All suppliers refusing to install new gas meters

eastcorkram

We did up our house summer 2020.  Including getting gas supplied for the first time. Storage heating removed etc. We'd been in it for over ten years.

So, Cadent brought the supply to the house . They don't do meters. We were with Eon for the electric. They wouldn't supply a gas meter. Happy to supply the gas , just not the meter. Tried British gas. They would do it, but not for 7 or 8 months. Tried SSE, they installed a meter within two weeks. Took the guy about 10 minutes to install it. Two days later , the boiler and rads started to go in. 

I've stayed with SSE. 

wittynamegoeshere

Don't use candles.  If the house fire doesn't kill you then the fumes will have a good try.

You should assume that a gas supply will be forthcoming at some point soon, but it sounds like you may need to bang a few heads together to make it happen.

Electric heaters are really not as expensive as some people think.  They undoubtedly cost more than gas, but perhaps 3x more, not 100x as some imagine.  Keep warm, it should only be a short-term thing.

Currently 20.5 degrees C here, all peak-rate electric and it's cost about a quid so far today.

nicepurpleshirt

So, I took my predicament to the papers - The Guardian published it this weekend ("Energy suppliers reject new customers amid crisis in market") and overnight, SSE couldn't do enough to help me.
According to Ofgem (statement to follow), they are *all* breaching their license by refusing to take on new customers.

I hope this post helps anyone else who is faced with the same issue.

Ofgem:
“We’ve been clear that suppliers must comply with licence conditions despite the challenging market situation. Suppliers must offer to supply a domestic household once approached by a customer, including where this necessitates the installation of a meter to enable supply. If supplier actions leave consumers at risk of going off supply, and where we have evidence that this is the case, we will take action.”

• Supply Licence Condition 22 requires suppliers to offer a tariff to domestic suppliers within a reasonable time after receiving a request for the supply of gas. While there is no specific requirement to install a meter in the licence conditions, as the Gas Act 1986 requires any domestic gas supply to be through a meter, we consider that suppliers must install a meter where this is necessary for them to be able to offer terms to a customer. 
  
  

nicepurpleshirt

BTW - If you are going through the same issue, I advise you to take screenshots, or save conversations that you have with suppliers, denying you business.

MWT

nicepurpleshirt said:

"While there is no specific requirement to install a meter in the licence conditions, as the Gas Act 1986 requires any domestic gas supply to be through a meter, we consider that suppliers must install a meter where this is necessary for them to be able to offer terms to a customer. "

Thanks for the text of the full quote from Ofgem, and as I posted elsewhere having checked the licence, this is a point you can expect the suppliers to have an opposing view on as the absence of a connected supply to the premises is a specific exemption from their obligation to provide a tariff and supply to the customer and it should have been worded much tighter if Ofgem wish to sustain their interpretation of the exemption...

Happy you've got a resolution though and it is a pity that it took the involvement of a newspaper to get there.

EssexHebridean

Well done - I'm so glad you've got a resolution, and one which might help others, at that! 

QrizB

nicepurpleshirt said:

So, I took my predicament to the papers - The Guardian published it this weekend ("Energy suppliers reject new customers amid crisis in market") and overnight, SSE couldn't do enough to help me.

A good result, and I was thinking of you when I read that article

JohnButterworth

Bit late to the party with this but I had/have the exact same issue - I bought a property with no gas, Cadent installed a gas line with no issues and after ringing every supplier under the sun I finally found today Scottish Power were the only suppliers prepared to install a meter and supply the gas. 

I’m only in the early stages of putting this into fruition but an engineer should hopefully be attending within the next 10 days. 

Personally I don’t think there is enough public awareness of this problem as this will no doubt be causing a problem to a lot of people. 

hotpotatojr

Hi, we had the same issue.

Long story short EON Next refused to fit one due to the "current climate". Pointed us towards all other suppliers (even after quoting the Ofgem wording on page 4, they weren't interested).

In the end the only supplier we managed to get on board was British Gas yesterday. However, they will only fit one after 6 weeks have passed by (even if there are any cancellations?). We've got a baby on the way and need it fitting asap. Anyone any idea how I could speed this up with British Gas?

British gas told me that I have now entered into a contract with them so I can't cancel the process (even though I've had no confirmation emails or anything yet) so not sure if I can now ring Scottish Power (again) as per John's success.

Thanks