swalec urgent help please needed

chicken_licken_3

hi, i am new here but one of my friends pointed me in the direction of here.

I'm currently having trouble with the gas company called swalec, i moved into my house 2 years ag and they sent a bill for £56 for the previous occupant, i sent it back to swalec saying they'd moved, no forwarding address, none left at the house and i switched to british gas.

The issue with the £56 mounted, swalec saying it was mine, even though for the period stated i wasn't living there, they also let my supply go to BG which BG said wouldn't have happend if i owed money.

so, anyway, Energy watch investigated and swalec didn't respond and energy watch found in my favour and said i shouldn't have to pay anything as i produced evident saying i wasn't even living at the house on the dates the bill was for.

so, they kept sending people round asking for money, these visits were apparently costing £130 a time and again energy watch investigated and found in my favour.

Today, returned from work to find swalec had broken into my house, taken the gas meter!

left a note saying they had a warrnt right of entry but the complaint is still being delt with by energywatch and they've cause this damage to the inside

TV knocked off stand and stand broken (£300 TV and £120 stand)
Meter cupboard door wrenched off the wall
Camera printer dock broken
Back gate broken and left unsecured

can anyone tell me where i go from here, swalec have said i need to contact the police, the police say it's not their matter.

Cl

matto

What a nightmare. Sorry I don't have any good advice. Only thing I can think of is that you'll have to get EnergyWatch involved more. Also try the Energy Supply Ombudsman http://www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk/ they can provide upto £5000 in compensation for poor customer service. Try also the local media and your MP.

matto

section 28(2) of Schedule 2B (The Gas Code) of the Gas Act 1986 seems to provide a pretty clear right to compensation. You would have to prove the damage of course. Take photographs and if for example the TV stand was damaged because it would have been necessary to stand on it to access the meter take a photograph of the whole room to show that.

28(2) Where in pursuance of any powers of entry conferred by this Schedule, entry is made on any premises by an officer authorised by a public gas transporter, gas supplier or gas shipper—
(a) the officer shall ensure that the premises are left no less secure by reason of the entry; and
(b) the transporter, supplier or shipper shall make good, or pay compensation for, any damage caused by the officer, or by any person accompanying him in entering the premises, in taking any action therein authorised by this Schedule, or in making the premises secure.

tripled

First Swalec cannot get a warrant to enter your property and disconnect you unless they are the current supplier. They cannot disconnect you if someone else is supplying you. They must give you notice they are going to court to get a warrant.

Have they left a copy of the warrant for you to see?

My advice would be to phone transco and check BG is the registered supplier, tel 08706081524. If they are, redial on 0800111999 and report a stolen gas meter. Then call energywatch and ask for their advice.

chicken_licken_3

Thanks, i have called energywatch, they are investigating.
BG are my supplier, I have just confirmed this.

I have taken photographs with a friends digi cam that are date and time stamped. i can honestly say the house looked like it had been burgalled. There was no notice of warrant, i no i have some debts but utilities are not one of them! I am with EDF for my elec so i have no dealings with swalec.

i have sent them my land registry and mortgage details for when i bought my house, surely this should have been enough?

i am just so angry, i don't use gas much anyway but it's the principle of the matter that it is for the previous occupiers time in the house.

thanks for all of your help here today, thanks.

matto

Ring BG as your supplier and let them know what has happened. They may be able to give some advice.

chicken_licken_3

Thank you, i will do that now.