PLEASE HELP - who is my supplier?

welsh209

Ok... Been living in a rented flat now for a year, and for the whole year we have not had one gas bill - lucky? Well, not quite.. as the constant fear of an annual gas bill is scary.

We've just renewed our contract for the flat again, however we have asked the landload (for the 100th time) to find out who our supplier is.

I've tried numerous steps - the landlord first told us we were with British Gas, however when I phoned them, they told us we were with another supplier and when I phoned the second company, they told us we weren't with them either.

So, I phoned the gas board, and gave them the code from the gas box - and we were told that they have no supplier details to give us.

As you can imagine, we are really confused and worried, as a years worth of gas will not be cheap. I also start to worry that if we haven't had a gas bill, the previous tenant may also have got away without paying for gas, therefore I don't want to be lumbered with their bills.

I realise that we will be able to break down the payment, but when you have bills, student loans, etc coming out each month, the last thing you want is big payments going towards gas.

It's not as if we have been laid back and not tried. Does anyone have any idea how we can resolve this problem and/or suggestions on how we could perhaps negotiate the final bill when it's eventually presented to us?

Thanks!!

welsh209

hi 'espresso'.. i've done that too, and no luck - they told us a supplier and when i contacted the supplier, they said they weren't supplying us... soooo confused!

macman

You can't negotiate the final bill-you will have to pay for the gas used. The complication may come in proving what the meter reading was at the time you took over the property. But you will no doubt have a record of that, and will have been putting money aside to pay the eventual bill?
The account is not your landlord's responsibility, unless your STA specifies otherwise.

gazjoneswales

I believe this is known as a shipperless site (correct me if i am wrong though). My understanding of this is that you need to contact the most recent known supplier (Transco should know this information) and inform that you are a shipperless site and give them the following details to help them with their process:

-Date you moved in
-Meter Reading when you moved in
-Your meter serial number (on the front of the meter)
- Your meter point reference number (transco should be able to provide you this)
- Your full address
- An upto date meter reading

They should be able to sort this out for you. (If you speak to someone who sounds like they do not know what they are talking about ask to speak to a manager, as this is a rare occurance and some agents may never have come across it before)

In the mean time I would definatley look at putting some money aside for when this is finally sorted and the bill does arrive.
Also I am not sure if the back billing code would apply here after 12 months (hopefully someone could say yes or no to this) if you could prove you have been trying to actively resolve this issue.

Also if it does turn out to be BG who are you the most recent supplier, I would recommend you follow this process by raising a formal complaint in writing with them using the information above as you have already contacted them and given them the oppurtunity to resolve this.

Hellblazer

gazjoneswales wrote: »

-Date you moved in
-Meter Reading when you moved in
-Your meter serial number (on the front of the meter)
- Your meter point reference number (transco should be able to provide you this)
- Your full address
- An upto date meter reading

I hope to god you did take a meter reading when you moved in because when this does get sorted out your supplier will have to get some spaced reads off you and estimate your opening read with them.

Now billing code...

This is tricky. Billing code applies if you havn't been billed for a period of more than 12 months or the supplier hasn't had a meter reading in more than 12 months. Now obviously both would apply. Billing code would have to be done. Unless the supplier your with is !!!!/or nice(which ever way you look at it) and decide not to do it. Either way I can't see this working out in your favour. I would prepare for the worst. The billing code would have to apply here as they would be charginf you for something for 12 months or more previous.

I just hope to god you took meter readings when you moved in. As the user above me stated, contacting the last known gas supplier is your best bet. Contact either transco or xoserve to find out. If you can get them to tell you, try xoserve if you havn't already.

gazjoneswales

Hellblazer wrote: »

I hope to god you did take a meter reading when you moved in because when this does get sorted out your supplier will have to get some spaced reads off you and estimate your opening read with them.

Now billing code...

This is tricky. Billing code applies if you havn't been billed for a period of more than 12 months or the supplier hasn't had a meter reading in more than 12 months. Now obviously both would apply. Billing code would have to be done. Unless the supplier your with is !!!!/or nice(which ever way you look at it) and decide not to do it. Either way I can't see this working out in your favour. I would prepare for the worst. The billing code would have to apply here as they would be charginf you for something for 12 months or more previous.

I just hope to god you took meter readings when you moved in. As the user above me stated, contacting the last known gas supplier is your best bet. Contact either transco or xoserve to find out. If you can get them to tell you, try xoserve if you havn't already.

But i think for the back billing code to apply, the customer would have to prove that they have been attempting to receive a bill since they moved.

I have no reason to doubt that the OP has been doing this but proving it to a supplier may be easier said than done.

Hellblazer

It is going to depend on the supplier. But going off it in black and white, billing code would have to apply, because they will be billing him for charges dating back more than 12 months.

We will have to wait till he finds out who the last known supplier is. Then the trouble is going to start with finding an account at that address. A simple MSN or MPRN search should solve this on the last known suppliers records, but it doesnt always work that way.

Contact either Transco or XOserve and find out the last known supplier and we'll take it from there.

welsh209

thank you so much for your replies guys. My first job tomorrow is going to be ringing Transco and XOserve. When we first moved in, we did take down the meter reading, but we just recorded the reading on a piece of paper - is this sufficient evidence?

Also, just taken a look at it now, and it works out we have used about 600,000Kwh in the year - does anyone have any idea how much that will be? Sounds an awful lot, but I don't know much about Kwh.

Mannn, i'm so stressed out about this! :S

gazjoneswales

welsh209 wrote: »

thank you so much for your replies guys. My first job tomorrow is going to be ringing Transco and XOserve. When we first moved in, we did take down the meter reading, but we just recorded the reading on a piece of paper - is this sufficient evidence?

Also, just taken a look at it now, and it works out we have used about 600,000Kwh in the year - does anyone have any idea how much that will be? Sounds an awful lot, but I don't know much about Kwh.

Mannn, i'm so stressed out about this! :S

1. That piece of paper is more evidence than anyone else has got.
2. 600,000KwH in a year is impossible for a domestic property to use. there is no point figuring out how much that will cost as it is wrong. what was your meter reading when you moved in and what is your meter reading now? In all likelyhood you are reading the numbers in red after the decimal point and these are not included when submitting a meter reading. If you enter your meter reading when you moved in (with the date) and the most recent meter reading (again with the date) im sure someone will give you a rough idea on the kwh.

(when putting the meter reading on here, put the full meter reading on here including any zeros at the beginning if there any

macman

I very much hope not-average gas usage for a house with gas CH is around 17,500 kwh pa.
If your reading was correct, you can expect a bill for around £20,000!
Your meter reads in 100's cu ft or cu m, depending on whether it's imperial or metric (marked on the meter), you then have to multiply by the relevant factor to convert to kWh.

lemontart

transco does not exist and has not done so for over 7 yrs the number for you to dial is 0870 608 1524 - if the property has no registered gas supplier then you are free to register with what ever company you want to use after you have confirmed with National Grid on the number here that it is a shiperless site.