The post you are reporting:
courtesy of the telegraph.
New figures from Moneysupermarket.com show that the potential cost of these "ghost customers" adds £123 to the annual tariffs of millions of households.
The research revealed that almost a million customers had moved out of a property without settling their energy bill. It is thought that many of these "ghosts" live in rented accommodation and simply do not register with a new provider, so the gas is effectively billed to the previous tenant who then - quite legally - refuses to pay.
In addition, some people claim they have been unable to identify their supplier, thanks to frequent changes.
The additional cost borne by the supplier is then passed onto its customer base.
Scott Byrom, the utilities manager at comparison site Moneysupermarket.com, said the problem was getting worse - problems in the housing market have led to growing numbers of renters, as fewer people can save the deposit necessary to get on the property ladder.
but as he pointed out, anyone renting should check their bills carefully to ensure they aren't paying for previous tenants.
"If you've recently moved into a property, it's worth checking with your estate agent or rental agent about the details of the existing gas and electricity supplier for the property," said Mr Byrom.
"It is worth contacting the supplier with a meter reading from the day you move in to ensure you don't end up paying for someone else's bills. If you need proof of the date, you can obtain a written letter from the estate agent or previous landlord."
For those customers who are unsure which companies are supplying their energy, neglecting to register can mean a hefty bill.
A supplier can charge you retrospectively for the past 12 months of energy used - at current prices this means customers could be hit with a bill of £1,390.
