British Gas charging me for old capped meter.

Jenny001

I have moved into a property that is all electric but I have an old gas meter that is capped.

In November I got a bill from British Gas for a standing charge. I rang them and told them I was all electric and that the Gas Meter was capped. They said they would come and take the meter out and they would send me a letter with an appointment for them to do the work.

I recd no letter but this morning I have recd another bill. I have rang them again and they have said they will come and take the meter out at the end of the month.

However I have been told that because the meter has been capped that they should not have charged me but they may put a charge on for taking the meter out, is this correct?

lstar337

Just switch to a gas supplier with no standing charge. Then you wont have to keep getting messed about by a company that says one thing, and does another!

Jenny001

I am not with British Gas. I pay my electric to another company. The Gas was capped 2 yrs ago by a previous tenant.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4491727

It's good of BG to waive the standing charge, but I believe they are entitled to charge it. They may still do this in the future. If there's a meter there, there is still a supplier, and it would appear BG are supplying you.

OFGEM forced all companies to charge a standing charge instead of 2 tier tariffs. That standing charge can be 0p, although for gas I believe only ebico now do this.

molerat

Tell them to go do one then as you have never entered a deemed contract, as you did with the electric, because you have not used the service. Tell them they can do what they want with their meter but it has nothing to do with you.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

molerat wrote: »

Tell them to go do one then as you have never entered a deemed contract, as you did with the electric, because you have not used the service. Tell them they can do what they want with their meter but it has nothing to do with you.

Admittedly this article is from 2010 http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/the-ins-and-outs-of-deemed-contracts/804812

I don't know if there's since been judicial scrutiny, but the above would suggest that the status quo favours the energy companies.

*FWIW I highly doubt BG will try and continue to claim SC from the OP, it's just not worth the hassle.

molerat

The relevant bit

However, Ofgem recently clarified its view on the matter: it said that deemed contracts apply only once gas or electricity is consumed. It accepts, though, that its view is non-binding and that interpretation of the legislation is ultimately a matter for the courts.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

"Its view is non binding" ie. there is nothing to stop BG sending the OP a bill for the SC, even if it will end up in the long grass! (Confirms what we already know about the pathetic regulator!)

[Deleted User]

you are not "all electric " you have a gas supply to the property, albeit capped, ( thats easily reversed ) and you are now due to pay standing gas charges. switch to Ebico as others have said. Blame the government for thinking the public are too stupid to understand all the various tariffs

molerat

sacsquacco wrote: »

you are not "all electric " you have a gas supply to the property, albeit capped, ( thats easily reversed ) and you are now due to pay standing gas charges. switch to Ebico as others have said. Blame the government for thinking the public are too stupid to understand all the various tariffs

OFGEM think differently, OP has never used the gas which has been capped before they took over the property so no deemed contract and no bill to pay. It would be up to the courts to decide and I don't think BG would take it that far, losing would be too painful.

[Deleted User]

molerat wrote: »

OFGEM think differently, OP has never used the gas which has been capped before they took over the property so no deemed contract and no bill to pay. It would be up to the courts to decide and I don't think BG would take it that far, losing would be too painful.

Bit of an odd ruling, so the canny fiddler could easily remove the cap, turn control valve on and back comes a free gas supply, . I often get refused access by people who have have a gas meter but don`t use gas, from inspecting the meter ( if there is one ). It leads to a lot of customers complaining.