Pre- Paid Gas Meter

Dersuk

I would appreciate some advice here, I moved into my current property back in 2013, the previous tenant had a pre-paid gas meter installed, and soon after moving in I contacted the council who are my landlord to have the meter removed. I was advised to contact the energy supplier who were at the time nPower, (now Eon) which I did and explained that I do not need the Pre- Paid meter or a credit meter because I would not be using any gas at the property as I have no gas appliances in my property, (including the heating and hot water because this is supplied through a communal system from the council) and was told there was no need to remove it as I would not be using gas and that I would be charged for it's removal unnecessarily. So on this advice and because I wouldn’t be needing a credit meter or prepaid meter I left the pre-paid meter in place untouched, and unused, and to this day the meter has remained in the previous tenant’s name. However a few years ago in passing conversation with a council contractor I was recommended to have the pre-paid meter removed and capped as it wasn’t being used and to see if I could have it removed free of charge. This time nPower told me that there was a standing charge and that they would only remove the pre-paid meter in my property if the account was transferred into my name which would mean any existing outstanding standing charge owed will subsequently be transferred into my name. This made me very cross as I didn’t use the meter or any gas at any time, nor did I agree or sign any contract to have the Pre-paid meter installed in the first place, so I refused to pass on my details and have any connection with the meter, however I have now realised that there is £965 owed on this meter and worried I will be liable for something I did not want, use and certainly cannot not afford to pay for. Please can any one help me on this matter, I am finding the whole situation very stressful as this money owed on this Pre-paid meter will only increase as each month goes by.

MWT

You would appear to meet the criteria to have the standing charge removed even if they did ever come after you at some point, since you have not agreed to a contract for the gas and have not used even a single unit since you moved in.

Check the details here: https://www.eonenergy.com/help/billing-and-payments/standing-charge.html

Gerry1

Normally you if you don't register with the existing supplier you have a Deemed Contract.  This is usually expensive; if there was a daily charge of around 38p/day then it would have clocked up the £965 to which you refer.

However, the Gas Act states (Page 7) "the owner or occupier shall be deemed to have contracted with the appropriate supplier for the supply of gas as from the time ( “the relevant time ”) when he began to take such a supply".

IF you've never used any gas at all, then perhaps you could argue that you've never had a Deemed Contract and aren't liable to pay.  You might also be able to claim that this would have been an Unfair Contract because SLC 28(2) and SLC 28(3) of the licence conditions restrict the level of charges that suppliers can levy under deemed contracts. They provide that such charges should not be “unduly onerous”. Terms shall be taken to be “unduly onerous” if the revenue derived from supplying gas or electricity to customers on those terms: (a) significantly exceeds the costs of supplying gas or electricity.

Obviously, the £965 is far greater than the value of any gas supplied, i.e. zero !

However, rather than relying on these ideas it would be a good idea to speak to Citizens Advice. 

MWT

Pretty much all the energy companies have a page like the one I linked above, you basically get one shot to avoid the standing charge without having to have the supply disconnected when you take control of a new property.

You must never use the supply at all and must not, verbally or in writing, enter into a contract for the supply of the type of energy for which you want to have the charge removed.