Power company obtaining Warrant of Entry

FixitM

Hello. The power company are going to obtain a warrant to enter our property. They state that if they cannot fit a meter (& the electricity one is near the ceiling), they will cut the power off. Can they do that? Husband is about to do BR (I went BR in February), so could we move providers now?


Thanks in advance.

National_Debtline

Hello FixitM,


Unfortunately, they can do this. If you are in arrears with the supplier they can disconnect or fit a PPM with a warrant from the magistrates court. You should've receive a letter from the supplier giving you 28days to pay the bill or make an arrangement and 7 days notice of disconnection. If you have had these the fact that your husband it intending to go bankrupt will not solve the issue in time because the adjudicator has 28days to consider the bankruptcy application.

So, potential solutions could be to change the supplier but depending on how much you owe this could be refused. Or make an arrangement to pay extra on top of the usage before you going bankrupt to try and stop the disconnection action. Or try and apply to a trust fund to deal with the arrears but, again, whether this would happen before a bankruptcy is questionable. Good luck,


Laura
@natdebtline

NotEvanAPot

Who's name were the utility bills under at time of your bankruptcy? If yours, and debt has accrued since your BR, then they will be within their rights to fit pre-payment meters for gas and electricity. If husbands, only bankruptcy before date of meter change will stop things. They will not disconnect you, this is in there for the instance when people do not allow entry. If they are only at the application stage, you've got a while yet.

Do not take offence at this request, but having done the job (meter change due to debt), please be respectful when the operatives are there to do their job. I was called all sorts and on more than one occasion required police attendance for breach of the peace.

Agree with Laura but a bit more strongly, your supplier will not release your accounts if in debt. Even at bankruptcy of your husband, they can be pretty uncooperative. My advice is to have a calm chat with them, agree to pre-payment meters being fitted and get things sorted. Once your husband has his BR order, you would only be liable for any outstanding amounts from your BR date plus future usage. Pre Payment is more expensive, but will you have the funds to lodge a security deposit for a standard account?

FixitM

Hello. Thanks for you replies. The account is only in my husband's name. The amount owing also includes historic debt, which was included in the IVA (which failed), so is quite a substantial amount and not one which we can afford to pay. My husband is self employed, and currently on very low earning, so we are currently surviving on tax credits whilst he is looking and applying for other things. They are going to court to obtain a warrant on 16th, with a view to entering the property after 24th. As the electricity meter is where the ceiling is, they have stated that they can't fit a meter there, so therefore am assuming they will cut off our electricity. So what happens then? In terms of us having 3 children and no way to cook, wash clothes, have hot water, etc?

I would never be rude to someone just doing their job, I know it's not their fault, and just wish there was a way to stop this happening. How much would it cost to lodge a security deposit for a standard account?

Thank you.

National_Debtline

Hello again,


This is a very difficult situation as it appears you are at the last stages of the process and may have exhausted everything to date. I would suggest that you contact the supplier again and if any of your children are younger than 5 years old you could ask them to reconsider the disconnection. It is my understanding they shouldn't disconnect if there is a child in the property younger than 12months old.


You could see if your supplier has signed up to the Safety Net scheme and whether or not your household would fall under the category of vulnerable.


You could try and speak to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0345 404 0506 for more advice. Pay as much as you can to try and prevent this action. If your husband has got everything else ready for his bankruptcy he could try and submit it ASAP (from other posts I know you have to get his tax returns in and up to date before doing this) and hope the adjudicator deals with it before the 24th (but remember the adjudicator does have 28days).


Laura
@natdebtline

FixitM

Thank you for your reply Laura. I will get him to ring them tomorrow and see what they say (as my daughter may just have got concussion, so he is looking after her whilst I mind the other 2). My youngest is 2 years old, so outside the 12 month age cut off. If they do cut us off, and we can't get a new provider, then what do people do about power supply to their home?

He spoke to the CAB yesterday, and they could offer no advice except to speak to the provider. So I suppose we'll have to see what they say. He is planning to try and complete the bankruptcy forms early next week, so we'll just have to hope we get very lucky.

Thank you for your help.

NotEvanAPot

I am a little lost on the comment that they cannot fit a meter where the current meter sits. I don't know if you have any way to post a picture here? The engineers would only leave it fully disconnected if unsafe to mount a prepayment meter.

3 children present in the property would affect how the court proceeds. Get the bankruptcy application done online before Tuesday and turn up to the hearing with ALL paperwork.

Expect to hear from the Insolvency Service again regarding your bankruptcy. If you are in receipt of any income (including benefits) and debts have continued to be unpaid post BR date, they do tend to tie things up between married couples and come asking questions. If nothing has been paid with a paper trail from your account since your BR, they may want an explanation.

Regarding utilities security deposits, normally about £150 if dual fuel, but you will need to pay by direct debit on time, every time going forwards - there will be zero understanding from the supplier.

FixitM

When they power company have been out to the property in the past, they have stated that the meter cupboard is too high up to safely instal a card meter. They have told us now that they will not cut it off, as there are children until 16 in the house, but will look for somewhere to relocate the electricity meter.

Thank you for the information about the security deposit, as they hadn't mentioned that to us at all. I only receive child tax credits and child benefit, so looks like I will be trying to play catch up with electricity, gas, water & council tax bills using the kids' clothes & other essentials money. Ouch!

baldelectrician

As you are on benefits you could ask about 'direct payments' from your benefits
I am not sure which ones you are on but it may be worth a try

fatbelly

Don't know who you're with but EDF, Eon, British Gas and Npower have charitable trusts you might be able to tap into

http://www.charisgrants.com/application-forms/

FixitM

Thank you. I suppose I'll have to wait until my husband's bankruptcy is done, and then see what I owe them, then try and come to some arrangement. I will take a look at those forms, thank you.