdraw applications.”

Article source: https://www.energylivenews.com/2023/03/14/there-were-no-grounds-on-which-we-could-question-a-ppm-warrant-says-former-magistrate/