Business standing charge for disconnected meter

andrewg112

Hi All,
I wonder if anyone has any experience with gas meter removals from business premises. I am a trustee of a charity which operates as a business. Our gas boiler was de-commissioned in 2019 and we have recently had an all-electric replacement. 

We have been trying to stop the standing charges for our business gas meter (which are high as we are now out of contract and we dont want a new contract as we dont and wont cosume any gas) and now finally the meter has been disconnected at the suppliers valve and capped off. 

The meter is free-standing and awaiting collection, however our supplier is insisting that the standing charge will be charged daily until the meter is collected.
I have been in regular contact with the meter owners and their collection team and have now advised it will be another month before they will collect the meter as there is nobody in the area.
Is it really correct that the standing charge can be applied even though clear evidence can be given that the supply is capped off and the meter is not in use? It seems extremely unfair.

In hindsight we should have started a new contract and ended it when the meter was disconnected, this saga has gone on for nearly 4 months. 

Thanks

daveyjp

While ever you have a meter there is a potential for it to be reconnected.  The utility companies need to maintain a supply adequate to meet this potential demand and that costs money.

By charging you SC it is an encouragement to have the meter removed.  

Carrot007

Removal of meter after disconnection take ages. Yes you will be chanrged a lot (out of contract) while it is there.

You should just have paid what they were asking to remove it, would have probably been cheaper.

dogshome

If this meter was in a DOMESTIC users premises and no gas was used for a year or more, no charges including the Standing Charge, could be made.

Ofgem have a set of rules that apply only to small businesses which largely follow those for Domestic customers - Try making a claim on these 

[Deleted User]

dogshome said:

If this meter was in a DOMESTIC users premises and no gas was used for a year or more, no charges including the Standing Charge, could be made.

Ofgem have a set of rules that apply only to small businesses which largely follow those for Domestic customers - Try making a claim on these 

I confess that I have not seen any evidence that the above statement is true.

From a recent response to a FOI request on this very topic:

Quote: Suppliers are allowed to charge a standing charge (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/key-term-explai...) for each meter that is connected to the national grid infrastructure that has the capability for receiving gas or electricity supply, regardless of whether the meter is in use. Although being allowed to charge a standing charge for every connected meter, suppliers have a general obligation to treat customers in a fair, honest and transparent manner and provide information which is accurate and not misleading. This obligation applies in respect to any information provided or omitted. In this respect Suppliers are, for example, required to list standing charges, related to the supply points, separately on the customer’s utility bill. By checking your bills, you should be able to see a charge for each of the supply points (meters) that were connected. Unquote

FWiW, I know that Octopus is prepared to remove gas meters at no cost to the homeowner.

MWT

[Deleted User] said:

I confess that I have not seen any evidence that the above statement is true.

Because it isn't

As a domestic user you have one shot at avoiding the standing charge when you first take responsibility for a meter.

Before you make any use of the gas and before you set up a new account with the existing supplier you must inform them that you intend to make no use of the gas.

If you do that then there is no deemed contract and they cannot levy a standing charge.

Once you make any use of the gas or setup a new account it is too late and then the only way to get rid of the standing charge is complete disconnection of the gas service.

andrewg112

Thanks very much for the information.

I did see the freedom of information link to ofgem, and perhaps it could be argued that it is not connected to the national grid. 

The old electricity meter standing charges stopped on the day we were disconnected, so pleased with that.

Looks like we are stuck with it (and paying) until they decide to come and collect! What a con! 

Ectophile

If the supply has been capped, then the meter can't be connected to the grid.

Don't let them bully you into paying for a supply that doesn't exist.

andrewg112

Well just an update. They collected the meter. There was no way out of paying the standing charge even though the meter was disconnected and evidence of this, in fact I have heard nothing from the gas supplier at all, not even an acknowledgment that we are now disconnected and account closed, dispite emails, they are not interested!

Pleased to be seeing the back of this saga!