New gas connection - changed quote after we paid

Yman

Hi there,

We've recently bought our house which is old and therefore doesn't have a gas connection. We called National Grid for a quote to bring gas to the property and they quoted us around £650.

We then asked British Gas for a quote and they quoted us around £80. We were pleasantly surprised and called up to accept the quote and we paid for it over the phone too. A few days after I even called up to see if they had a planned date too. They said not yet but they'd write soon with the date.

Just today I received a letter from them saying that they had misquoted us and they've sent us a revised quote for around £650, even though we've accepted and paid already. I don't know that much about law but haven't they made an offer, and we accepted, therefore making it binding?

Is there something that can be done?

Many thanks!

Yman

lemontart

So just to be clear you declined original quote from National Grid who own the pipes and would be doing the work regardless in favour of bg quote ,

BG would have arranged this through National Grid as they appear to be the transporter in your area and hence would merely be middle men - either way National Grid is going to have to be paid.

So the figure bg have quoted is highly inaccurate and obviously an error on their part as to who pays that is between you and bg to sort out

As for getting a planned date that would have to wait until a site visit from National Grid to check what you plan is feasible and within current regs, also National Grid will not do anything until payment made.

bengasman

From a legal point of view, it is difficult to comment as it all depends on the exact wording of the request and the exact wording of the quote.
From a practical point of view, £650 is relatively cheap, and if you want your connection soon in stead of in a few years you should try to agree with BG to cancel the agreement. BG are notoriously unreliable and dishonest, and you are better off with another company.
No doubt there will be several post from people working for BG that tell you it is a wonderful company and it is all your fault or a misunderstanding.

macman

If it was a quote, and not an estimate, then it is binding, then BG entered into a contract to do the work at that price. You can't force them to do it, but you can, if you wish take a civil action against them for breach of contract.
However, I have problems with your definitions. You said 'around £80'. That is not a quote, it is an estimate. If so, it's not binding. You would need to prove that they quoted £80, which in the absence of anything in writing, will be tricky.
It might be simpler just to ask them for your £80 back and a few pounds compensation for their time-wasting.

Joyful

Are you sure that your quote was not for installing a meter? BG have nothing to do with pipework that is National Grids job.

Yman

Thank you all for your replies! It's great to get your opinions and advice.

No it was definitely a quote. It was an exact figure but I only said £80ish as I couldn't remember the exact price at the time I posted on the forum.

I think BG may may national grid to do the work?

Lol, I think I'll call them up and state what you mentioned about it being binding as we paid the money they quoted and were just waiting for a date. If they won't budge then I'll see what happens then.

Thanks again all!

chanz4

They wont do it for £80, sounds as others have said the price of a U16 meter. nationalgrid are the ones that own it, national grid metering are whom would be paid for the meter.

Unless you have an install date / meter point reference number, you dont have a fully actioned contract

lemontart

chanz4 wrote: »

They wont do it for £80, sounds as others have said the price of a U16 meter. nationalgrid are the ones that own it, national grid metering are whom would be paid for the meter.

Unless you have an install date / meter point reference number, you dont have a fully actioned contract

National Grid own the pipes not the meter, all meters are now either owned or leased by the supplier.

Once a new supply is installed the op can arrange with any supplier to have a meter installed. The meter will be installed by the meter asset management company that the gas supplier used be it National Grid Metering, Onstream, Enterprise or other - National grid connections do not arrange, install or move meters - http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/GasServices/GasMeters.htm

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Consumers/nc...x#who_can_move


"However, since the meter installation is most likely to be the property and responsibility of the Meter Asset Manager (MAM) - in most cases this will be your energy supplier - it would be necessary for the OAMI or Gas Safe Registered installer to first contact the MAM, seek agreement for the works to be undertaken, convince the MAM that the work will be properly designed and installed, safe and that the overall long term integrity of their meter installation is not compromised, and finally agree contract terms."

chanz4

lemontart wrote: »

National Grid own the pipes not the meter, all meters are now either owned or leased by the supplier.

Once a new supply is installed the op can arrange with any supplier to have a meter installed. The meter will be installed by the meter asset management company that the gas supplier used be it National Grid Metering, Onstream, Enterprise or other - National grid connections do not arrange, install or move meters - http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/GasServices/GasMeters.htm

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Consumers/nc...x#who_can_move


"However, since the meter installation is most likely to be the property and responsibility of the Meter Asset Manager (MAM) - in most cases this will be your energy supplier - it would be necessary for the OAMI or Gas Safe Registered installer to first contact the MAM, seek agreement for the works to be undertaken, convince the MAM that the work will be properly designed and installed, safe and that the overall long term integrity of their meter installation is not compromised, and finally agree contract terms."

You do know that national grid metering are a different part of their group, they only deal with meters? They dont touch the pipes.

National grid are the ones that own most of the pipelines, apart from a select few areas within an IGT area.

lemontart

chanz4 wrote: »

You do know that national grid metering are a different part of their group, they only deal with meters? They dont touch the pipes.

National grid are the ones that own most of the pipelines, apart from a select few areas within an IGT area.

Yes of course i do that is why I said national Grid connections and National Grid metering -not quite sure why you feel the need to question this as I have clearly stated the situation with links to support what I am saying to both National Grid and Ofgem.

I work on both gas enquiries and gas emergency so do actually know who owns what,and that as I have stated in previous posts the op will have to arrange a meter installation through what ever meter management company they use and in the case of bg that is rarely National Grid Metering these days as they have their own MAM's

Yman

Hi Chanz, no the 80 something pounds was definitely for the meter AND digging up the drive and to lay the pipes as it was all in writing. We paid it and accepted the order, but then after they wrote another letter to say that they did the quote wrong and it should infact be 600ish pounds.

So do you think that getting an installation date means having a contract in place? I would have thought me paying them would have been the binding of the contract?

Yman