Utility policies

Spark

Vodafone has temporarily stopped selling overdue customer debts to ‘debt buyers’ as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic in which more of its customers are struggling due to reduced incomes.

Genesis Energy, which operates the Huntly Power Station, says it has overhauled the way it treats customers who are behind on their bills, which has resulted in a sharp decrease in the debts owed to it.

Mercury Energy,

which operates the Lake Karapiro power station, said it had recently changed its approach to overdue accounts. It was now centred around ‘‘two-way conversations and working in partnership to find long-lasting solutions’’.