Free gas no more! Am I in trouble?

bargainbarmy

I'd keep my mouth shut. I read about a similar case in the paper a few years ago and the person had to pay back gas thye'd used to the tune of £6K !!! Apparently you have no legal case to say that you didn't know who your supplier was.

[Deleted User]

Is this not a contridiction to what everyone's been saying on here though?

Most people have stated that if someone sets up a supplier they cannot charge for previous usage.

I don't know what to believe really!

fireuptheband

I'm currently in the same boat after moving into a new build 8 months ago.

I've contacted them (all firms) by phone and letter several times and just can't get anywhere. We simply don't exist on anyones systems, yet somebody is providing us with gas.

I really do want to pay the gas bill, but am unable to.
Electric was sorted, although that was a pain, after about 3 months.

The last person I spoke with, suggested I choose a supplier and get them to setup a new MPRN and start from scratch with them.
Therefore, leaving the last 8 months gas free.

I am going to write one last letter to each and every company asking them to either claim responsibility or dis-associate themselves from us.

Another house on the row, have not received a bill for electric or gas since they moved in April 2005!

What I can't understand is that somebody installed that meter and supply and must have a record of it somewhere!

[Deleted User]

The suppliers wont take responsibility if they are not the supplier. I'm surprised none of them have told you to contact transco. You need to take the serial number of your meter and then write to transco or phone them with it. They then respond with your MPRN and they tell you who the supplier is, or in my case, that it is in the transco holding account. I'm going to come clean about all this - my usage is so low that even if they do bill me usage to date, I only owe about £600, so it will be a burden off my shoulders!

[Deleted User]

I think what possibly happens is that the original owners of properties, when the houses are new builds, never register their MPRN with anyone and get free gas. Then they keep quiet and then the next person who moves in is baffled cos they don't know who the supplier is.

zorber

All i can say is good luck to you all. What i would do is keep a record of regular meter reading and work out the cost of the gas or electric used then put this money into a savings account that way if they catch up with you you can at least pay for what you owe and then have earnt interest on the money in the savings account.

[Deleted User]

Totally agree. I decided to do this, if you pay when someone demands it no-one will be interested in prosecuting, but in time I forgot!!!, which would mean that if someone demanded, I couldn't pay which would involve a legal case. Big mistake. Another big mistake is to look at my meter and to think that that the number on the display was the kwh. Mistake. I have to multiply this by 2.83 and then all the conversion factors etc which means I have to pay nearly £1k!!!!!! I thought as I had a 10 year old meter it is metic, but it states of cubic feet on the meter when I double checked! which is hundred of cubic feet so have to multiply it by 2.83 to get cubic metres. Oh well, gonna get it all sorted now. Bang goes my savings, but I'm only paying for what I've received so can't complain. Just a bit of a shocker in one go rather than direct debit monthly!!!

fireuptheband

Worried_One wrote:

The suppliers wont take responsibility if they are not the supplier. I'm surprised none of them have told you to contact transco. You need to take the serial number of your meter and then write to transco or phone them with it. They then respond with your MPRN and they tell you who the supplier is, or in my case, that it is in the transco holding account. I'm going to come clean about all this - my usage is so low that even if they do bill me usage to date, I only owe about £600, so it will be a burden off my shoulders!

I've spoken to Transco on numerous occasions and even had a Transco engineer out and they all can't find our MPRN.

[Deleted User]

I wouln't worry about it then. You've done everything you can. Just contact new supplier and ask them to set up new mprn and don't worry about the free 8 months. No-one can bill you for it anyway....

Stamford_2

I didn't realise when I originally posted that I would cause such heated debate.

I am officially being supplied gas by Equigas as of next month. I have spoken to them and they have said that I will only be charged from the date they give us.

One poster claimed that things like this lead to indirect extras for the consumer but I'm pretty confident that the utilities indutry would screw money out of us no matter what.

Anyway, thanks to all those posters who helped.

Stamford