Some advice please

kobros

Hi

Hopefully someone can help,I am asking on behalf of my mum.

My parents have a house with a shop attached and the shop has been leased to somebody but they have recently done a runner without paying the bills.

We have already been disconnected from the electricity but the problem is this is a commercial meter which feeds both the house and the shop, so there is no electricity at all now.

My elderly father who lives in the house and has mobility problems is starting to suffer now, as its freezing. Not that the elec company is bothered.

What we want to do is get a new domestic meter put in so it's seperate from the shop, but apparently that will take quite a bit of time.

Although we are not liable for the debt the elec company will not reinstate the supply until the bill is payed.

Is there nothing that can be done to get things moving quicker, god knows what will happen once the snow kicks in.:(

HappyMJ

They don't have to use prepayment meters for shops. They get quicker payment if they just cut off the supply. You need to get the flat completely seperated from the shop. Does he pay council tax seperate to the business rates? Does he own the house and the shop as one unit?

DVardysShadow

You need to research the processes for cutting off electricity where there is a vulnerable person. I would say it is reasonable to expect electricity reconnected for a vulnerable elderly person against an undertaking to pay for consumption from the time of reconnection, pending separation of the supplies.