HELP a family member hasn't paid a gas bill in several years - provider wont bill them!

meter_issue_throway

A family member moved to a new build property a few years ago, it appears when the property was setup a mistake was made. They have a gas meter and an electric meter and get billed for electric, but no gas bill has ever arrived. they have phoned the utility company, provided the serial numbers of the gas meter, written letters to the utility company but nothing was ever resolved. Recently there partner died and they asked me to assist them in sorting this out - I have also tried phoning the utility company with them a few times each time were told we will be called back but there is never any form of resolution. It was even suggested that the meter might "belong" to someone else? but how can that be if its on there property, all they want to do is pay their gas bill. if anyone has an idea how we can resolve this we would be extremely grateful.

SaverRate

Put a formal complaint in with the energy provider. Then go to the ombudsman if not successful. 

Who is the energy company? 

When you put your address into this website who does it say supplies your gas?

https://www.findmysupplier.energy/

macman

The meter is probably shipperless, so no one owns it. Not that uncommon with new builds. It's never the property of the occupier: it belongs to the meter asset company.
You and they have done all they are obliged to do: should a bill ever materialise then back-billing will apply, since you have written evidence that a bill has been requested, so the worst case is a one year bill, for which presumably they have been putting money aside for this eventuality.

theoretica

Which utility company have they been contacting?  What happens if they try to find out who the gas supplier for the property is through this https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/finding-your-energy-supplier-or-network-operator

Sea_Shell

Out of interest what reading is the meter now on?   How many years is "a few"?

Assuming it would have been brand new reading 00000m³ when installed.


At least that way they can calculate their average usage over time and get an idea of what a 12 month back bill might equate to.   Or get help doing so.

meter_issue_throway

Sea_Shell said:

Out of interest what reading is the meter now on?   How many years is "a few"?

Assuming it would have been brand new reading 00000m³ when installed.


At least that way they can calculate their average usage over time and get an idea of what a 12 month back bill might equate to.   Or get help doing so.

its been 6 years since they moved in I've now been told.
the funny thing is they want to/are happy to pay the bill

meter_issue_throway

theoretica said:

Which utility company have they been contacting?  What happens if they try to find out who the gas supplier for the property is through this ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/finding-your-energy-supplier-or-network-operator

I just tried this - there address is not on the system.

macman

meter_issue_throway said:

theoretica said:

Which utility company have they been contacting?  What happens if they try to find out who the gas supplier for the property is through this ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/finding-your-energy-supplier-or-network-operator

I just tried this - there address is not on the system.

That's why it's shipperless then. Does this apply to other houses in this development also? Try the adjacent addresses. Do the neighbours have a supplier and a bill?
I'm not sure they'd be happy to pay 5 years back billing, but that simply isn't ever going to happen. 
In the meantime, tell them to enjoy a warm winter, without charge.

Sea_Shell

meter_issue_throway said:

Sea_Shell said:

Out of interest what reading is the meter now on?   How many years is "a few"?

Assuming it would have been brand new reading 00000m³ when installed.


At least that way they can calculate their average usage over time and get an idea of what a 12 month back bill might equate to.   Or get help doing so.

its been 6 years since they moved in I've now been told.
the funny thing is they want to/are happy to pay the bill

So, if they are a "typical" user of gas, then one would expect their meter to now be reading something like  06428 m3

eg.   12000 kwh pa x 6 = 72,000 / 11.2 = 6428 m3

But then they could be high or low users!

(The actual calculation is a little more complicated than that, but 11.2 is widely used as an "easy" conversion, and close enough for dealing with rough figures.)


Once they eventually get to the bottom of this, it would be interesting to know what they actually end up being billed, and how it's been calculated...for completeness.  


Back in the "good ol days", gas was about 3p per kwh and standing charges were about 20p per day.

So on the above figures this could have cost a total of c. £2160 in gas and £438 s/c....but we're not in Kansas any more!

[Deleted User]

The family member should contact the MPRN database manager (XoServe) and confirm that the serial number for the gas meter is not listed on the National Database. If no meter is listed then the supply is deemed shipperless and there is no designated supplier to raise a complaint with.

The ‘bad news’ is that BackBilling does not apply in these cases.

The ‘good news’ is that any supplier can be approached to set up a gas account. To do this, they will need the meter serial number and the property address. The supplier will then apply for a database listing and a MPRN. 

Once the MPRN has been issued, then the supplier can start billing for the gas supplied to the home. There will be no charges for gas used during the shipperless period of supply. A supplier cannot bill for energy that it has not supplied.

Edit:

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-2999830/ASK-TONY-direct-debit-contract-British-Gas-insist-aren-t-supplier.html

Alnat1

Sounds like something they should do in April