Legal obligation for unused supply

Basherboy

Elec company removed main fuse following previous tenant running up bill.
The house has remained empty since for some years as it needs major refurbishment - long story!
Scottish Power now demanding six years standing charge' even thought the main fuse has never been replaced, and the meter has not provided a supply in all that time.
Am I obliged to pay the £460+ standing charge?

spiro

The standing charge is regardless to usage. They are still paying for the meter to be on the wall. They also have to check every year that the house is still empty. Both of these things cost money.

eurmalian

This is why most suppliers now offer two rate tarriffs as an alternative to standing charge ones. They stop anything of this sort from happening. It's also why I find it funny when people on here complain that the two rate prices should be scrapped as they're too confusing and are completely pointless...

I think you're probably going to have to pay it. The standing charge is part of the tarriff and it's due as long as the meter is in the property. Though if this is the first time they've sent you a bill for it then you may be able to get a large chunk written off under the back billing rules, where suppliers can only backdate bills so far and aren't allowed to charge for anything before that.

If it's going to be staying empty I'd definitely arrange to move to a two rate, non standing charge tarriff as soon as possible.

undaunted

Personally I'd go & get some legal advice, your arguments being

The property was not connected to the network - they had terminated the connection (removing the fuse is easier for them obviously but they could have removed the meter, thus avoided such charges)

The charges & alternative options were not made clear to you (assuming this is true)

The account doesn't appear to have been billed for 6 years - can you therefore call upon back billing rules?


Has the meter been read, inspected (as is legally required) within this period?

Have YOU ever entered into any contract with this company or was it merely the former tennant? (If you have not done so you can probably tell them to go & boil their heads. If you haven't used electricity you cannot be deemed to have contracted as is usually argued in such cases!)

Ken68

I doubt you are liable for any usage prior to being the new owner or the new tenant.

molerat

If they have removed the fuse they have terminated the supply so you have no contract. Tell them go whistle.

spiro

molerat wrote: »

If they have removed the fuse they have terminated the supply so you have no contract. Tell them go whistle.

In elec, removing the fuse is not terminating the supply it is de-energising the site. For the meter point (MPAN) to be terminated, the cable needs to be cut and the MPAN disconnected on the central register. Lots of people have the fuse removed when doing major building works but they still incur a standing charge.

dogshome

Hi Basherboy - Hmmm, (A) Have you have only recently purchased this house or (B), have you owned throughout it's empty period?

If it is (A), then you must have purchased it from another party, perhaps from a Bank or an Estate, in which case send SP copies of your purchase documents proving your date of purchase informing them you are only responsible for bills from that point foreward.

If it is (B) then I'm afraid they can charge for up to 6 years worth of Standing Charges providing they were sending bills at less than 12 monthly intervals over the period.

However, even if you are stuck with this bill, the £460.00 bill works out to 21pence a day which is broadly in line with todays Standing Charge costs and not those of 6 years ago or the years in between.
You are entitled to a detailed bill showing the Standing Charge cost from each tariff change period to tariff change period over the entire 6 years.
Good Luck

undaunted

spiro wrote: »

In elec, removing the fuse is not terminating the supply it is de-energising the site. For the meter point (MPAN) to be terminated, the cable needs to be cut and the MPAN disconnected on the central register. Lots of people have the fuse removed when doing major building works but they still incur a standing charge.

Who says this is legally the case? Is there any proven case law or is it merely your own perception of the law? I believe this type of argument is going to be challenged in court before too long

spiro

undaunted wrote: »

Who says this is legally the case? Is there any proven case law or is it merely your own perception of the law? I believe this type of argument is going to be challenged in court before too long

Those are the definitions in the industry governance. In the case of an MPAN, even if a house is demolished unless the MPAN is 'disconnected' in the central register there has to be an appointed supplier, meter maintainer and meter reeader. It is not like gas where there is a process called 'voluntary withdrawal' which results in an MPRN not having a supplier or agents.

Scottish_Power

Good morning Basherboy,

As you can see from the various resoponses the short answer is yes your are liable, however every case like this is different if you would like to e-mail me your account details I can look at exactly what the situation is, it may be you are only liable for some of the charges.

You can e-mail me at [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]

Kind regards

Graeme @ ScottishPower