British Gas Reconnection Fee

Suarez

I recently purchased a property that is split into 2 therefore 2 electricity supplies. SSE and British Gas.

Found out that both properties had been "de energised".

Called SSE to sort it - 3 weeks later an engineer is out to install a new meter. Fine.

Called British Gas - they wan't to charge £300 for the re connection. I called SSE to see if they would do it but they can't take over the supply until the previous company reconnect me. I cannot move supplier until I pay British Gas for the reconnection.

I don't understand how SSE can reconnect for free yet British Gas charge £300.

Is there no way around it?

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

There is no legislation, so no there is no "right" that you get it for free. I'm surprised that SSE did to be honest, there is a real time and material cost - if I were the supplier I wouldn't want to bear it.

spiro

SSE are wrong, you can change supplier when the site is de-energised with no meter.

Suarez

spiro wrote: »

SSE are wrong, you can change supplier when the site is de-energised with no meter.

Is there any publication I can quote to them if I call them again?

SammenForLivet2

Not all firms will allow an switch on an de-energised supply, the one I work for will automatically block such a switch and if a human steps a foot on a de-energized supply, this will more often than not result in an erroneous transfer back to the old supplier. Normally, it should auto-block at sometime during the switch process.

Changing a supply from de-energized to energized is long winded, and takes a lot of work. From my recent experience, it took about 15 e-mails to various organizations, along with a number of dataflows (technical information files) and a lot of chasing between meter owners, industry partners and data collectors. Therefore, I assure you that there is a real cost to the provider, it's not as easy as clicking a button

footyguy

Suarez wrote: »

I recently purchased a property that is split into 2 therefore 2 electricity supplies. SSE and British Gas.

Found out that both properties had been "de energised".

Called SSE to sort it - 3 weeks later an engineer is out to install a new meter. Fine.

Called British Gas - they wan't to charge £300 for the re connection. I called SSE to see if they would do it but they can't take over the supply until the previous company reconnect me. I cannot move supplier until I pay British Gas for the reconnection.

I don't understand how SSE can reconnect for free yet British Gas charge £300.

Is there no way around it?

I'm a little confused as to your plans, and indeed what you bought.

You say you bought a property, albeit it is currently divided into two.

What are your plans for it? To return it to a single dwelling, or retain it as two? If it was to retain it as two, then I would have said you have bought two properties, hence my confusion.

How were the properties described when you bought them? Did they say they had services, in particular electricity, connected? If so, you don't appear to have been provided with what you agreed to buy, so revert to your solicitor ... who may in turn tell you to revert to your surveyor.

Anyway, as to your direct question which is a way around avoiding paying BG £300, then if your plans are to restore the building to a single dwelling, then there is an easy way around the issue - rewire the property so that all the electricity is served by what I shall term the "SSE meter" ... which of course you apply to change supplier as soon as you are back on supply