My home doesn't exist!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Moved into a newbuild a year ago.

The builder didn't bother registering the houses as existing or as having any utilities. Took 2 months to get a postcode, 5 months to get a gas bill.

Still don't officially have a water or sewerage supply (post on Water board about that) or, most worryingly, an electricity supply.

Well, actually, I do have an electricity supply - I have been using it since I moved in last year - but it doesn't exist officially.

When I moved, I tried to get my existing supplier to take over the supply, they couldn't because the meter 'didn't exist', and EDF confirmed this over the phone.

Following a few more stressed phone calls and emails to the builder, I gave up on him and tried again when British Gas discovered my reports of a supply weren't make believe. Again, according to the original supplier, my meter still didn't exist.

Made an official complaint to the HA and they sent back a letter saying the builder says I'm lying, so they weren't having anything to do with it.

My electricity meter still doesn't exist.


It's been a year - the builder had used plenty of electricity (noted a false reading in the house manual) before I moved in, and I have been using electricity with no means of paying for it. Or of getting the most economical tariff - I can't swap tariff when I don't exist.


Is there anything I can do? I don't want to have a bill of thousands dumped on me that is payable instantly, I have been trying to get an account, I have been trying to get a better tariff, but with the lack of action by the builder and EDF, nobody seems to want to take my money in a fair transaction.


Help!

spiro

Phone the company supplying you gas and explain you want to take elec from them. Give them you address and meter serial number so they can check the central register. If they say it does not exist explain it does and can they treat you as a 'new connection' i.e. register a new Meter Point Admin Number (MPAN). They may have to send out a meter worker to check the meter details or possibly fir one of their own meters.

With new connections the distributor puts in the cables and creates the MPANs. Supllier should then register as the supplier for that MPAN and get their appointed Meter Operator to fit a meter. Some distributors put in the cable AND fit the meter which means you are getting elec without being registered to a supplier and possibly without an MPAN being created.

jalexa

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

My electricity meter still doesn't exist.

Is there anything I can do?

I understand your frustration about the "couldn't care less" attitudes you are experiencing, but unless there has been an illegal hook-up (very unlikely) and a "private" meter installed (unlikely), your property has a legal electricity supply installed either directly by the DNO or an utility connections company, who would know to inform the DNO. The responsibility for addressing the required industry registrations (now) lies with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for the area. Quit hassling the builder, random supplier and HA (who have all been negligently unhelpful) and focus on getting the DNO to shape-up, including DNO complaint raising if necessary.

Almost certainly the "problem" is a lack of post-code. I expect your property is registered with a vague development name/plot number.

insanegloss

More than likely it will be registered, however you need to provide the Meter Serial Number to the suppliers to find your MPAN and MPRN. This is because the MPxN's are probably under plot addresses with half a postcode. When giving your gas MSN, if it has the format of YYYY XXXXXX (where Y is usually a year of manufacture) ask them to try just the XXXXXX number or YYYYXXXXXX formats also (sometimes the gas transporters register them in slightly different ways!).

If after a lot of searching, and your MPxN's cannot be found at all, they can be created but this is a last resort for suppliers.

I hope that helps.