Help - Shipperless Electricity ...

meunier

Dear Friends,

Can you please help me. I'm more than losing sleep - I have lost the plot I fear - and am now at the point of being suicidal. (Well, to the extent that I've called the Samaritans ... That said I'm still breathing .. well, obviously - or I would not be able to type this particular message.)

My particular tale of woe is this ...

I bought the leasehold to an ex-council flat in December 1996. When I got the keys and came in there was no gas, no water but there was electricity (in that the lights switched on). [I know; I know ... I'm a simpleton.] There were a goodly number of British gas bills that had been shoved through the letterbox - so I knew who the supplier in that regard was ... and duely reconnected ... although they did try to come after me for the past bills ... but happily I was able to get over that. The water too had bills - so I reconnected with Thames Water. When I tried to contact vis a vis the electricity - with no bills - no record of any kind - I had a nightmare. I felt like I was speaking a foreign language. They made me feel like I simply didn't exist. (Well, I guess as far as they were concerned I didn't.) I kept trying different companies but it was always the same ... Over and over again. I even called the Citizens Advice Bureau. They told me I wasn't registered. They told me to keep trying .. I did to no avail. Finally I just gave up.

Now they are going to replace the Ryefield Boxes ... I got a note through the letter box on Friday. ... It seems that EDF owns the plugs inside the distribution box. WHY COULDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THIS AT THE TIME I BOUGHT THE FLAT. What do I do? What should I expect? .... or should I just kill myself? (I know the last answer is NOT a reasonable alternative ... It's only that I really just want to sleep in peace again (while still breathing) ... and am fearful of being left with no electricity at all .... It is, I promise, a very wearying dilemma.

It's only that I felt SO ignorant last time round - and I DID try - but finally just gave up because I felt so defeated. I just don't have the words to properly express to people it seems .. Well, I didn't at the time ... and I fear not being able to now ... I only wish I did. Can you help me? What should I say? What should I expect? I would be ever so grateful. That much I can promise.

JJ_Egan

Whats the problem ??Its to difficult to understand your post .

Robin9

I don't think you need to be concerned - did EDF say they were going to do the work at their cost?

meunier

No. I have had no communication directly with EDF (or any other electrical outlet) whatsoever. I never have had. EVER.

It's only (and I feel so inadequate in expressing all this) that they are going to replace the 'Ryefield Boxes' ... which are the boxes which surround the distribution board. (Please forgive me if I'm not using the right terminology. I'm NO EXPERT - THAT'S FOR SURE.) The note (which was slipped through the letterbox by the Major Works contractors) says that the EDF team will be present to 'take the heads out' (whatever that means) on 30th November (we are at the end of a Warm Dry and Safe Campaign - for which I have paid £10,000 as my share - largely to have the roof renewed) and members of the major works team (Murphy's) will replace the Ryefield boxes themselves. I assume then the EDF staff will then put the heads back. They say that the electricity will be off from between (approx.) 8.00 am to 4.00 pm - which is fine - and that you must be home all the time as - if you are not - then EDF will charge £450 to re-connect you because they will run a 'surge test' in your flat. Please know I have had NO COMMUNICATION from ANY electrical resource AT ANY TIME or else I would have responded.

Does this help at all? Is this any clearer?

Bless you for your kind advice.

Robin9

It's still not a problem for you - there is a lot of improvement works going on - just be home on the 30th

meunier

Oh, thanks so, Robin9. That means a HUGE amount. Bless you.

[Deleted User]

EDF will be the local distributor.They obviously wish to replace some important piece of equipment.It could well be that they have been trying for a long time to access their equipment which they own.The former occupier may have just been ignoring their letters for years and now they re getting heavy threatening a fine.The DNO s, along with many other bodies have rights of access to your property.You cannot stop this or they will use the health and safety act and disconnect you. So just let them in to do their work, its free and wont take too long. They wont mess about with a warrant of access like the suppliers will, they will simply disconnect.

dogshome

The fact that EDF are involved in changing some of your Elec fittings, does not mean that they are the supplier who will bill you for your Elec consumption.

Whilst EDF are a 'retailer' as such, they also own parts of the power distribution network and it's in this role they are responsible for meters and the supply wires that go into them - Meanwhile the customer can choose any one of many retailers and it's down to pure chance as to wether or not EDF are also your retailer

It seems that the CAB did a check on your Elec supplier is, and drew a blank
The Register of what meter is in a dwelling and who it's retailing supplier is, is based on the area you live in, so it would be as well to check for yourself by Googling "Who supplies my Electricity" which will give you the phone number for your register

meunier

Thanks so for all of your kind advice. I, of course, would not dream of not permitting them access. It would be folly to do so. I will google as suggested. Bless you for ALL. The meter (which I've only just found as it is awkwardly placed ABOVE the switch board - i.e., at the top of a cupboard where you have to climb to the top of a ladder to find it - and can only read it with a tourch) says it belongs to the 'London Electricity Board'. I have taken down the registration number.

macman

If you are in the old LEB region, then UK Power Networks are the DNO, and in this instance their contractor is EDF. They are not the billing company and so have no interest in who your supplier is, so you are not going to be disconnected for non-payment.
Did you try these?
http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/help-and-advice/who-is-my-supplier/
http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/help-and-advice/what-is-my-MPAN/

D_M_E

Reading your post, it looks to me like you have not paid for your electricity usage for about 19 YEARS - I wonder what the bill for this period would be and how much of it would be collectable?


EDIT - only just found the meter, after (presumably) living their for 19 years? - in all tat time, did you never look in or access the cupboard below the meter, and if you did, how did you fail to notice the meter?