Gas supply disconnected due to debt by previous owner

[Clive]

I purchase a house about a month ago.

Info from seller was that electric was NPower (prepayment), and Gas on a standard meter from British Gas.

Sent British Gas a letter when moving in, notifying them of details and meter reading. Not heard from them or received bill.

Received no letters to me or occupier, or anything which isnt junk mail.

I am not living at the property at the moment, whilst I renovate, and turn up tonight to find the central heating not working.

I then find a letter in the back room, stating that "officers of Powergen called and were unable to obtain payment and have therefore disconnected the gas under section 2B of the Gas Act"

They are now claiming warrant costs of £230, plus the balance, plus the cost of a corgi engineer to make safe the supply before reconnection.

They appear to have gained entry through the back door, as one of the bolts in the multilock mechanism (upvc) is broken. The lock in this door has not yet been changed (but the gate to the rear of the house is), but where would they have obtained the key? and should they have not notified me, before gaining access? if this is the case?

I cant talk to anyone as it is late, but when I start calling in the morning what action should I take?

I assume I can get the gas reconnected as the debt is not mine? Can I then claim the costs (i.e corgi engineer, time off work for reconnection, damage to door) from the Seller?

Any suggestions?

[Colin Wilson]

IANAL but work in the electric industry (not in a debt dept.)

Contact Energywatch in the first instance

and lodge a formal and "very unhappy customer" complaint. Energywatch complaints are normally dealt with very switfly (at least _ours_ are)

They would normally need a warrant afaik to enforce access rights, and if you've already informed them of the change of tenancy they should not have taken any action to disconnect for non-payment.

If you do have to speak to BG, I think i'd have to insist on it being:

a) a supervisor you speak to (get their names, times of calls etc) b) record the call (and let them know you're recording it) c) ask them for a copy of all correspondence they will undoubtedly allege to have sent - but they may wriggle and say they can't under the terms of the data protection act once they realise they've disconnected the wrong person d) insist on a copy of the warrant - to be faxed immediately e) ask them to agree to repair all damages to the property, alternatively, who and where to serve a small claims action against them for damage to property - and do it !

[R. Mark Clayton]

"Colin Wilson" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

BG - dream on!

[Colin Wilson]

We can live in hope :-}

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:09:31 GMT someone who may be "Clive" wrote this:-

Do you have a copy of this letter?

They will undoubtedly claim that they sent letters, ask them for copies of them.

As well as what others have said here are some ideas:

1) ask the usual range of "consumer" television and radio programmes if they are interested 2) contact the local CAB 3) they have presumably given misleading information to the kangeroo court, or lied to them. Find out what information was given to the court and then start challenging it. Try and make sure that the Hutton who was involved is made aware of the results of their actions, it may make them a little more questioning in the future. 4) take steps to repair the damage they will have done to your credit rating 5) claim for all of this

Large faceless organisations hope that people will be too tired to fight them. Don't be a victim.

[Scott]

And make sure they put a note on their system regarding the nature of your complaint.

[Clive]

I have spoken to them this morning.

1) They claim that they have not received my letter advising them of the new owners details and opening meter reading when I completed on the property. 2) They acknowledge that they have NOT sent ANY correspondance to the property since a "site visit" in mid December where they noted that the property was for sale. 3) The are aware of the date of completion (end Jan 07) and buyers details, but say that they couldnt write to the property to advise the owner (i.e me) that there is a problem due to "data protection". 4) They are therefore FULLY aware that a) The debt is attached to a previous occupier and b) I CANNOT have any any prior notification of a problem or intention to disconnect the supply. Consequently the first I know is a entry to the property (apparantly by a reputable locksmith), but causing damage to a bolt in a upvc door.

[R. Mark Clayton]

"Colin Wilson" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

Naive hope - custom hostility training keeps the company mission pure...

[Mike_B]

In message , Clive writes

If this is true they are admitting to deliberately disconnecting someone whom they knew was the new owner of a property with whom they had no contact in advance. I can't see how they even got a warrant. It's appalling.

Did they apologise and agree to re-connect at no cost to you? Have you spoken with Energy watch yet?

[Stuart Noble]

I imagine a quick call to NPower should resolve the situation. If the previous owners didn't notify them (or you), how could they have known the house had changed hands? A call to your solicitors (assuming the conveyancing was fixed price!) might also be in order. IIRC the previous owner would have signed something to say that all these odds and ends were in order

[The Natural Philosopher]

Other places to try.

Your insurance company. Your MP Ombudsman A lawyer

I suspect a strongly worded letter by the latter claiming damage to property and criminal actions could net you an apology and some cash.

[Jim Alexander]

No, NPower have nothing to do with the gas. The debt was (apparently) to Powergen but the OP contacted British Gas. There are two seperate issues. Shouldn't have happenned but not entirely surprising in the circumstances.

Jim A

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:22:39 GMT someone who may be "Clive" wrote this:-

Get it in writing, before contacting them again as when they realise the implications of their actions they will clam up. At the very least make a detailed note about this conversation now.

You are not responsible for the failure of the post office to carry out the job you have paid them to do. Anyway, generally if a large organisation claims they have not received a letter it means that they have lost it.

Excellent.

Then they presumably didn't tell the kangaroo court this. That means they have lied to the court, try and have them prosecuted. Alternatively the Hutton ignored this fact, try and have them disciplined/dismissed.

Indeed. However, don't alert them to this just yet.

When are they going to put you back into the state you were in before their actions? Ask that those responsible for their actions are made to come, watch and apologise personally to you. The same if anyone in the kangaroo court has done something wrong. It is called restorative justice and is quite popular, though the arrogant people in large organisations (including the kangaroo courts) are only keen on it when they are not held to account this way themselves.

[Clive]

The information from the seller (in the utilities questionnaire) was that supply was by British Gas. Hence a reliance on the information provided by the seller, to my solicitor.

[Stuart Noble]

I do get the 2 confused :-)

The debt was (apparently) to

I guess he contacted BG based on info from the previous owner. It's a muddle, but a straightforward one to sort out.

[Clive]

Quite.

Yes they have agreed to reconnect at no cost (but not until Friday). When pushed for an earlier appointment, was told no, either accept Friday, or call back when you want to rearrange reconnection.

No apology, then have said that it is "my fault that I did not sent them confirmation of the sale from my solicitor" - even though they have made NO ATTEMPT to contact me or ask for this information. A simple letter address to the property, would have established that the supply was from Powergen, and that there was a problem which was easy to resolve.

The are fully aware that the property was sold from speaking to the agent (prior to disconnection, and even had my name on file), and was therefore FULLY AWARE that the debt was attached to a previous owner, and yet still acted in using a warrant to enter a property.

[Owain]

Have you logged a crime report with your local police for breaking and entering?

Owain

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:37:33 GMT someone who may be "Clive" wrote this:-

Pursue them for the inconvenience of this, as well as the damage to your reputation.

Make sure all this goes to Energywatch and your MP.

If the kangeroo courts didn't contact you before acting you might like to ask them and your MP how this complies with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. "1 In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law." What is fair about something where you were unable to give your side?

[Tony Williams]

That what I wondered.......

[Adam Aglionby]

BG being part of Centrica soon to be consumed by Gazprom is a private company. How would you feel about Sainsburys breaking into your home because they believed the previous owner shoplifted items?

Report to cops and insist on an incident number, cops will be less than interested but it is by any measure breaking and entering, see how you got on if you levered your way into someones home on flimsy pretext, just because BG is a company and you an individual the law does not change, escalate if necessary.

They have been very very naughty and its time to slap them very very very hard.

Remember to pull your credit record and see if theyv`e left any black marks, to do so would be an offence against Section 13 of the Data Protection act and they would be liable to punitive damages on that count alone.

Sue them until they have difficulty remembering their own name, as a succession of small claims for preference as they cant attempt to claim costs.

Had problems with Scottish Power some time ago over Powercard meters, lot of bullshit was fed my way, more mistakes they make , bigger hole they dig themselves. After some months of causing SP grief had the great pleasure of having one of their directors on a very short lead, had him called out of meetings several times to answer the most inane of questions :-)

Make sure that BG feel full heat right up the chain and pay heavily for their mistakes. They have done wrong , you have not, do not give up.

Adam