Siemans "Warrant of Entry" in first communication!

pennineman

A few weeks ago my sister and 99-year-old mother received a letter from Siemens Metering Services on behalf of British Gas saying they needed to carry out a gas safety inspection. Siemans said they had been "several" times before but had been unable to gain entry and then threatened that they would apply for a warrant of entry if they could not gain entry.

In fact Siemans had not been several times before as there is someone in the house all of the day. When asked when they had been they were unable to say. They had no records of the "several occasions" when they had tried to gain entry.

This threatening letter was the first either my sister or mum knew about the matter, and to threaten a "warrant of entry" seems way over the top in a first communication. A complaint to Siemans generated a fairly standard PR_speak reply, along the lines of we're sorry but . . . . .

Has anyone else experienced this type of unnecessary communication?

Plushchris

What makes it unnecessary?

They are doing a gas safety inspection, wouldnt you want your 99 year old mother to have a safe gas meter?

Its probably not as threatening as it seems, if you dont make contact with them they do have the right to gain entry to get at the meters.

It may or may not be the first communication, but if Siemans think its had to send that out after a few attempts then it would appear a fairly standard letter.

I can understand how it would seem threatening, but remember it is for everyones safety they are doing it.

undaunted

Some people are unbelievable. You could frighten an old lady to death with this kind of thing. Surely any fool can see that a polite letter, perhaps a friendly phone call is the way to go well before they get to the stage of applying for warrants of entry - and it is of course only applying for one not a right of entry at this stage!

Plushchris

I'd be interested to read the letter to see just how threatening it is...

What if someone had been round several times but found nobody in (or no answer if someone was in as the OP suggests)?

undaunted

You're not serious? You write (or ring) & make an appointment with the property owner if you want to inspect the customers meter & it is inside the property, you don't just turn up on a whim & hope they are in. If the lady is 99 she may well also have poor hearing & have simply not heard them or even have been confused or afraid to let a stranger into her home unannounced.

vax2002

I would write back asking which court they would prefer to be taken to, as it is an offence to use threatening or harassment and you believe she has a case for compensation and in the meantime if they would like to inspect the meter, make a written appointment.

Plushchris

undaunted wrote: »

You're not serious? You write (or ring) & make an appointment with the property owner if you want to inspect the customers meter & it is inside the property, you don't just turn up on a whim & hope they are in. If the lady is 99 she may well also have poor hearing & have simply not heard them or even have been confused or afraid to let a stranger into her home unannounced.

I've never had a written request for an appointment to inspect my meter, they just turn up.

Also, its not the customers meter...


I'm not excusing the letter in the slightest and can imagine it would scare an old lady to recieve a letter like that, all I'm saying is that I cant imagine its as "out of the blue" as the OP suggests..

chanz4

no court would stop a safety warrant, no grounds to if they wanted they could get the mains tap at the road capped

cing0

All the energy companies meter readers push through the same sort of letter when they want to read the meter but can't. The words are safety inspection meaning 'visual inspection'. The only qualification a meter reader needs is a driving licence, not a Gas Safe cert.

50Twuncle

I had £45 compensation from "Siemens" a couple of years ago.
They called when I was out - leaving a card at my house - informing me that they would attend for a meter inspection at x time on y date - nobody showed up
I complained and received compensation
My Meter is in a box on the outside wall of my property !!

undaunted

Plushchris wrote: »

I've never had a written request for an appointment to inspect my meter, they just turn up.

Also, its not the customers meter...


I'm not excusing the letter in the slightest and can imagine it would scare an old lady to recieve a letter like that, all I'm saying is that I cant imagine its as "out of the blue" as the OP suggests..

It's the fact that people just put up with this kind of thing that enables them to continue to get away with it. Meter outside & accessible without your presence & fine, do as they like.

If they need to enter the property they need to meet your convenience - it's your property.

The customers meter was meant in a more general sense - of a meter inside the customers property (not the suppliers!) & therefore requiring their permission to access the property in the absence of any warrant. Some customers may / can own their meter however