No gas supplier, no MPRN, not on National Grid

dah5609

I have been renting part of an old house for 18 months, using gas, but have never received a gas bill. It was a company relocation and they sorted out opening utility bills for electric, water, council tax, TV licence but not gas. Of course I realised this at the time but then forgot about it until now as we are about to move out, having now bought a permanent home.
There was a previous meter reading (January 2012) in the opening inventory we received (even though we didn't move in until September 2012) and by my calculations from the meter reading up until todays date we have used approx GBP8,000 of gas - I can believe that, its a big old house and takes a lot of heating !!!
I called the meter line to find out who our supplier is, and was told that our address is not on their records as it is not on the National Grid and is probably supplied by an Independent Gas Transporter. I sort of doubt this, as it is an old house and the supply must have been there for a few years. However, it appears to find out a supplier you need an MPRN which we do not have as we have never had a bill. I tried contacting British Gas to resolve this via the actual meter number, but could not really make myself understood to the call centre rep as they insisted I need an MPRN.
So, my dilemma is- do I pick a new supplier and give them an opening reading (we are due to vacate the premises in 3 weeks time) ??, or do I just leave this problem for the next tenants and hope we get away with it...

Any ideas ???

chanz4

problem been if your not on the database, is your supply even legal?

dogshome

Hmmm - Moving out in 3 weeks time ?

Somebody is supplying the Gas, and they have a further 6 years to send you a bill for it
Keep safe a record of your attempts to fiind out who the supplier is, along with a log of your Start & End meter readings and dates

dah5609

I'm pretty sure its a legal supply - electricity and water are all billed correctly (and paid for by me !), just no one seems to want to own the gas meter.

I've made notes on meter readings and also an audit trail of my attempts to resolve the issue.

I know I should have tried harder in the beginning to sort it out, but sort of forgot about it after the first three months....I have read that in any case I'll only be liable for the last 12 months usage (only 4 or 5 K !!), but not sure if this is correct.

Thinking that maybe the landlord never registered the meter when the house was split into two (this would have been a long time before we moved in as it is a fairly old looking meter)

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

I would imagine back billing clause 5 would apply, which would only leave you liable for 12 months:

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication/finish/43-code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills/412-the-code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills-back-billing-for-domestic-customers.html

Bear in mind that this is only industry code of practise, and the wording is ambiguous "the supplier would consider applying...." etc. The law in England and Wales allows debts to be recovered over a period of 6 years; industry code is not law.

Whilst whomever is supplying the property has been negligent in not maintaining their metering database, the consumer is also expected to do a few basics when they move in, there are arguments either way.

undercover_peon

It sounds like it is a shipperless supply ie if another supplier tries to take over it won't work.

It needs to be registered as a new supply, as you have made reasonable endeavors you are probably ok so long as you don't mind waiting the six years mentioned above (this is unlikely but possible)

lemontart

if shipperless then supplier will apply for new mprn - not uncommon happens all to often

chanz4

Also backbilling does not apply to shipperless supplys, the networks can bill right back as covered by theft legislation

dah5609

Well I only moved in September 2012 so won't be liable beyond that. If its shipperless, how will they know how much to charge as I presume they will have no record of meter reading

dah5609

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

I would imagine back billing clause 5 would apply, which would only leave you liable for 12 months:


Bear in mind that this is only industry code of practise, and the wording is ambiguous "the supplier would consider applying...." etc. The law in England and Wales allows debts to be recovered over a period of 6 years; industry code is not law.

Whilst whomever is supplying the property has been negligent in not maintaining their metering database, the consumer is also expected to do a few basics when they move in, there are arguments either way.

I sort of assumed that the relocation company would have sorted this out when we moved in, as they sorted out Electric and council tax and we got bills straight away with our names on....
They obviously had the same trouble as I'm now having, I contacted them and as it was 18 months ago, apparently our files have "gone into storage"....

Alt

I am still trying to recover from the shock of a £8000 gas bill for 18 months of usage :eek: