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No MPRN, not in database, no gas supplier will take us
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I'm having the most bizarre problem, I'm literally begging suppliers to take us on so we can pay someone for gas and no one wants to take our money!
We moved in around a month ago, the property manager told us the previous tenants were with Scottish Power for both fuels (electric and gas) but Scottish Power insist this property has never had gas...? The electric is with Scottish Power, all transferred to my name, no issue there.
Rang the national grid number for gas, they advise there is no record of this property. They've said (after 4x calls to premium rate) that they can't register the address, pick any supplier and explain the situation and they will register it and issue an MPRN.
So I've called at least 5 suppliers, all tell me the opposite "only the national grid can register the address, not a supplier". They all say the same, no record of the address in the database and the serial number does not come up with anything either. Ring the grid back, they say the opposite and round in circles we go.
Scottish Power eventually advised talking to the new connections team, called them and they say "it's not a new build and not a new meter install so it isn't a new connection". I pleaded with them and they said send a picture of the meter to them as the serial number made no sense. Did that, get a stellar reply advising me they couldn't find the serial in the database and to ring "our specialist team" without telling me the name of the team and then giving me the standard customer service number. So back to square one.
I've even rang the pipeline suppliers (Cadent) who advise it's nothing to do with them and they don't don't deal with consumers as such, just the suppliers.
I've read the other various posts and tried quoting that the supply must be "shipperless" - no customer rep had ever heard of this at any of the suppliers we tried. I've tried to inquire if we are on an IGT but apparently not. I've said I need an MPRN created "we can't do that"...
I don't understand what the potential issue is, was the gas meter itself never registered when installed, something dodgy going on?
Why on earth are all the suppliers saying they can't find the meter even by the serial (including with a picture of it sent, so not my error in reading the serial)?
How could the previous tenants have paid their gas bill but everyone seems to think our flat doesn't even exist?
We just want to pay our bill! Can anyone advise?
We moved in around a month ago, the property manager told us the previous tenants were with Scottish Power for both fuels (electric and gas) but Scottish Power insist this property has never had gas...? The electric is with Scottish Power, all transferred to my name, no issue there.
Rang the national grid number for gas, they advise there is no record of this property. They've said (after 4x calls to premium rate) that they can't register the address, pick any supplier and explain the situation and they will register it and issue an MPRN.
So I've called at least 5 suppliers, all tell me the opposite "only the national grid can register the address, not a supplier". They all say the same, no record of the address in the database and the serial number does not come up with anything either. Ring the grid back, they say the opposite and round in circles we go.
Scottish Power eventually advised talking to the new connections team, called them and they say "it's not a new build and not a new meter install so it isn't a new connection". I pleaded with them and they said send a picture of the meter to them as the serial number made no sense. Did that, get a stellar reply advising me they couldn't find the serial in the database and to ring "our specialist team" without telling me the name of the team and then giving me the standard customer service number. So back to square one.
I've even rang the pipeline suppliers (Cadent) who advise it's nothing to do with them and they don't don't deal with consumers as such, just the suppliers.
I've read the other various posts and tried quoting that the supply must be "shipperless" - no customer rep had ever heard of this at any of the suppliers we tried. I've tried to inquire if we are on an IGT but apparently not. I've said I need an MPRN created "we can't do that"...
I don't understand what the potential issue is, was the gas meter itself never registered when installed, something dodgy going on?
Why on earth are all the suppliers saying they can't find the meter even by the serial (including with a picture of it sent, so not my error in reading the serial)?
How could the previous tenants have paid their gas bill but everyone seems to think our flat doesn't even exist?
We just want to pay our bill! Can anyone advise?
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Comments
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You are assuming that the previous tenants were paying for gas.0
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PennineAcute wrote: »You are assuming that the previous tenants were paying for gas.
Well yes. I understand what you're implying, maybe they never paid the bill and kept quiet, it's obviously a possibility. I had asked the property manager to ask the previous tenants to look at an old bill for the MPRN but they couldn't find one apparently.
Regardless, with respect, I want to sort this out and I'm not comfortable ignoring the situation with yay free gas!0 -
This might help, it sounds like the shipper needs to create the MPRN for you.
The gas shipper is an organisation employed by a supplier to balance the amount of gas a suppliers customers against how much gas that supplier has paid for.
The big 6 are their own shippers so it's normally easier to do it via them. Generally British Gas are the best with these cases.
https://www.xoserve.com/services/m-number-creation/0 -
Maybe it seems silly to ask, but has the property ever had, or previous incumbents used an alternative address for it?
Although not in the field of energy supplies, I have seen trouble of a similar nature in finance.0 -
Personally I would write recorded delivery letters to every party that you can think of (Scottish Power, Cadent, National Grid etc) & then just sit back & enjoy your free gas. Read the meter regularly & put aside enough money in a savings account to cover the previous 12 months gas. If you make all reasonable efforts to pay even if eventually a supplier pops out of the woodwork they can only backbill you for 12 months.0
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You're obviously trying to do the right thing, but there is a question of how far your obligations go. The gas is an essential service that you have no choice but to use.
I would write to all of the parties that you have already contacted (including the property manager and landlord) and explain the situation.
You should also make sure that you take regular meter readings.
There is not much more that you can do, to try to pay for the gas, which you have to use, and ensure that you pay the correct amount for what you use, when somebody does decide to sort it out.0 -
Ensure that you know the reading when you moved in. Look for the cheapest deal and print the tariff off (print others for comparison) Keep all the emails in paper form in a file as well as the tariff details. Take a meter reading monthly and put aside the amount that the fuel would have cost you. When they come after you you will have the money to pay them , and if they wait 20 years you will have a lovely lump sum because they cannot go back that far0
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Previous supplier could have bought a substitute meter from the well known auction site and swapped it for a prepay meter which was fitted. The serial number will not be on any data bases.I'm having the most bizarre problem, I'm literally begging suppliers to take us on so we can pay someone for gas and no one wants to take our money!
We moved in around a month ago, the property manager told us the previous tenants were with Scottish Power for both fuels (electric and gas) but Scottish Power insist this property has never had gas...? The electric is with Scottish Power, all transferred to my name, no issue there.
Rang the national grid number for gas, they advise there is no record of this property. They've said (after 4x calls to premium rate) that they can't register the address, pick any supplier and explain the situation and they will register it and issue an MPRN.
So I've called at least 5 suppliers, all tell me the opposite "only the national grid can register the address, not a supplier". They all say the same, no record of the address in the database and the serial number does not come up with anything either. Ring the grid back, they say the opposite and round in circles we go.
Scottish Power eventually advised talking to the new connections team, called them and they say "it's not a new build and not a new meter install so it isn't a new connection". I pleaded with them and they said send a picture of the meter to them as the serial number made no sense. Did that, get a stellar reply advising me they couldn't find the serial in the database and to ring "our specialist team" without telling me the name of the team and then giving me the standard customer service number. So back to square one.
I've even rang the pipeline suppliers (Cadent) who advise it's nothing to do with them and they don't don't deal with consumers as such, just the suppliers.
I've read the other various posts and tried quoting that the supply must be "shipperless" - no customer rep had ever heard of this at any of the suppliers we tried. I've tried to inquire if we are on an IGT but apparently not. I've said I need an MPRN created "we can't do that"...
I don't understand what the potential issue is, was the gas meter itself never registered when installed, something dodgy going on?
Why on earth are all the suppliers saying they can't find the meter even by the serial (including with a picture of it sent, so not my error in reading the serial)?
How could the previous tenants have paid their gas bill but everyone seems to think our flat doesn't even exist?
We just want to pay our bill! Can anyone advise?
As a long term meter reader I` ve found lots of these over the years. Occupiers either sell the old meter or bin it and move out not caring about old meters.0 -
I had already contacted Cadent, who are the shipper for my area – they advised it’s nothing to do with them and to contact a supplier, so round in circles again. The form (MPRN Creation) seems to be exactly what I need but the fields it’s asking for are unfamiliar to me, I’m assuming these are available only to th shipper/supplier?Thomas_Edison wrote: »This might help, it sounds like the shipper needs to create the MPRN for you.
The gas shipper is an organisation employed by a supplier to balance the amount of gas a suppliers customers against how much gas that supplier has paid for.
The big 6 are their own shippers so it's normally easier to do it via them. Generally British Gas are the best with these cases.
Not that I can see, I did ask the property managers if there was a previous name/number or even if there was a meter replacement due to fault, etc. but they say no.Maybe it seems silly to ask, but has the property ever had, or previous incumbents used an alternative address for it?
Although not in the field of energy supplies, I have seen trouble of a similar nature in finance.
Thankfully I’ve set this up, as in putting away the average monthly amount we would normally pay in gas and keeping regular pictures of the meter for reads. Sending letters via record is a good idea, I do have records of emails but of course the massive amount of phone calls is my word basically – I have no proof of these other than my call log, maybe I should advise them I’m recording like they do!Personally I would write recorded delivery letters to every party that you can think of (Scottish Power, Cadent, National Grid etc) & then just sit back & enjoy your free gas. Read the meter regularly & put aside enough money in a savings account to cover the previous 12 months gas. If you make all reasonable efforts to pay even if eventually a supplier pops out of the woodwork they can only backbill you for 12 months.
As above, I have a trail of emails to all concerned parties so I’m hoping this proves my efforts. I understand your point, I’ve done everything available to me to fix this and given I’m renting there comes a point where it is no longer my problem so to speak. I agree, it’s just anxiety provoking that I might get a massive bill a year or two from now.Streaky_Bacon wrote: »You're obviously trying to do the right thing, but there is a question of how far your obligations go. The gas is an essential service that you have no choice but to use.
I would write to all of the parties that you have already contacted (including the property manager and landlord) and explain the situation.
You should also make sure that you take regular meter readings.
There is not much more that you can do, to try to pay for the gas, which you have to use, and ensure that you pay the correct amount for what you use, when somebody does decide to sort it out.
I see conflicting information on this, or perhaps I’m misunderstanding – some sources say 5 years, some 1 year?maisie_cat wrote: »Ensure that you know the reading when you moved in. Look for the cheapest deal and print the tariff off (print others for comparison) Keep all the emails in paper form in a file as well as the tariff details. Take a meter reading monthly and put aside the amount that the fuel would have cost you. When they come after you you will have the money to pay them , and if they wait 20 years you will have a lovely lump sum because they cannot go back that far
I’m not sure I understand. It’s not a prepay, it’s a standard meter – it’s certainly a newer model than some ancient ones I’ve seen, but it isn’t digital like one of the neighbors that I assume is brand new. Do you mean there may have been a prepay before, then they’ve swapped it out and not bothered to register it? I did ask the property managers and they said the same gas meter has been in since gas was first installed in the block.Previous supplier could have bought a substitute meter from the well known auction site and swapped it for a prepay meter which was fitted. The serial number will not be on any data bases.
As a long term meter reader I`ve found lots of these over the years. Occupiers either sell the old meter or bin it and move out not caring about old meters.0 -
If a gas supplier eventually emerges they cannot backbill more than 12 months provided that the consumer hasn't been obstructive e.g. not giving access to the meter or providing false readings. In your case provided you lay down a good documentary trail they can never accuse you of not cooperating.I agree, it’s just anxiety provoking that I might get a massive bill a year or two from now.
I see conflicting information on this, or perhaps I’m misunderstanding – some sources say 5 years, some 1 year?
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-backbilling-your-rights0
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