Another "no gas supplier?" thread

ethelmary

I rented a property for just over a year and didn't receive a single gas bill during this time. The managing agent told me I wasn't liable for gas because, like a lot of new builds, it doesn't have gas. I accepted this and didn't have any problems for the duration of the tenancy.

Fast forward a few months and I've been emailed a strange letter from the agent to say I owe hundreds in unpaid gas. Apparently there IS gas, and a dispute between the gas supplier and the managing agent has erupted. Therefore, I'm now liable to pay. Now, I'm ok with this - it's annoying the agent got it wrong but I diduse the gas. I smell a rat however. The managing agent say the gas supplier is Eon, but they haven't yet sent any bills or correspondance. Not a sausage. So I thought I'd ring Eon today to explain the situation and perhaps get a bill sent directly to me. Then I could pay it and move on. Eon told me they have never supplied gas to the property and that I should ring round the other gas suppliers and find out who is supplying.

I did that and drew a blank. Not a single supplier has any record of my old flat. I then rang the National Grid; they too have absolutely no record of ANY gas supplier.

So what could be going on here? Is it a scam? Or is it a Shipperless site which needs sorting? If so, do I need to sort it? I moved out of the property 2 months ago.

I really don't know what to think or do, can anyone help?

lemontart

did you have a gas boiler ? or a gas meter at the property, anything that uses gas? If you were the first person to live at the property after it was built chances are there was no registered gas supplier so you would have had to register with one.

Also if rented and had gas you would have had to have a gas safety certificate

ethelmary

lemontart wrote: »

did you have a gas boiler ? or a gas meter at the property, anything that uses gas? If you were the first person to live at the property after it was built chances are there was no registered gas supplier so you would have had to register with one.

Also if rented and had gas you would have had to have a gas safety certificate

No, we didn't have a gas boiler. Apparently there's a central boiler heating water for all of the flats in the block but I never saw it! There was no gas meter that I ever saw either. I was never shown any gas safety certificates.

macman

What does your STA say about payment of gas/electricity/heating bills? If there is a communal central heating./hot water system then there must be some reference to payment for this, as there is no individual metering? It's normally included in the service charges under such circumstances. The bill is entirely down to your managing agent to sort out with Eon-you don't need to get involved.
You don't need any GSC because the actual flat has no gas supply or appliances-just hot water supplied from a communal system. The flat will be shipperless for that reason-no gas supply exists.
Whether the agent can rebill you depends on your tenancy agreement as above.
Though I'm puzzled as to how anyone can live in a property for a year without wondering how it was heated and hot watered and how it was to be paid for?
Have you spoken to any of the neighbours, who are presumably in receipt of the same letter?

antrobus

ethelmary wrote: »

...Apparently there's a central boiler heating water for all of the flats in the block but I never saw it! ...

That's probably what the gas bill is for then. E.on may well be the supplier to 'Prospect House' but have no record of supplying gas to 'Flat 17, Prospect House'.

Since you rented this flat, what did it say in your tenancy agreement about service charges?

ethelmary

macman wrote: »

What does your STA say about payment of gas/electricity/heating bills? If there is a communal central heating./hot water system then there must be some reference to payment for this, as there is no individual metering? It's normally included in the service charges under such circumstances. The bill is entirely down to your managing agent to sort out with Eon-you don't need to get involved.
You don't need any GSC because the actual flat has no gas supply or appliances-just hot water supplied from a communal system. The flat will be shipperless for that reason-no gas supply exists.
Whether the agent can rebill you depends on your tenancy agreement as above.
Though I'm puzzled as to how anyone can live in a property for a year without wondering how it was heated and hot watered and how it was to be paid for?
Have you spoken to any of the neighbours, who are presumably in receipt of the same letter?

There is no reference whatsoever to the communal boiler/hot water system in my tenancy agreement, nor is there any reference to service charges other than the fact they're the landlord's responsibility. All service charges were paid by the landlord and I was told those service charges covered everything except the council tax, water, electricity etc. which I set up in my name and paid for.

I haven't spoken to any neighbours - this has all happened since I moved out. I'm planning on going over there this evening though in the hope I can talk to some residents and also track down this central boiler.

antrobus

ethelmary wrote: »

There is no reference whatsoever to the communal boiler/hot water system in my tenancy agreement, nor is there any reference to service charges other than the fact they're the landlord's responsibility. All service charges were paid by the landlord and I was told those service charges covered everything except the council tax, water, electricity etc. which I set up in my name and paid for.

Then refer the managing agent to your landlord (the leaseholder of the flat presumably) should they contact you again. The service charges, inclusive of the cost of the gas supply to the communal heating system, are the landlord's liability. If the landlord then wants to try and recover these extra costs from you then they can try and argue their case.

macman

Then you appear to owe absolutely nothing. The gas billing is down to the agent and landlord to sort out with Eon; you have no contract with them as you haven't used their services.
The agent or landlord's monumental c**k up is for them to resolve between them, and not the responsibility of their tenants.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi ethelmary

This doesn't sound like a Shipperless Site issue. Shipperless sites are where a meter has been installed but not fully set up with the necessary admin details ie a Meter Point Reference Number.

As you didn't have a meter in the actual property, I suspect we're billing to one that is registered elsewhere. Possibly to the landlord.

Am only guessing though and, as others have said, you really need to take this up with the landlord/managing agent.

Malc

chanz4

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi ethelmary

This doesn't sound like a Shipperless Site issue. Shipperless sites are where a meter has been installed but not fully set up with the necessary admin details ie a Meter Point Reference Number.

As you didn't have a meter in the actual property, I suspect we're billing to one that is registered elsewhere. Possibly to the landlord.

Am only guessing though and, as others have said, you really need to take this up with the landlord/managing agent.

Malc

Not only this, but it can be a shipper withdrawn site

ethelmary

Thanks everyone.

The £650 is being held from my deposit, so I've now presented my case to the TDS in the hope that the managing agent won't be allowed to keep my money.