British Gas - Do not require gas

eroded2

Hi, I was wondering if the forum could help, as I seem to be getting nowhere with British Gas.

My elderly Father (in a care home) has an empty property where no gas is being used, and the gas supply is shut off at the handle. We were paying the standing charge every month (£18 or so?), but wanted to save this money as we don't need any gas.

Back earlier in the year I spoke to someone at British Gas on the phone, and explained the situation that we have an empty property, and do not want any gas supply. The agent advised us to simply close the account, which we did. The account was paid up in full at this point of closure.

However since then, bills have started arriving to "the occupier" with bills for the monthly standing charge (no gas is being used and the supply is closed off at the meter).

Is there a way of convincing British Gas to stop the supply? I have tried contacting them but seem to be going around in circles - they want me to open an account first, which is exactly the opposite of what we want?

Thanks,

la531983

As the owner of the house he still has responsibility for the supply, including standing charges.

The only way to "stop the supply" as it were would be to have the supply officially capped off

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html#:~:text=If you have electric heating,pay standing charge for your

There is likely a charge for this into three figures.

Sorry to say the agent told you the wrong info, closing the account just simply generates To The Occupier letters for the new occupier (if there is one) to contact them to resume supply.

You likely need to lodge a complaint.

And you also need to consider what the cost would be to reconnect the supply to the mains once the property is sold, it would be an unattractive proposition to buyers if it remains capped so you would need to organise the reconnection and pay.  The cost of capping and uncapping may outweigh any savings. 

bristolleedsfan

la531983 said:

As the owner of the house he still has responsibility for the supply, including standing charges.

The only way to "stop the supply" as it were would be to have the supply officially capped off

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html#:~:text=If you have electric heating,pay standing charge for your

There is likely a charge for this into three figures.

Sorry to say the agent told you the wrong info, closing the account just simply generates To The Occupier letters for the new occupier (if there is one) to contact them to resume supply.

You likely need to lodge a complaint.

And you also need to consider what the cost would be to reconnect the supply to the mains once the property is sold, it would be an unattractive proposition to buyers if it remains capped so you would need to organise the reconnection and pay.  The cost of capping and uncapping may outweigh any savings. 

British Gas remove gas meter and cap supply FOC,

If customer then waits for this stage, no charge.

1. Around 12 months after the meter has been capped, the local GDNO is required to complete a follow-up assessment, they will assess the situation and may decide to remove the supply from the street to the home.

[Deleted User]

eroded2 said:

Hi, I was wondering if the forum could help, as I seem to be getting nowhere with British Gas.

My elderly Father (in a care home) has an empty property where no gas is being used, and the gas supply is shut off at the handle. We were paying the standing charge every month (£18 or so?), but wanted to save this money as we don't need any gas.

Back earlier in the year I spoke to someone at British Gas on the phone, and explained the situation that we have an empty property, and do not want any gas supply. The agent advised us to simply close the account, which we did. The account was paid up in full at this point of closure.

However since then, bills have started arriving to "the occupier" with bills for the monthly standing charge (no gas is being used and the supply is closed off at the meter).

Is there a way of convincing British Gas to stop the supply? I have tried contacting them but seem to be going around in circles - they want me to open an account first, which is exactly the opposite of what we want?

Thanks,

If there is a possibility that the house will be sold then having a capped gas supply may put buyers off. How do you intend to protect the property from potential damage this coming Winter?

la531983

bristolleedsfan said:

la531983 said:

As the owner of the house he still has responsibility for the supply, including standing charges.

The only way to "stop the supply" as it were would be to have the supply officially capped off

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html#:~:text=If you have electric heating,pay standing charge for your

There is likely a charge for this into three figures.

Sorry to say the agent told you the wrong info, closing the account just simply generates To The Occupier letters for the new occupier (if there is one) to contact them to resume supply.

You likely need to lodge a complaint.

And you also need to consider what the cost would be to reconnect the supply to the mains once the property is sold, it would be an unattractive proposition to buyers if it remains capped so you would need to organise the reconnection and pay.  The cost of capping and uncapping may outweigh any savings. 

British Gas remove gas meter and cap supply FOC,

If customer then waits for this stage, no charge.

1. Around 12 months after the meter has been capped, the local GDNO is required to complete a follow-up assessment, they will assess the situation and may decide to remove the supply from the street to the home.

That would go down well with prospective buyers once the inevitable happens to the OPs father. That needs considering also. I can't imagine reinstating the supply is free? 

QrizB

la531983 said:

bristolleedsfan said:

la531983 said:

As the owner of the house he still has responsibility for the supply, including standing charges.

The only way to "stop the supply" as it were would be to have the supply officially capped off

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html#:~:text=If you have electric heating,pay standing charge for your

There is likely a charge for this into three figures.

Sorry to say the agent told you the wrong info, closing the account just simply generates To The Occupier letters for the new occupier (if there is one) to contact them to resume supply.

You likely need to lodge a complaint.

And you also need to consider what the cost would be to reconnect the supply to the mains once the property is sold, it would be an unattractive proposition to buyers if it remains capped so you would need to organise the reconnection and pay.  The cost of capping and uncapping may outweigh any savings. 

British Gas remove gas meter and cap supply FOC,

If customer then waits for this stage, no charge.

1. Around 12 months after the meter has been capped, the local GDNO is required to complete a follow-up assessment, they will assess the situation and may decide to remove the supply from the street to the home.

That would go down well with prospective buyers once the inevitable happens to the OPs father. That needs considering also. I can't imagine reinstating the supply is free? 

People have been quoted £3k or so, I think.

Is there still a planned cut-off date for new grid connections?

la531983

QrizB said:

la531983 said:

bristolleedsfan said:

la531983 said:

As the owner of the house he still has responsibility for the supply, including standing charges.

The only way to "stop the supply" as it were would be to have the supply officially capped off

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html#:~:text=If you have electric heating,pay standing charge for your

There is likely a charge for this into three figures.

Sorry to say the agent told you the wrong info, closing the account just simply generates To The Occupier letters for the new occupier (if there is one) to contact them to resume supply.

You likely need to lodge a complaint.

And you also need to consider what the cost would be to reconnect the supply to the mains once the property is sold, it would be an unattractive proposition to buyers if it remains capped so you would need to organise the reconnection and pay.  The cost of capping and uncapping may outweigh any savings. 

British Gas remove gas meter and cap supply FOC,

If customer then waits for this stage, no charge.

1. Around 12 months after the meter has been capped, the local GDNO is required to complete a follow-up assessment, they will assess the situation and may decide to remove the supply from the street to the home.

That would go down well with prospective buyers once the inevitable happens to the OPs father. That needs considering also. I can't imagine reinstating the supply is free? 

People have been quoted £3k or so, I think.

Is there still a planned cut-off date for new grid connections?

Not sure but imagine that date comes and goes and the OP is trying to market a house with a gas central heating system that wont be able to be used because its become illegal to reconnect the gas!
I suppose all this depends on the prognosis for his father (sorry to be grim), if he is likely to be still around in a year or so maybe all the above is worth doing. Any shorter than that, probably not.

QrizB

Not sure but imagine that date comes and goes

The best I can find is a proposal from 2021 for no new network connections from 2025.

That'll be a job for the next government, but even so the OP shouldn't simply assume that they will be able to reinstate the supply of they do have it disconnected.

We were paying the standing charge every month (£18 or so?)

The standing charge for gas is about 30p a day, roughly £9 a month.

wild666

Just pay the SC's it's less than paying to have the meter removed and reconnected if the home is to be sold at a later date.

Mobtr

There is no way round this, either pay the standing charge or have the meter capped, you will also need to tell BG he is still responsible for the property 

Robin9

@eroded2    Do you not need gas to heat the property to comply with insurance requirments.

PS Is the electric still connected ?