Low Gas Use / Standing Charge / £500 Reconnection!

staffsuk

OK So I'm an incredibly low gas user, I've used just one unit over the last year! I only use gas for my hob.

I am currently with EBICO and have been on their Zero Green Fixed V2 tariff with no standing charge for gas. They have now implemented a minimum usage charge on all of their tariffs irrespective of how much gas I use, including on supposed zero standing charge tariffs! They said it would cost me £104 / year even if I use no gas!!

They said an option would be to have the gas meter removed, and that I would need to contact Cadent. So I spoke to Cadent, and they said the energy company shouldn't charge to have the meter removed, but that if I wanted it re-connected Cadent would have to come in to do that, at a cost of £500!!

Whilst I am a very low user now, at some point in the future I may want to get my GCH sorted in which case I would need gas.

So, are there any suppliers left that have true no-standing charges for Gas, or am I completely snookered on this?

Are there any other options I could look into?

Thanks!

Cardew

Discussed and some suggestions in this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6064429/ebico-misrepresentation-low-usage-penalties

C_Mababejive

This has nothing to do with Cadent. Your meter is a matter for the gas supplier. Cadent are the network operator and provider of the emergency service. They may undertake meterwork on behalf of gas suppliers on a contract basis. The gas supplier often hires the meter from a meter asset manager. it is the MAM who own the meter. Ultimately your point of contact re that meter is your gas supplier. Note that if you have that meter removed then cadent will implement another process about a year later to cut off your service under the regulations which require a network operator to cutoff an unused service as close to the main as possible. Should that happen ,you would likely have to pay cadent for a new service if you want to use gas again at some future point.

Things used to be a lot simpler when the industry was run by the mighty British Gas Corporation (nationalised). Non of this hassle and all this stuff done for free.