Beware of incompetent utility companies, warns the UK’s Forum of Private Business, which said that SMEs could be left with a bill for thousands of pounds.  The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has sent a stark warning to its members that they could be left with a bill for thousands of pounds by incompetent utility companies. The FPB, which represents around 25,000 small and medium-sized firms across the UK, has taken the action after one of its members was left owing more than GBP 16,000 because Scottish Power was incorrectly estimating the business’s meter readings and then not updating their records when given accurate readings. The FPB’s senior Member Services representative, Philip Moody, said that, unless smaller businesses keep a careful eye on their meter readings, they may be left out of pocket. ‘Some energy suppliers are happy to give you a low estimate, but the danger is that, if it is inaccurate, there could be a big bill to pay in the long run.’ Moody went on to criticise the approach of the energy companies. ‘It is irresponsible to allow such practices to continue. They may not miss a black hole in their accounts of several thousand pounds, but to a smaller business that is a lot of money.’ Businesses should check at least once a quarter, if not monthly, and inform the supplier. If there is a problem, try to intervene as early as possible.