In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.
The British are well known for loving their homes and according to the adverts, no-one understands that better than British Gas. But a Watchdog investigation has found the energy giant has been breaking into peoples' homes and business properties, sometimes without warning or justification.
In March this year, while the rest of his family were out, Rob Poole, of Glasgow, took a short trip to the shops. He was gone for less than an hour but in that time a British Gas representative broke into his home.
"I just couldn't believe that someone could come in so easily and break into my house," said Rob. "It made me feel very invaded and fear for the safety of my kids."
When the family returned everything seemed normal apart from a kitchen chair being out of place. But the next day Rob's wife, Anne, noticed the gas meter had been changed and a letter from British Gas had been left on the living room table.
British Gas, who had given no warning to the Pooles, entered the house without asking then tore out the regular meter and put in a British Gas pre-pay one without apologising.
Yet the Pooles weren't even customers of British Gas and hadn't been for more than two years. They buy their gas from Scottish Hydro Electric...
Just days before the break-in the Pooles paid their monthly bill to Scottish Hydro Electric. But for a month after the British Gas visit they were forced to pay again because of the new British Gas pre-pay meter.
Instead of swiftly swapping the meter back after the Pooles contacted them, British Gas offered them a tool kit and cinema vouchers by way of compensation. They later increased their offer to £300 but still failed to offer a clear explanation for what had happened.
British Gas said the energy company the Pooles switched to had failed to update the industry database to show they had left British Gas. But checks with the National Grid show the Pooles meter was correctly registered with Scottish Hydro Electric.
"For people to treat you that way it makes you very angry," Rob said.
"I just feel it's been dealt with in the worst possible way. People don't seem to have the answers that we want from them. We need to know why this happened.
"It just seems that nothing has been done about it and nothing has been done to assure us it won't happen again."
British Gas are legally entitled to enter anyone's home if the householder hasn't paid the bill and won't let them in, but they need a warrant from a magistrate, who must be satisfied the information British Gas shows them is correct. In most cases, British Gas also need to have issued a prior warning.
But some critics argue the safeguards are inadequate, leaving little protection to families like the Pooles.
Lawyer, Ian Kelcey, said: "I think there's a real danger it's (the system) being abused. It may be that the person who is applying for the warrant actually believes what he's being told but it may be that there's been some sloppy investigation."
Mr Kelcey said problems may arise when companies fail to keep their information up to date, which is what happened when British Gas broke into Peter Morris' business premises in Essex last year.
British Gas were chasing debts of £3,500 and had come to cut off his electricity, drilling his locks to gain entry.
But they'd got it wrong again. Mr Morris had his own debt-free account with British Gas and the previous tenants they were chasing had left over a year and a half before.
Again, British Gas failed to warn Mr Morris that they'd applied for a warrant and planned to break into his property. British Gas will have had to have show the magistrates that they had done this ir order for the warrant to be granted.
"British Gas never gave us any sort of notification," Mr Morris said: "We know full heartedly that we owe nobody, British Gas or anybody else, any money whatsoever."
British Gas Response:
"We seek warrants through the courts, which allow us to investigate when we suspect tampering with a gas or electricity meter, as this is extremely dangerous for the household, and their neighbours. We also seek warrants to deal with debt issues, sometimes force-fitting prepayment meters, to help reduce the burden of bad debt on our other customers.
We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously, and complete a rigorous set of checks before making any warrant application. Unfortunately, in both cases highlighted by Watchdog, although we followed the correct processes, we were working with the wrong information. In the case of Mr & Mrs Poole, the industry meter database had not been updated by another supplier, which led us to suspect tampering. In the case of Mr Morris, a human error meant that our records didn't reflect the change of tenant at the property.
It is very rare for mistakes to occur when warrants are involved, but we appreciate that, when they do, it is extremely distressing for the customers affected. That is why we have unreservedly apologised to both customers. We settled the matter with Mr Morris in October 2009, and we have assured Mr and Mrs Poole we will cover expenses incurred as a result of this action."
Breaking and metering
The British are well known for loving their homes and according to the adverts, no-one understands that better than British Gas. But a Watchdog investigation has found the energy giant has been breaking into peoples' homes and business properties, sometimes without warning or justification.
In March this year, while the rest of his family were out, Rob Poole, of Glasgow, took a short trip to the shops. He was gone for less than an hour but in that time a British Gas representative broke into his home.
"I just couldn't believe that someone could come in so easily and break into my house," said Rob. "It made me feel very invaded and fear for the safety of my kids."
When the family returned everything seemed normal apart from a kitchen chair being out of place. But the next day Rob's wife, Anne, noticed the gas meter had been changed and a letter from British Gas had been left on the living room table.
British Gas, who had given no warning to the Pooles, entered the house without asking then tore out the regular meter and put in a British Gas pre-pay one without apologising.
Yet the Pooles weren't even customers of British Gas and hadn't been for more than two years. They buy their gas from Scottish Hydro Electric...
Just days before the break-in the Pooles paid their monthly bill to Scottish Hydro Electric. But for a month after the British Gas visit they were forced to pay again because of the new British Gas pre-pay meter.
Instead of swiftly swapping the meter back after the Pooles contacted them, British Gas offered them a tool kit and cinema vouchers by way of compensation. They later increased their offer to £300 but still failed to offer a clear explanation for what had happened.
British Gas said the energy company the Pooles switched to had failed to update the industry database to show they had left British Gas. But checks with the National Grid show the Pooles meter was correctly registered with Scottish Hydro Electric.
"For people to treat you that way it makes you very angry," Rob said.
"I just feel it's been dealt with in the worst possible way. People don't seem to have the answers that we want from them. We need to know why this happened.
"It just seems that nothing has been done about it and nothing has been done to assure us it won't happen again."
British Gas are legally entitled to enter anyone's home if the householder hasn't paid the bill and won't let them in, but they need a warrant from a magistrate, who must be satisfied the information British Gas shows them is correct. In most cases, British Gas also need to have issued a prior warning.
But some critics argue the safeguards are inadequate, leaving little protection to families like the Pooles.
Lawyer, Ian Kelcey, said: "I think there's a real danger it's (the system) being abused. It may be that the person who is applying for the warrant actually believes what he's being told but it may be that there's been some sloppy investigation."
Mr Kelcey said problems may arise when companies fail to keep their information up to date, which is what happened when British Gas broke into Peter Morris' business premises in Essex last year.
British Gas were chasing debts of £3,500 and had come to cut off his electricity, drilling his locks to gain entry.
But they'd got it wrong again. Mr Morris had his own debt-free account with British Gas and the previous tenants they were chasing had left over a year and a half before.
Again, British Gas failed to warn Mr Morris that they'd applied for a warrant and planned to break into his property. British Gas will have had to have show the magistrates that they had done this ir order for the warrant to be granted.
"British Gas never gave us any sort of notification," Mr Morris said: "We know full heartedly that we owe nobody, British Gas or anybody else, any money whatsoever."
British Gas Response:
"We seek warrants through the courts, which allow us to investigate when we suspect tampering with a gas or electricity meter, as this is extremely dangerous for the household, and their neighbours. We also seek warrants to deal with debt issues, sometimes force-fitting prepayment meters, to help reduce the burden of bad debt on our other customers.
We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously, and complete a rigorous set of checks before making any warrant application. Unfortunately, in both cases highlighted by Watchdog, although we followed the correct processes, we were working with the wrong information. In the case of Mr & Mrs Poole, the industry meter database had not been updated by another supplier, which led us to suspect tampering. In the case of Mr Morris, a human error meant that our records didn't reflect the change of tenant at the property.
It is very rare for mistakes to occur when warrants are involved, but we appreciate that, when they do, it is extremely distressing for the customers affected. That is why we have unreservedly apologised to both customers. We settled the matter with Mr Morris in October 2009, and we have assured Mr and Mrs Poole we will cover expenses incurred as a result of this action."
Breaking and metering