Compulsory gas disconnection by SGN

purplefog

I've just received a letter from SGN informing me that the gas supply to the block of flats I live in will be disconnected in 28 days time. I rent from the local authority and this all started 18 months ago when the first letter arrived offering £500 for a buy-out. This was being offered to all residents who were still using gas, as the existing pipework needed replacing due to its age.The reason given for not going ahead with the work was that the cladding on the outside of the block would be compromised if they were to replace the pipework externally, as well as the disruption that it would cause other residents. I spoke to someone in their operations team at the time who told me that they hadn't yet looked at the feasibility of doing this from the inside of the building, which to me seemed possible, as sprinkler pipework had been installed previously in response to the Grenfell fire. This was routed through the electricity meter cupboards, located on the landings of the emergency stairs for each floor. This was never mentioned again. I told them that I wasn't interested in accepting their offer. They told me at the time that unless all residents accepted the offer, the buy-out would not happen, and I have email proof of this, but I did some research that indicated that disconnection seems to be their general policy. 

A few months later, the offer was doubled and the landlord urged us to accept. Remembering that they'd said it couldn't go ahead without 100% acceptance, I didn't bother to respond. I'm not sure that it would have made any difference if I had again refused their offer as it struck me that they would just keep coming back with a better offer, and I expected this to happen anyway. After all, it's going to be a lot cheaper than the cost of replacing the pipework, but they are now using that as an excuse and there's been no mention of any compensation. At no point was I warned that I would forfeit my right to compensation if I didn't respond, and I would've thought that there should have been more communication to this affect. I also note that their letters always arrive on 'bad news Friday', unless it's a bank holiday, of course! So you have the weekend to fume about it before you can do anything! Has anyone had experience of this, or knows what my rights may be, if any? Thanks.

born_again

purplefog said:

I've just received a letter from SGN informing me that the gas supply to the block of flats I live in will be disconnected in 28 days time. I rent from the local authority and this all started 18 months ago when the first letter arrived offering £500 for a buy-out. This was being offered to all residents who were still using gas, as the existing pipework needed replacing due to its age.The reason given for not going ahead with the work was that the cladding on the outside of the block would be compromised if they were to replace the pipework externally, as well as the disruption that it would cause other residents. I spoke to someone in their operations team at the time who told me that they hadn't yet looked at the feasibility of doing this from the inside of the building, which to me seemed possible, as sprinkler pipework had been installed previously in response to the Grenfell fire. This was routed through the electricity meter cupboards, located on the landings of the emergency stairs for each floor. This was never mentioned again. I told them that I wasn't interested in accepting their offer. They told me at the time that unless all residents accepted the offer, the buy-out would not happen, and I have email proof of this, but I did some research that indicated that disconnection seems to be their general policy. 

A few months later, the offer was doubled and the landlord urged us to accept. Remembering that they'd said it couldn't go ahead without 100% acceptance, I didn't bother to respond. I'm not sure that it would have made any difference if I had again refused their offer as it struck me that they would just keep coming back with a better offer, and I expected this to happen anyway. After all, it's going to be a lot cheaper than the cost of replacing the pipework, but they are now using that as an excuse and there's been no mention of any compensation. At no point was I warned that I would forfeit my right to compensation if I didn't respond, and I would've thought that there should have been more communication to this affect. I also note that their letters always arrive on 'bad news Friday', unless it's a bank holiday, of course! So you have the weekend to fume about it before you can do anything! Has anyone had experience of this, or knows what my rights may be, if any? Thanks.

I would not be sure on that given you are talking major safety here. 

Do you really want to live in a block of flats, with iffy cladding & old gas pipes....

End of the day, they could just cap the gas off to the flats citing they are a danger to life. As they have a duty of care, as do local authority.

You then end up like the farmer in the middle of the M62 who kept holding out & ended up stuck in the middle instead.

user1977

What would the "compensation" have covered? I'd expect your landlord to be fitting new appliances in your flat and covering those costs?

Aylesbury_Duck

I suspect you've lost your chance to get the compensation offered, having told them once you weren't interested and then ignoring the second offer.  Your landlord will have to sort out electrically-powered heating, hot water, and replace any cooking appliances that currently use gas.  I wonder if they might install a dual-tariff supply?  

I assume that the compensation was simply a payment for inevitable inconvenience and to partly compensate for what will probably be a more expensive form of heating. All other costs will have to be covered by your landlord.

purplefog

born_again said:

purplefog said:

I've just received a letter from SGN informing me that the gas supply to the block of flats I live in will be disconnected in 28 days time. I rent from the local authority and this all started 18 months ago when the first letter arrived offering £500 for a buy-out. This was being offered to all residents who were still using gas, as the existing pipework needed replacing due to its age.The reason given for not going ahead with the work was that the cladding on the outside of the block would be compromised if they were to replace the pipework externally, as well as the disruption that it would cause other residents. I spoke to someone in their operations team at the time who told me that they hadn't yet looked at the feasibility of doing this from the inside of the building, which to me seemed possible, as sprinkler pipework had been installed previously in response to the Grenfell fire. This was routed through the electricity meter cupboards, located on the landings of the emergency stairs for each floor. This was never mentioned again. I told them that I wasn't interested in accepting their offer. They told me at the time that unless all residents accepted the offer, the buy-out would not happen, and I have email proof of this, but I did some research that indicated that disconnection seems to be their general policy. 

A few months later, the offer was doubled and the landlord urged us to accept. Remembering that they'd said it couldn't go ahead without 100% acceptance, I didn't bother to respond. I'm not sure that it would have made any difference if I had again refused their offer as it struck me that they would just keep coming back with a better offer, and I expected this to happen anyway. After all, it's going to be a lot cheaper than the cost of replacing the pipework, but they are now using that as an excuse and there's been no mention of any compensation. At no point was I warned that I would forfeit my right to compensation if I didn't respond, and I would've thought that there should have been more communication to this affect. I also note that their letters always arrive on 'bad news Friday', unless it's a bank holiday, of course! So you have the weekend to fume about it before you can do anything! Has anyone had experience of this, or knows what my rights may be, if any? Thanks.

I would not be sure on that given you are talking major safety here. 

Do you really want to live in a block of flats, with iffy cladding & old gas pipes....

End of the day, they could just cap the gas off to the flats citing they are a danger to life. As they have a duty of care, as do local authority.

You then end up like the farmer in the middle of the M62 who kept holding out & ended up stuck in the middle instead.

Sorry for the confusion, but the options were to replace the pipework or to buy us out and disconnect, not to leave as is. It seems that the latter had already been decided, but we've had to go through the theatre and pretence of it all.

purplefog

user1977 said:

What would the "compensation" have covered? I'd expect your landlord to be fitting new appliances in your flat and covering those costs?

It would have covered the cost of buying a new cooker, fitting and removal of old cooker as well as the general inconvenience of it all. The local authority doesn't get involved to that extent.

purplefog

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I suspect you've lost your chance to get the compensation offered, having told them once you weren't interested and then ignoring the second offer.  Your landlord will have to sort out electrically-powered heating, hot water, and replace any cooking appliances that currently use gas.  I wonder if they might install a dual-tariff supply?  

I assume that the compensation was simply a payment for inevitable inconvenience and to partly compensate for what will probably be a more expensive form of heating. All other costs will have to be covered by your landlord.

The compensation would have covered the replacement of the cooker as the heating and hot water have not been affected, even though gas powered. They are supplied by the landlord (local authority) via a communal boiler system.

Okell

I think you'd be better off posting this here House buying, renting & selling — MoneySavingExpert Forum or here Energy — MoneySavingExpert Forum

You're more likely to get relevant advice there.  Your problem isn't really a consumer issue

born_again

Okell said:

I think you'd be better off posting this here House buying, renting & selling — MoneySavingExpert Forum or here Energy — MoneySavingExpert Forum

You're more likely to get relevant advice there.  Your problem isn't really a consumer issue

Already reported for a move 👍

purplefog

Many thanks to all. Now re-posted in Energy.

theoretica

purplefog said:

At no point was I warned that I would forfeit my right to compensation if I didn't respond...

Simplest might be to find the letter and ask where your £1000 is rather than assuming you have lost the right to it.