Switch2 Energy Community Heating, withhold payment

Smoothape

Hi,

Looking for advice.

This my be quite a brazen thing to consider however I am with a community heating scheme Switch2 which supplies hot water to a district.

A couple of months ago the hot water went out for 3 days which left us with no heating, no ability to take a hot shower before work etc.

They never acknowledged the problem and never gave us any compensation for the outage.

I know these community heating schemes are unregulated so if they are so bold to be egregious enough to charge us a full month's standing order (rip off £1 a day) without even an apology for the outage then what's the worst that can happen if I don't pay them any longer? What if I decide not to pay them, ever again, and move out of the property. They try and chase the bill but they cant reclaim on a utility debt that is more than 12 months.


My experience with dealing with these idiots since the hot water went out has infuriated me so much that I am considering doing this.

I told them I expect the service to be compensated for the 3 days I was left without hot water or heating and their response was basically "we don't detect any issue today, we can't help you".

matelodave

A community scheme is not regulated in the same way as gas & leccy and so they can chase you for your bills through the courts if you refuse to pay. Likewise theres is no back billing rule so they can keep going for at least six years.

You may feel aggrieved but you'd be even more upset if you get your credit rating trashed and you find that you are stuffed wherevever you go, just for a principle. Defaulting on a bill remains on your credit record for six years.

I guess it would hurt you a lot more than it would hurt them.

Smoothape

Thanks. I wasn't aware that they do not abide by any regulation what so ever and not even the basic tenancies. Do you know of any outside agencies (ombudsman etc) to go to in case of greviences? They shouldn't simply be able to get away with whatever they like. That's pretty rediculous.

wavelets

Smoothape wrote: »

Thanks. I wasn't aware that they do not abide by any regulation what so ever and not even the basic tenancies. Do you know of any outside agencies (ombudsman etc) to go to in case of greviences? They shouldn't simply be able to get away with whatever they like. That's pretty rediculous.

https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/county-court/

... although I suggest you speak first with your management agency, landlord or residents/leaseholders association etc about any complaint like this.

Mind you, based on this other thread you started this evening
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5938596
I suggest you concentrate your efforts on finding a new place to live than worry about £3 standing charges you paid when you didn't get the service.

Which maybe even more difficult to achieve than most, as according to a previous landlord, you were a consistent late payer :cool:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5773180


Take care.

Smoothape

wavelets wrote: »

https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/county-court/

... although I suggest you speak first with your management agency, landlord or residents/leaseholders association etc about any complaint like this.

Mind you, based on this other thread you started this evening
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5938596
I suggest you concentrate your efforts on finding a new place to live than worry about £3 standing charges you paid when you didn't get the service.

Which maybe even more difficult to achieve than most, as according to a previous landlord, you were a consistent late payer :cool:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5773180


Take care.

Ouch. I bet it gives you satisfaction to try and sting someone a little. Must mean you don't have much going on in your life that it pleases you so much.


I have a multifold of issues with the property I'm currently in. I can compartmentalise the issues and take into account various multifaceted contingencies that may come into play and each of the topics I've created are compartmentalisations of various issues with different possible contingencies. I don't think in as simple a way as you do.

If you had read that thread further you would have seen the previous agency had vouched for me and I got the flat anyways after being initially denied due to the mistake of labeling me as a late payer.

You must be a very small and feeble person to try so desperately to bring someone down in such a pathetic way.

antrobus

Smoothape wrote: »

...

I have a multifold of issues with the property I'm currently in. I can compartmentalise the issues and take into account various multifaceted contingencies that may come into play and each of the topics I've created are compartmentalisations of various issues with different possible contingencies. ...

.....

:rotfl:

One word does spring to mind.