Charged for standing charge for gas I have never used.

nottsphil

Can't you just switch the gas supply to Utilita and then just not use any gas?
That's if they are still doing 'no standing charge' - I've just checked on the website and can find no tariffs listed at all! 

Mobtr

Ectophile said:

There are a number of very wrong responses to this post.  If you have never used any gas since moving in, then you cannot be on a deemed contract with the gas supplier.

Gas Act, Schedule 2, section 8. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/45/schedule/2

"Where a gas supplier supplies gas to a consumer otherwise than in pursuance of a contract, the supplier shall be deemed to have contracted with the consumer for the supply of gas as from the time (“the relevant time”) when he began so to supply gas to the consumer."

If a customer has never been supplied any gas, then they are not a deemed customer.  If you aren't a deemed customer, then they have no legal basis on which to charge you a standing charge.

Raise a formal complaint with British Gas.  If they don't refund you the money, take it to the energy ombudsman.

If there is a meter on site then there has to be an account as the gas is still available to be used, especially if it’s capped off after the meter. 

GingerTim

nottsphil said:

Can't you just switch the gas supply to Utilita and then just not use any gas?
That's if they are still do 'no standing charge' - I've just checked on the website and can find no tariffs listed at all! 

It's been reported on here I think that Utilita are not currently accepting switches.

MWT

Mobtr said:

If there is a meter on site then there has to be an account as the gas is still available to be used, especially if it’s capped off after the meter. 

That is not entirely accurate, but only as long as an account is not setup for the gas upon moving in, as described earlier.

Once you do have an account, or once you have ever used gas, then yes, you have to have the meter removed to stop the standing charge.

Alnat1

Is this a rental property? If so the landlord should have been aware that the gas supply was not useable and had been capped. What does your lease say about energy supply and providers? 

Can the landlord be in some way responsible for the situation that has occurred?

dogshome

All this has come up before, and Ofgem have taken the view that a customer has to actually use the Gas before a deemed contract

can apply, merely living in a property that has a Gas meter is not enough

MWT

dogshome said:

.. merely living in a property that has a Gas meter is not enough

Unless you willingly open an account with the supplier... so that is where the complaint needs to focus, did not ask for or want an account for gas to be opened...

wrf12345

Ofgem should make the rules clearer and mandatory, if no gas is used there should not be a standing charge (with a minimum initial period of 12 months so people still pay if they only use it over the winter, but would be refunded the s/c after 12 months on no use). They should do this just because it encourages people not to use gas.

What would happen if a prepayment was fitted and the OP never topped up his card (it would build up the s/c that would have to be paid off if he ever topped up but would disappear if a new customer turned up)?

pochase

As long as you are able to just start using gas whenever you want there will be a standing charge.

The rule is that the meter need to be removed. I think this is very clear, if not necessarily fair. 

Even with the caped pipe, you can just get it uncapped and connect a boiler or gas fire without informing the supplier.

And I am not using gas in summer, so I would benefit from a don't use gas, don't pay standing charge rule myself.

Astria

A friend of mine used to pay standing charge for a gas when all they had was a meter and nothing connected to it. The landlord didn't want to remove the meter, so the tenant prompted an ultimatum - allow to have the meter removed or GCH installed, or I'm moving out, as it's effectively increasing the cost of the rent each month. The LL actually offered the tenant a nearby unit which they had just renovated and added GCH to, just in time for winter (in case you hadn't guessed, last winter they used electric heating, ouch...)