Not had a gas bill since moving into new build!!!

dale123boy

I moved into a new build property which was handed over by a major housebuilder in june 2012. I signed handover documents which included meter readings, both electricity and gas on first utility headed sheets.

Since then i have been billed monthly without issue by first utility for my electricity but have never had a gas bill.

I queried this with first utility over the phone around august 2012 who assured me that they did not supply my gas, even though i had documentation that they did. I queried this with the builders head office and was also told that they were not in the habit of choosing two different suppliers for utilities and that it was indeed first utility for both.

I contacted oxoserve to try and gain an mprn no, as i tried to set up a new account with scottish power, however my address was not on their system so they could not supply one or tell me who supplied my gas. I got fed up trying so forgot about it until march 2013.

Mar 2013.... Sent e mail to first utility asking them to confirm whether or not they supply me, they replied saying no.

Sept 2013.... E mailed oxo serve, still not on their system, however they told me about the company that installed the pipeline, igt so i phoned them and they told me it was eon that supplied me???

I am now worried about how much of a bill that i will be hit with, and whether the charges will be competative/fair. They say that they never contacted me regarding payment because as far as they knew the house was still under ownership of the builder and that the contract between them means that the sum used would not be payable until transfer of the property.

I realise that this is a long winded tale of woe, but if anyone could shed any light as to what i should be asking/doing now it would be greatly appreciated.

macman

Did you actually register for both supplies with FU when you occupied? That's your job, not the developer's.
Sounds like the property is shipperless.

dale123boy

I think i did, i remember filling out a handover sheet which had first utility headings on the sheet. My electricity has been fine, just the gas. Ill need to dig out the paperwork again.

macman

dale123boy wrote: »

I think i did, i remember filling out a handover sheet which had first utility headings on the sheet. My electricity has been fine, just the gas. Ill need to dig out the paperwork again.

No, that's just a sheet agreeing the opening and closing meter readings between you and the developer (and apparently informing you of the existing supplier). It's then your job to register for the accounts yourself with FU.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi dale123boy

With new builds, the builder/developer will let us have details of each individual property and associated meter once they've signed over responsibility to the occupier.

Sometimes, there can be delays receiving this information or we may even be given the wrong details.

I suspect, your account is still under the builders/developers name.

We've a specialist New Connections team who deal exclusively with these matters. Depending on the nature of the development, a particular manager may have been assigned to the project.

I'd contact this team and give them as many details as possible. If a manager has been assigned, ask to talk to them.

The full postal address, a plot number, the Meter Serial Number and any readings, including up to date ones, will help. Also, any numbers/references on labels attached to the meter or pipe work would be useful.

This information will allow us to set up the account, sort out the billing and make sure the correct meter is attached to the account. We'll also update the national database.

Don't worry about suddenly receiving a large bill for a long period and having to pay it all straightaway. We'll be happy to set up a payment arrangement and spread the balance over a more manageable time.

If, as macman says, it turns out to be a Shipperless site then this is a different situation.

Shipperless sites are where a meter has been installed but a Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) hasn't been allocated. The MPRN is the unique registration number given to each individual supply.

Should this be the case, you can nominate the supplier of your choice and billing will start from the time the supply is registered.

Again, our New Connections team will be able to advise about this.

Hope this points you in the right direction dale123boy. Give me a shout if you need any more info as will be happy to help.

Malc

chanz4

I bet your under a dummy postcode which new builds are registered under, get them to search for you by meter serial number

chanz4

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi dale123boy

With new builds, the builder/developer will let us have details of each individual property and associated meter once they've signed over responsibility to the occupier.

Sometimes, there can be delays receiving this information or we may even be given the wrong details.

I suspect, your account is still under the builders/developers name.

We've a specialist New Connections team who deal exclusively with these matters. Depending on the nature of the development, a particular manager may have been assigned to the project.

I'd contact this team and give them as many details as possible. If a manager has been assigned, ask to talk to them.

The full postal address, a plot number, the Meter Serial Number and any readings, including up to date ones, will help. Also, any numbers/references on labels attached to the meter or pipe work would be useful.

This information will allow us to set up the account, sort out the billing and make sure the correct meter is attached to the account. We'll also update the national database.

Don't worry about suddenly receiving a large bill for a long period and having to pay it all straightaway. We'll be happy to set up a payment arrangement and spread the balance over a more manageable time.

If, as macman says, it turns out to be a Shipperless site then this is a different situation.

Shipperless sites are where a meter has been installed but a Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) hasn't been allocated. The MPRN is the unique registration number given to each individual supply.

Should this be the case, you can nominate the supplier of your choice and billing will start from the time the supply is registered.

Again, our New Connections team will be able to advise about this.

Hope this points you in the right direction dale123boy. Give me a shout if you need any more info as will be happy to help.

Malc

Grid would bill if shiperless

Cardew

I am now worried about how much of a bill that i will be hit with, and whether the charges will be competative/fair.

There is a provision in the Billing Code that a customer will not be back-billed for more than 12 months where the company are at fault. However there is a caveat that in the case of New Build properties the customer must have taken reasonable steps to find out his supplier and inform them of his occupation of the property.

It is a matter of conjecture if it is considered you took reasonable steps. If so you are likely to only pay for 12 months supply.

macman

'I got fed up trying so forgot about it until March 2013' (7 months later) doesn't IMHO sound like 'reasonable steps'.
And then a further 6 month gap between emailing F.U. and following up from that.

chanz4

Cardew wrote: »

There is a provision in the Billing Code that a customer will not be back-billed for more than 12 months where the company are at fault. However there is a caveat that in the case of New Build properties the customer must have taken reasonable steps to find out his supplier and inform them of his occupation of the property.

It is a matter of conjecture if it is considered you took reasonable steps. If so you are likely to only pay for 12 months supply.

You have to have an account before this would apply also

dale123boy

Eon have confirmed that they supply my address. I now have a bill of 980 pound for usage since july 2012.

They have agreed to allow a payment schedule over the next 18 months. They say that they were still under the impression that the builder owned the property and that they had a contract with them whereby they would not issue them with a bill until the property was sold. In my opinion, had they billed the builder regularly, it would have been flagged earlier that i now owned the house and they would have contacted me. It does not seem right that the house was actually completed in Nov 2011 and eon claim not to have contacted the builder regarding payment during 2 years of usage?

What annoys me is that i am now being billed at what is likely to be an uncompetative rate, and i never had the opportunity of a dual fuel discount, or to choose a cheaper rate elsewhere, from no fault of my own. They have offered to discount the first months usage.

Would this case be within the backbilling code? Maybe it was the builders fault/oxoserve that the property was not registered etc, for that i am unsure, but it does not seem right that i should have to pay a single penny more than i should when i have done nothing wrong.

Thanks,

Dale.