Urgent Advice!! GAS BILLS

Dalvid26

Hi Everyone,


I need advice! I moved into a property on 09/09/11 and to date haven't paid a gas bill... When I moved in I tried to set up a supplier but the gas meter wasn't registered to any company so I just ended up leaving it and it willingly slipped to the back of my mind. I then recently got a bill addresses to the occupier from British Gas (£5,500) which I resolved with the national grid as our meter wasn't registered with supplier, so here is the problem! I want to set up a supplier but I am worried it could get back dated and who will they contact like estate agents, will they ask me how longed I have lived in the property? Also will they want to know who my previous supplier was even though its never been registered? Basicly can I set up a supplier with out getting screwed for the last 3 years?? Any advice will help!!


Many thanks
Dale

Andy_WSM

Dalvid26 wrote: »

Basicly can I set up a supplier with out getting screwed for the last 3 years?? Any advice will help!!


Many thanks
Dale

No.

And if by "getting screwed" you mean "paying for what I have used for the last 3 years" then :rotfl:. Pay for it like the rest of us do - otherwise we end up paying it for you!

This is Money Saving Expert. Not How to Defaud the Utility Companies Expert.

Dalvid26

Hi and thanks for your reply,


I can see that this has upset you and I apologise if this is the case. I have read a few threads on this forum about people who have done the same thing as me and continue to do it 5, 10+ years, I would like some advice from someone as I already understand what I have done is wrong and would like to correct what I have done with as little damage as possible although that seems wrong to people who have been paying!!

milliemonster

What do you want us to say? give you an explanation of how you can get out of paying what you owe just because 'some' people may have managed to do it?

To correct what you have done with as little damage as possible is to find out who supplies you and come to a repayment arrangement to pay what is owed, anything else and you are looking at court for fraud

Andy_WSM

milliemonster wrote: »

anything else and you are looking at court for fraud

I get the impression that the Op both thinks he is anonymous and doesn't care much for the law.

Dalvid26

milliemonster wrote: »

To correct what you have done with as little damage as possible is to find out who supplies you and come to a repayment arrangement to pay what is owed, anything else and you are looking at court for fraud

The gas meter hasn't been registered with any company since the house was built about 7 years ago, no company would accept my meter as it wasnt registered.

lindens

Just bite the bullet - choose a supplier and register with the, give them any meter readings you have from now and in the past. then work out a payment plan - they won't want it all up front but you should pay for what you use like all of us do. I fail to understand how it slipped your mind for over 3 years

System

i would not be able to sleep knowing i was getting free gas or electric, am sorry but i would of done more to sort this out long before now.

System

The other contributors make very good points but, if I was the OP, I would take a look at The Theft Act 1968

1 Basic definition of theft.

(1)A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it; and “thief” and “steal” shall be construed accordingly.

(2)It is immaterial whether the appropriation is made with a view to gain, or is made for the thief’s own benefit.

matw2

A similar thing happened to me when I moved into my property. When the houses on our road were built they mucked up the meter registrations. It took 9 months to sort it out (I ended up speaking to all sorts of people in the first 3 months, engineers, crossed meter teams etc).

Anyway I forgot about it for 6 months and then eventually got it sorted. When I did they realised neither I nor they had a meter reading for when I moved in and decided not to charge me as they couldn't do it accurately.

Probably different to your case but just thought I'd throw in my experience.

Dalvid26

I have spoken with British Gas and the house was never registered properly. The gas meter serial number was registered wrong and also was registered to a flat that has never existed on our street so all the mail was sent to that address not mine, the final warning letter reached my house as when I tried to register originally the system took some of my information and it found its way to me. The people on the phone where very helpful apart from some that told me to ignore the letter, the last guy I spoke to got this sorted which should of been done in the first place... I have started from scratch with my account as this isn't my fault and I did try to set up the account originally and the mail was going to the wrong address. Thanks fot the advice in the last comment and the rest of you can put your pitch forks away :j