Gas provider, faulty meter, not used , provider issuing bill.

SAC2334

EDF are not the worst by far as they have always been loathe to issue warrants .
British Gas are the most prolific .

EDF will have a start reading on their books for when the supply was switched to EDF.  Trouble is nowadays they will use an estimated start reading . This could be based on past historical usage . So right from the start they could have had a wild guess at what the meter reading was on the transfer date . 
When they gained access they would take a reading from screen "G " which shows total units used (metric units probably ) since the meter was installed .
They would also have electronic records of what screen G was showing on every top up .plus any readings meter readers have gathered over the years . 
Maybe getting them to show exact readings from the start reading ( probably estimated ) and what screen G was showing when they first accessed the meters is the way forward.  

Seeing as this meter shows no tampers present then I m pretty sure that EDF would lower the standing charge back payment as they have been pretty lax themselves in letting none payment on standing charge build up to  go as much  as 7 years, £600 .   That is too long IMO and the Ombudsman would not be happy with this .In the past I have known them to scrub all back payment if you threaten them with an appeal to the Ombudsman.
If the Ombudsman finds EDF to be negligent in any way they will levy a fine to EDF probably greater than whats owed on  7 years standing charges/warrant costs .
I m guessing what the full amount they are asking for but £850 is normally billed at around  £12 weekly repay. 

If they have added this to your new smart meter than you can find online which screens this total debt and weekly repay is on.. On the old prepay meters it was screen S and T 

wild666

sugerplum2 said:

Can a gas suppler legally entrap you into having a meter in your house, if you do not want one,by saying you owe them money you do not? I had a meter in the house that was faulty,the card just would not work. I was seriously ill at the time, so just had to learn to live without it. The suppler had just been changed and I had not even used a single unit of gas ,cause of the issue, so thought I not been able to use anything, so therefore not been supplied anything. Years later they broke my doors in, saying their concerned about my non use and took the meter, insisted I had another and have no billed me a large amount of money to which I am not able to afford. They have wrote a statement lying saying I have used gas that I have not and are refusing to remove the meter when I asked. I have basically been entrapped, with a meter that is billing me daily and debt to which I do not owe ,as never used anything. It's made me so unwell, I feel that unsettled in my own home that I am considering moving out . Any advice would be good as I am totally on the brink with it all really, as I fall into several catagories of vulnerability too.

Just having the meter connected to the home means you need to pay a supplier a daily charge for having the meter. The only way to stop paying the charge is to have the meter taken out but it can cost a couple of thousand pounds. If you own the property then it's no problem but if you rent it you will have to ask the Landlord and then have to pay to have it reinstalled if you move.

markin

Is the a way to prove you aren't a customer, And never used gas, A date you moved in, Tenancy agreement, council tax?

If they refused to show a warrant at the time, You should have probably called the police.

Is this England or Scotland? 

SAC2334

Id just like to add to the OP that this will not be going to Magistrates Courts .

That is the last thing EDF want to get involved with 

.Personally I have never known any supplier I ve dealt with to take anyone to court and that is after repeated theft of gas and electricity for years and years . 
I have never seen a theft of energy case in my local magistrates and I can tell you that it is extremely common in my area in South Yorkshire  and getting worse with todays high energy costs  with dozens in the same streets fiddling gas and electric meters. 

Your case is not theft of gas so it will be dealt with by a back billing process which you can appeal against and probably win and get it either scrubbed or reduced a lot .
EDF have a history of this sort of thing and I ve found them to be one of the more compliant suppliers .

sugerplum2

SAC2334 said:

EDF are not the worst by far as they have always been loathe to issue warrants .
British Gas are the most prolific .

EDF will have a start reading on their books for when the supply was switched to EDF.  Trouble is nowadays they will use an estimated start reading . This could be based on past historical usage . So right from the start they could have had a wild guess at what the meter reading was on the transfer date . 
When they gained access they would take a reading from screen "G " which shows total units used (metric units probably ) since the meter was installed .
They would also have electronic records of what screen G was showing on every top up .plus any readings meter readers have gathered over the years . 
Maybe getting them to show exact readings from the start reading ( probably estimated ) and what screen G was showing when they first accessed the meters is the way forward.  

Seeing as this meter shows no tampers present then I m pretty sure that EDF would lower the standing charge back payment as they have been pretty lax themselves in letting none payment on standing charge build up to  go as much  as 7 years, £600 .   That is too long IMO and the Ombudsman would not be happy with this .In the past I have known them to scrub all back payment if you threaten them with an appeal to the Ombudsman.
If the Ombudsman finds EDF to be negligent in any way they will levy a fine to EDF probably greater than whats owed on  7 years standing charges/warrant costs .
I m guessing what the full amount they are asking for but £850 is normally billed at around  £12 weekly repay. 

If they have added this to your new smart meter than you can find online which screens this total debt and weekly repay is on.. On the old prepay meters it was screen S and T 

Oh thanks, this will be a great help as obviously I have no idea what screens are what or how to use them. So know I should have a better idea. They took 10 days to det back to me with the, the report from the Warrent. I was told it was supposed to be back the same day. I am assuming it was because of the way the bailft dealt with the matter . I told him that it was all recorded which it was, as it was awful. I keep on to them as needed answers and they were not forthcoming. As I said I needed to know as it effects my financial out look as to affordability etc. In the end they just quickly wrote up some written account and issued a deadlock . Because I was requesting the meter be removed as I had not agreed to have one as didn't use one. I obviously couldn't make up my mind as to weather to have it taken out or renewed as was put on the spot . I said I was not equipment to make that decision as it pended on their outcome for affordability to be considered. The bailft said there was one in here when I came so I put one back in. They reasured me that I could have it out any time and it would be free of charge and so on. I just thought that wasn't my decision so no way they could dispute it. But as time was ticking on I knew something was up and they were delaying for reason and then . Thought about the cooling off period ,so started to panic and insist they take it out . I feel so stupid having it back in as I would of just waited to get the opportunity to have my say in court as know no just is likely to rule in their favour as I not used it, especially given my circumstances. But I don't be well so don't think tight all the time and was thinking maybe it was a problem solved or something as didn't feel they would ever be able to do anything as I never used the meter obviously. Like I said to them the card wouldn't even register, so I never toped it up by all accounts . I can't quite remember as had so much going on and looking back at date ,it was all around I time I think I thought I had ovarian cancer and thought I was dying as had a mask on my ovary that had to be remover , so all up in the aire .this is why I do feel I have notified them I didn't want to change . I could get in touch with the old provider to see what reading they had from me for the change over couldn't I to see if that helps . But it's great to know that it could well of been estimate their end. This is what I am thinking it is, as I know any usage on there must be from the previous suppler. Their just playing it they are, as they know there's been a previous suppler and that meter is not theirs. They just playing with the words I am saying where I am saying I have never used that meter , and obviously I mean I have never used it with them don't I . N they are trying to just get away with play stupid and taking it that it was a new meter never used. When they know with what's on their screen that was never the case, as will have all the transfer and also no new instillation . Shocking how they are . What they have done is issued this deadlock as a way of trying to avoid answering any questions . As how can I go forward to the ombudsman with out all the information. I am just concerned about the meter in my house as it is charging me daily and they have basically entered me into an agreement without my consent . As do not want anything to do with them after this obviously. I just get wound right up as suffer with anxiety, and can't sleep and I suffer with post traumatic stress really bad , so worried about all those long term effects now to my health. So if the property was thought to be empty and nobody else lived there what would they of done, I am just curious as I suppose there are loads of empty properties about long term that don't use gas ...as I am still struggling to believe really that they can an do all this because your not using the gas ...it's crazy to me

sugerplum2

markin said:

Is the a way to prove you aren't a customer, And never used gas, A date you moved in, Tenancy agreement, council tax?

If they refused to show a warrant at the time, You should have probably called the police.

Is this England or Scotland? 

It was a switch over, so yes there be a date. They know it was faulty and could not of been used. They just saying as they found there was usage on the meter they have charged me,but I honestly everything inclines to I could not of used it . It's just how to prove it,with nothing as they refusing to give me anything I ask kind of thing. I have issued a data release but I can't get that untill 15 August and that's ages away ,especially when you suffer with anxiety like me and stuff ,I can't ,eat,sleep or rest ..I stuggle focusing on anything else, I not sleep now all night and this is the start of where I am set to get very ill again see. They were supposed to of served a Warrent notice of 7 days but they have failed to do this. Had this officially come from the court then obviously I would of had to of acted.aparently he was sending letter to the address and not me !. I know I want to see the Warrent to see all the details and to write to the judge explaining all what has happened and to see was it acknowledge that somebody under a vulnerable catagories lived there, when he was asked to rule passing of the Warrent ...as more needs to be done as not on all this just cause I never used the meter and I get really I'll see and go though bought where I am not even awake in the day and struggle going to just get food . So the judge needs to made aware of people like me don't use there meter either and stuggle to deal with stuff as it's hurrendouse for me and I was just starting to get better too. But now left unsettled and petrified by any noise or movement in my own home . My daughter's the same too and nothing wrong with her ..but it was the way it was delt with that concerns me

[Deleted User]

Deadlock just means that the supplier feels that there is nothing more that it can do to resolve your complaint. You can now revert to The Energy Ombudsman; however, before you do so, I suggest that you make an appointment with a Citizens Advice Energy Adviser. 

The Energy Ombudsman does NOT investigate complaints. It reviews the information that you and the energy supplier provide. You need to think through the consequences of The Energy Ombudsman finding in the supplier’s failure. Your submission to The Energy Ombudsman must be based on facts not your emotional feelings of what you believe is right and wrong. 

sugerplum2

SAC2334 said:

Id just like to add to the OP that this will not be going to Magistrates Courts .

That is the last thing EDF want to get involved with 

.Personally I have never known any supplier I ve dealt with to take anyone to court and that is after repeated theft of gas and electricity for years and years . 
I have never seen a theft of energy case in my local magistrates and I can tell you that it is extremely common in my area in South Yorkshire  and getting worse with todays high energy costs  with dozens in the same streets fiddling gas and electric meters. 

Your case is not theft of gas so it will be dealt with by a back billing process which you can appeal against and probably win and get it either scrubbed or reduced a lot .
EDF have a history of this sort of thing and I ve found them to be one of the more compliant suppliers .

I wonder why, I think this type of stuff goes to like a middle court mind, where there's just a judge as isn't a magestraights where there's a panel of 3 . I don't know tho. I just know I would actually stand more of a chance in court that what I am , from what they have shown me. They have had to stop me writing as knows, it's just evidence against them . They have treated me as if I guilty untill proven innocent not innocent untill proven guilty. The can't do that . And every time I am writing I am just evidencing further their total disregard and I'll practices . In a document yesterday, the writer even sort fit to of included in this legal document my views on something I not even see to of been able to of possibly given a view on.... Now the courts will not like that at all,it's unlawful. They also tried to say they resolve the matter and have not to. What they have basically done is not done their job,closed the case down for the ombudsman to have to do their job for them and I have written this all out nicely for them to day highlighting this fact to them for their attention and so as the ombudsman can see it for what it truly is too , through my paper trail. As the ombudsman is not there to do their work for them. He's not their employees. The practices are that bad. This is why they want to shut me up . But should not be happening and they should not get away with it . I plan on reporting the bailft too as it was him instigating everything. All ego, giving it the big one, to innocent vulnerable woman and a child. He had a shirt in unbuttoned, which is hardly appropriate. He even said it was the hardest case he had had to deal with, I said yeah cause you just would not listen to me and all I was telling you ...I said you choose to take those actions ,that was up to you . I can't wait to see the court application to see if they told the court there was a vulnerable person at the address when getting the Warrent. Plus what date it was given. As didn't have the 7 day notice . As I do not agree in them sending 3 men to my door and they need to acknowledge that's not right to and alternatives could of been done. I just want this meter out , as they have tricked me into it being her under false pretences and I don't want it in my home as just makes me vulnerable . I refuse to use it ...they took advantage of my vulnerability and lied to me basically saying it was ok I could have it taken out at any time . They must of just been having a joke amongst their selfs or something ..but that joke was recorded and wonder what a judge will say . Thanks for all your help I really do appreciate it it as obviously horrible when you do not understand thing and processes ...it makes it all even a bigger steeper battle . It's like I said I got no problem paying for service I have recieved and used,but I have not ,so sorry not willing to pay for nothing , nor would the judge either .

SAC2334

If you do not use any gas the weekly cost in standing charges is around £1.80 a week  (26p to 28 p a day )
 Everyone pays this even if they don t use gas  .Vacant properties normally don t pay it though .

Outgoing occupier should  inform the supplier that they are leaving and give them and end reading  .Suppliers will probably ask for new occupiers name if possible.

Landlords have terms and conditions in their short term leasehold in which they state that no changes can be made without their permission . I would think that removing gas meter , ( capping it after taking meter out ) could fall into this category but I don t think they would be too  bothered about it as it is a safer option for them .Even if some supplier s don t charge to take it out  they will charge to reinstall a meter at around £200 . 
If you have a gas central heating boiler then it is far cheaper to use that than use electric heating.
In October electricity is going up to a very  expensive price of over 40 p for every electric unit used ( kwh ) .Two bars on a small heater will cost 80 p an hour to run and that won t properly heat a room too well 

sugerplum2

[Deleted User] said:

Deadlock just means that the supplier feels that there is nothing more that it can do to resolve your complaint. You can now revert to The Energy Ombudsman; however, before you do so, I suggest that you make an appointment with a Citizens Advice Energy Adviser. 

The Energy Ombudsman does NOT investigate complaints. It reviews the information that you and the energy supplier provide. You need to think through the consequences of The Energy Ombudsman finding in the supplier’s failure. Your submission to The Energy Ombudsman must be based on facts not your emotional feelings of what you believe is right and wrong. 

Thanks , as I know I do really struggle as I am dyslexic, so do find it really hard and did not quite get that bit really . If I use the ombudsman , can I still go to court then after if I want ,as past experiences not been best with ombudsman and know these are funded by the energy companies too...I am kinda sceptical With these dead lock are they able to refuse me access to information I need to move forward as this is basically what they hare and have been doing ? They not even attempted to resolve anything, I have had very little of stubstity from them untill this dead lock letter. They are trying to entrap me with the new meter tho. I cannot possibly see how that can ever be legal as they are forcing me to have a gas supply and standing charge at my house that I am telling them I do not want. They put the meter in I never agreed it as could not. Thanks