Living without electricity.

Chid1

I wonder if anyone can tell me if there is any way I can legally have my electricity disconnected in order to avoid the daily standing charge imposed on me by energy companies?  I'm in social housing accommodation.

EssexHebridean

I suspect your landlord would say absolutely not... 

Chid1

I wondered if there was a way to do it without informing the landlord. I haven;t used one unit since October and yet I'm facing a standing charge of nearly £200 per year under the new rates. I can no longer find a "no standing charge" tariff.

EssexHebridean

OK - I'll bite. How have you managed to live in a house without using any electricity since October? 

QrizB

Chid1 said:

I wondered if there was a way to do it without informing the landlord. I haven;t used one unit since October and yet I'm facing a standing charge of nearly £200 per year under the new rates. I can no longer find a "no standing charge" tariff.

There's a charge of around £200 to have a supply disconnected, too.

And in October you'll receive a £200 bill credit, which will more than cover a year's standing charges.

Why/how haven't you used any electricity since October?

TadleyBaggie

Meter broken?

Gerry1

You could, but you'd have a pretty miserable life and before long you wouldn't even have landline, mobile phone or the internet: theoretically you might be able to use a mobile phone with a solar charger, but by 2025 your landline will require a local source of electricity because of the (ill thought through) switch to Digital Voice, and you probably can't power a laptop or tablet for very long on solar power.

There would probably be a charge to remove the electricity connection, and your social housing provider would probably object because they'd have to pay for the cost of reconnection after you move out.

Unless you use coal you'd probably have no heating because boilers need electricity.

On a more positive note, ask Citizens Advice about any benefits and grants to which you may be entitled.

[Deleted User]

Chid1 said:

I wondered if there was a way to do it without informing the landlord. I haven;t used one unit since October and yet I'm facing a standing charge of nearly £200 per year under the new rates. I can no longer find a "no standing charge" tariff.

Let us assume that your Landlord agreed to your request, which I very much doubt they will, you would have to pay your supplier to remove your electricity meter and to cap the supply. On relinquishing responsibility for the property, the landlord would reasonably expect you to arrange and pay for the supply to be reconnected. 

Ultrasonic

Chid1 said:

I wondered if there was a way to do it without informing the landlord. I haven;t used one unit since October and yet I'm facing a standing charge of nearly £200 per year under the new rates. I can no longer find a "no standing charge" tariff.

If you read your letting contract I bet you'll find a clause prohibiting you from having the electricity supply disconnected.

As asked above, I'm baffled as to how you might use zero electricity. What do you do for lighting as a start?

Sea_Shell

Can you still get gas powered fridges?

Sea_Shell

Anyone else interested in seeing OPs bill ?

😉🤔