Help please

slipperyslope_3

Hi there all
I have gas arrears of £306, I have lost my job in Jan 08, still waiting for benefits to be sorted so only getting child tax creditd of £90 per week. Rang N-Power and explained this and asked for a meter to be fitted so i can control the debt and pay for what i use in the future They said that i had asked in the past and they would not fit one because they were not able to fit one because they would have to take floor boards up and move my kitchen unit as gas meter in kitchen on floor between kitchen units, they said they would ring around to see if they could find a company that could do this, i havent heard back from them at all. But i received a letter today saying that they were going to cut my gas off on 4th April (next friday) under the gas act 1986. I also sent them a detailed letter explaining my present cicumstances with a list of my outgoings and income(if you can call it that !!) Sorry to go on and on, My question is can they come and cut my gas off, i have 2 children, i will not be able to pay the arrears off until my benefits are sorted, plus i dont know how much more gas i have used in feb and March, I cancelled my derict debit as i had no money to pay it and didnt want to occur bank charges, i dont know what to do..any ideas

Quentin

To answer your question, yes they can cut you off. Children in the house makes no difference (even if they are really young).

Have you contacted the CAB? They may be able to help in some way.

Cardew

Really the best advice is go to Citizen's Advice as suggested above.

The problem is that if the gas is cut off the house becomes uninhabitable for children and unless you can get them to stay with someone else, the Social Services will get involved.

Whilst people might have every sympathy for your plight, if children became a reason for not paying Utility bills, some people would simply never pay their bills.

Joyful

As you say you are waiting on benefits does this mean you will be claiming income support? If so advise the company that you will be claiming Fuel direct through your benefits. Until then ask for a way to make payments with an affordable pyt plan.

Scousebird_2

Where is your meter-is it inside or outside. I'm sure that CAB will advise you but i'm sure my Mum was in this situation a few years ago and they fought for her.

If your meter is in your home-I was under the impression that to cut you off, they have to get in?? I personally wouldn't let them in if they tried and fight it all the way, but if i'm to be more practical, I believe that British Gas are the only energy company that does not disconnect, I think they stopped in 2003.

Keep in constant contact with them, if you make any kind of offer to pay off the arrears then they will have to accept what you can afford, you are not ignoring them or telling them to go away, you're simply managing what you can afford and with two children I think they should be bloody ashamed of victimising people like yourselves,

I am fortunate enough to be with a fantastic supplier, but I really do feel for you and your children as I know what it's like to be without electric and gas in the winter, because as I child my Mum sometimes couldn't afford to have the gas on all the time for the heating and sometimes, when the electric went on sunday night and she didn't get money till Monday, we went to bed in the dark in winter and were lucky in summer-and this was only just over 10 years ago!!

I think a lot of the suppliers have become complacent and disinterested in customers situations and it sickens and genuinely worries me when you see people in this situation. my Gran has just got a £350 dual fuel bill compared to mine of £150-but that's because I am careful and sometimes yeah, I will get under the duvet rarther then put the heating on-but that's what i'm used to and it's not right.

But I really do hope you get some help and good luck hun!!

JoJoArmani

Quentin wrote: »

To answer your question, yes they can cut you off. Children in the house makes no difference (even if they are really young).

Have you contacted the CAB? They may be able to help in some way.

I think you will find that most, if not all, gas suppliers WILL NOT disconnect a gas supply to a property with vulnerables (young children or oap's).

They will fit a PPM meter where possible.

It is not in their interests to cut you off. They want to reclaim the debt. Hence a PPM will be the best option.

If on the day of disconnection they cannot fit a PPM they will usually rearrage the job for another time when they can fit a PPM.

Or, you can apply for Fuel Direct from your benefits. I think that they are obliged to accept this as a form of payment. If you are on benefit then there is obviously no way you can afford to repay a big debt -hence fuel direct is always accepted as a method of payment.

From my experience suppliers will only isolate the supply if the customer is absent on the day, aggresive or simply refusing to pay (where the means to pay is evident from the lifestyle).

I expect they are using an agency - ring the agency and ask if a PPM can be fitted or explain that you are going to apply for fuel direct etc etc.

EDIT:- when are they applying for the warrant of entry? I would go to court on the day of the hearing and tell the magistrate that you have requested a PPM but they have refused to fit one - that should get the warrant application refused. Then you can go back to your supplier and ask for PPm/Fuel Direct or a budget card to start making payments towards your debt.

Best of luck.