Help. Being Charged for Gas, but no gas Meter

MrStarship

Hi,

I moved in to my apartments late last year. Since then I have set up my electricity with a provider and I have no problem with that. However, when I came to this new apartment I knew there was no gas there as was told electric only as it's had extensive refurbishment. However, I keep getting billed by Utilitia for over £100 per month, estimated reading, on gas.

I have contacted landlord of apartments and been given the certificate or document that tells the gas has been removed/cut off months before I moved in. There is only an electricity meter in my apartment.

At the moment, I'm being billed over £100 per month and I have debit of over £1000 with utiliaia but not used any gas what-so-ever. To my date this 'debt' has not been sold on to debt collectors and only get the bills from them about this.

Interestingly, I had discussion with a neighbour who is in similar problem and has been told by their energy company that they can't remove her from their system as their computers show that gas is in place at this block.

Any advice would be very helpful.

Thanks

Biggles

Why have you let this go on for nearly a year? Just ring them.

Cardew

I suggest you WRITE to them with a copy of your certificate.

If you don't they eventually will pass the 'debt' to a Debt Collection Agency and then your troubles will start.

Farway

Here's the complaints page, with postal address, as Cardew says, write a real paper letter and post it in a real post box

http://www.utilita.co.uk/contact-us/complaints

Head your letter COMPLAINT so there can be no misunderstanding

MrStarship

Biggles wrote: »

Why have you let this go on for nearly a year? Just ring them.

Done that and wrote to them, but been told similar story to that of the neighbour. Shall I complain again in writing and them to the Ombudsman if not satisfactory resolved?

Biggles

MrStarship wrote: »

Done that and wrote to them, but been told similar story to that of the neighbour. Shall I complain again in writing and them to the Ombudsman if not satisfactory resolved?

You don't care whether, as they apparently said to the neighbour, they 'can't remove you from their system', you just need them to acknowledge that you have no gas supply and can prove it. What did they say to that?

[Deleted User]

You say the gas meter has been "removed/cut off " What actually has happened ? Has the gas meter disappeared or is it still in place and they have put a cap in place to stop gas from flowing through ?The gas meter is the property of National Grid and they are the only ones ( or their contractors ) who can officially remove it. If someone else has removed it it will still be on the National Grid database .

Joyful

Ask them to do a site visit to prove there is no gas meter. It may be the landlord removed it but the national database was not updated to show this.

Mr.Generous

I'm not convinced anyone could try and recover a debt for estimated use, at some point they would have to show actual use. You could just keep raising a dispute against the bill as its completely inaccurate.

spiro

Removing the meter and having supply removed are two different things. In the case of the the latter the MPAN will no exist so there is no supply to charge for.
I would ask the landlord which of the 2 has been done.

footyguy

MrStarship wrote: »

Done that and wrote to them, but been told similar story to that of the neighbour. Shall I complain again in writing and them to the Ombudsman if not satisfactory resolved?

The response given by the supplier should have informed you what to do if you did not agree with their resolution. (and I'm pretty sure it wasn't to start again with a brand new complaint)

Even if it didn't, the complaint process as linked to by Farway explains what to do.