Paying a OverDue British gas bill and having the meter re-installed.

Pikem4n

Hi folks


I am just wondering what i should do, i owe a bill to British Gas and i never actually payed it, i kind of burried my head in the sand a bit with the letters turning up (because i knew they were bills) Also I had phone calls from theirselves and the odd occasional Text saying i needed to contact them, which i did and i said that at the time i could not pay the bill as i could not afford it (i had other bills which i considered more important.

Totally my fault letting things get so far!

Now i went away for just over a week and on arriving back at my house i found the outer and inner hatch doors in my porch wide open (which i thought was bang out of order!) and British gas had removed my supply and took my meter away, also the gained access into my property and they left me an Orange letter saying my supply had been disconnected (Rights of entry gas and electricity boards act 1954).

As i found out, i had recieved a letter which i opened after they came, saying that they were going to be takling preceedings against me and obviously because i did not respond to this letter they got a warrant from justice of peace to gain access to my house.

Now i am wondering Should the house holder been present at the time of them taking the meter out,also shouldn't British gas left me a copy of the warrant (Is it not against law?) to prove they had access to my place Or is the orange letter they left for me on my pc table acting as a copy of the warrant?

And will i have to pay a re-connection fee for the meter to be re-installed? as i have heard conflicting reports saying i will and i wont, i'll just have to pay off the bill i owe and have one of those pre-payment meters, is this right?

Any help would appreciated, its getting cold and i have no heating at all!


Regards from Pikman

SwanJon

Once they have the warrant they can gain access to your house whether you are there or not (so long as it is on the day thw warrant is for).
They should leave the house secure though - often a new set of keys are left with the local police station.

As they have had to go to court to get a warrant you have already incurred charges. If you want to get a meter put back in they'll add some more. They are entitled to stop you signing up with another gas supplier while you owe them money.

Unless you pay off the bill, the charges and a security deposit, they will only put a pre-payment meter back in. If the bill and charges havn't been paid they will put them on the meter to be paid back weekly.

I'd call them up and see what they can offer you - I'd definately mention if the house was left unsecure. Not sure if it is the right department, but try 0800 048 0202 - free from a landline or phonebox.

Pikem4n

Many thanks Jon, one of things i'd like to know is how they got into the house as all locks seemed to be untouched (unless they used a skeleton key or picked the lock) and all windows were secured before i went away,but i shall try that number tomorrow.

Alias_Omega

Thats the job of a locksmith.

I guess you had a UPVC door.?

Locknut

Your locks will have been picked open.

littletommytucker

British Gas own their own fleet of locksmiths... https://www.dyno.com/ ... how convenient