How much can they demand?

laura0007

Hi, I have been having trouble paying my electric bill with british gas. I was on Income Support until April of this year and paid £17 per week towards electric automatically. Now I have started work British Gas want at least £202 per month towards the bill ( It is £1700 as I was only paying £17 per week before work ) I have offered £80 per month, I work part time, 20 hours per week as I have a five year old an am pregnant. I only earn minimum wage, my take home pay is £484 a month, out of this i put £200 towards my rent, £80 child care an all the usual bills, food etc on top there really isnt enough left to pay £200+ for electric. My landlord has refused a pre pay metre an has told me I would be in breach of contract to have one installed. What do I do?

chanz4

Well your l/lord talks rubbish, as he doesnt own the meter for one. The recovery rate for people that work is higher, although goto the cab and do a soa. Is the father of the second child moving in?

Wywth

laura0007 wrote: »

Hi, I have been having trouble paying my electric bill with british gas. I was on Income Support until April of this year and paid £17 per week towards electric automatically. Now I have started work British Gas want at least £202 per month towards the bill ( It is £1700 as I was only paying £17 per week before work ) I have offered £80 per month, I work part time, 20 hours per week as I have a five year old an am pregnant. I only earn minimum wage, my take home pay is £484 a month, out of this i put £200 towards my rent, £80 child care an all the usual bills, food etc on top there really isnt enough left to pay £200+ for electric. My landlord has refused a pre pay metre an has told me I would be in breach of contract to have one installed. What do I do?

Surely it's not up to your landlord. :huh:

How can you have possibly accumulated a £1700 electricity debt since April?
We don't use that amount in a whole year!

You can request a PPM or perhaps the supplier will force one upon you if you don't come up with an acceptable repayment plan
The supplier will normally allow a debt to be repaid over the period it originally accrued.

A PPM will cost you far more than the best credit meter tariff, so be careful what you wish for.

Furthermore, you may lose part of your deposit if the landlord incurs cost in returning the property back to the condition it was originally let to you in.

And be aware, once the minimum term is over (typically 6 months) the LL can kick you out for no reason at all which, if he is the ogre you suggest, then he probably will if you don't get this sorted out.

But then you know all this, don't you... :cool:

Terrylw1

The landlord can say what he/she likes, the supplier can easily obtain a warrant to fit a PPM and the landlords tenancy terms won't override the Utility Act!

The landlord is not their customer and they are under no obligation to them.

The only time a supplier would have an issue is if any drilling or resiting is required since you don't own the property.

So, the first issue is to talk to the CAB to ensure you are covered under Unfair Contract Terms.

~Chameleon~

How on earth have you managed to amass a bill of £1700?? It would take me over 3 years to even use that amount of electricity!! :eek:

devonlad

hello is that £1700 carried across from another year or something? that seems so much, mine is loads less with a household of four that forget to switch things of like nintendo wii etc?
you could save lots of money by switching things of rather than standby.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/free-cheap-energy-monitors
one of these monitors clamped around the energy supply will should allow you to observe what you are using in real time. you could then compare the costs of what you have used in a week/month. i bet yours would work out at about 30 to 40 a month. this type of montor can sometimes be had for free. contact your supplier explain your situation.


The CAB can lend you an ear as well.

devonlad

hi again just seen this,
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/gas-and-electricity/our-energy-tariffs/clear-and-simple.html

they quote 38 average a month by dd with 6% percent discount if pay by direct debit.
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/gas-and-electricity/energysmart.html

and you could get one of these meters as well

good luck

does your partner contribute towards bills as well?

SwanJon

Follow the above advice and get on the best tariff, (watching for lock ins), montior your consumption etc.
It sounds like no-one has mentioned the British Gas Energy Trust yet so they are definately worth a look.
They are independent of British Gas, and may help you clear your feet

undaunted

The supplier is stil supposed to consider affordability not leave you penniless. As suggested try someone such as the C.A.B., Consumer Credit Counselling Service, Local Community Legal Advice Centre to help you draw up a financial statement & submit a realistic / reasoned proposal to them. If it's £80 it's £80 it sounds unlikely to be £200 or anywhere near. Good luck

SwanJon

Undaunted is right - they should not leave you short, but if you are using more than you can afford (let alone make payments towards the balance) then a prepayment meter may be the way forward.
These are your bills not your landlords so how you pay them is nothing to do with him.

Before you do that, apply to the BG energy trust to pay off the outstanding balance - you might find that without that the payments are more realistic.

chanz4

jizzler wrote: »

"Is the father of the second child moving in?"

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

It could mean a second income into the home, so not really silly.