Equigas

kat21

up until now my relationship with Equigas has been very good.
recently they have changed my meter reading route which has brought it directly in alignment with scottish power

I have always liked to pay one bill in one month and another in another month being on low income this is the only way I can afford gas and electricity.

I am now sadly needing some advice
because my gas bill and my electric bill fall in the same month (equigas say that everybodys bills will become aligned regardless of supplier and that if I change supplier I will still be left with having gas and electric in the same month (in effect duel fuel) which I cannot afford.

I have asked Equigas to take my gas meter out but, they say they cannot do this and that I should just simply not use the gas I pointed out that other residents where I live have opted for self disconect and had their meters taken out that way they are not connected to any company.

Equigas tried to get me to purchase both gas and electricity from them saying that it would be cheaper, I pointed out it was they that changed my meter reading route and put me in poverty with no option but to self disconect can anyone advise me? do I have a right to have my gas meter removed?

have all the utilities companies agreed on bill alignment?
please help is this happening to you ?

KimYeovil

?

I don't see the problem. If you use so little gas you are looking for a disconnection then why are you unable to effect a self disconnection (through not using) or shift when you pay the gas yourself? Or just read your meter and pay in advance for one of the utilities (a one-off upheaval.)

Sorry, I just do not understand why you can not implement the preference of your second paragraph yourself.

(And since Equigas can bill quarterly at no penalty surely you have a whole three months and two weeks to choose from as to when you pay for the gas?)

kat21

hi kim,
thank you for your reply if I self disconnect then in effect yes I will not be paying for any gas used because there is no gas used

but I wish to have my gas meter removed so that my association with equigas can be terminated I feel personally that equigas have put me in the position i am now in.

Equigas tell me that even if I switch supplier I would still have my gas and electricity bills aligned.

I am trying to find out if this really is the case and that everyone in the united kingdom will all have their gas and electricity bills produced in the same month?

I also wish to know and will seek further advice with regard to having no gas installed in my home, in effect having the gas meter removed.


I feel I have the right to have gas installed at my home or not simply telling me not to use gas will mean that I am still attached to Equigas

Thankyou,
I am sorry you dont fully understand my situation but would rather somebody answer with regard to my legal right?

penrhyn

You should be able to apply to the National Grid to have your Gas meter removed.
No idea what the cost would be but others have said it costs around £975 to have one put in so it shouldn't be a much as that.
Bear in mind if you wish to sell your property in the future a purchaser may regard a lack of gas supply as a turn off (sic).
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/online/b2cwarn.htm

kat21

Hi, and thanks for the comment regarding gas meter removal apparently its free.

Can anyone please tell me

if this information is correct or not

I was informed by Equigas
that all gas and electricity companies are aligning their bills, that is to say if you get your electric from scottish power
and gas from British gas
that the companies regardless of names are going to align their bills
this is to force consumers into buying duel fuel from the same supplier
true or false?

adprob

kat21 wrote: »

Hi, and thanks for the comment regarding gas meter removal apparently its free.

Can anyone please tell me

if this information is correct or not

I was informed by Equigas
that all gas and electricity companies are aligning their bills, that is to say if you get your electric from scottish power
and gas from British gas
that the companies regardless of names are going to align their bills
this is to force consumers into buying duel fuel from the same supplier
true or false?

I would think that is wrong. It all depends on which company suppliers use for their billing and when they ask them to read the meters on their behalf. It sounds like SOuthern (who do the billing for ebico) have changed their billing times for your area and it is a coincidence that this matches with Scottish POwer.

Vestra

adprob wrote: »

I would think that is wrong. It all depends on which company suppliers use for their billing and when they ask them to read the meters on their behalf. It sounds like SOuthern (who do the billing for ebico) have changed their billing times for your area and it is a coincidence that this matches with Scottish POwer.

It's no coincidence, it is to align them.

Premier_2

kat21 wrote: »

...Equigas tried to get me to purchase both gas and electricity from them saying that it would be cheaper, ...

This is WRONG!

Equigas is a tariff supplied by Ebico.
Everyone pays the same price with ebico, and you don't get any discount, even for dual fuel.
You are free to change the supplier for gas if you wish, but if you don't use any gas (else why else ask to have the meter removed) why bother.

No gas usage with ebico = no charge, so what does it matter if you receive a bill for £0.00 for gas on the same day as you receive your bill for electricity?

Beware of other suppliers as they may only offer a standing charge option and then you will be billed even if you don't use any gas.
If you go with another supplier who does also provide a no standing charge tariff, it will almost certainly be on a 2 tier system, meaning you'll pay a lot more for the initial units and if you don't use very much gas your total consumption may be at that higher rate.

Ebico has no standing charge and no 2 tier rate tariff.

kat21

Gosh this is all getting way to confusing

I suppose really with regard to my question about having my gas and electric by two seperate companies (scottish Power and Equigas) seems to have brought a mixed response.

That is to say nobody appears to really know or point to any information regarding all electricity and gas companies aligning there billing cycles so that we end up with one massive bill each quater.

I am however adimant that I do not wish to stay with Equigas, I have had a bad customer experience and because I am free (not in any contract with anyone) that is supposed to give me choice.

I wish more consumers would walk with their feet if they feel the service they have received was very poor then perhaps these utilitie companies would smarten up and help the consumer more.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Removing your gas meter could cause you to have difficulty when you sell your house. Most people want a gas supply and would shy away from buying a property where they would have to pay to get connected.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Just a thought, could you not pay your electric by monthly DD to remove the problem and make budgeting easier?