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British Gas: Warrant for Entry to install prepay meter.

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  • British Gas: Warrant for Entry to install prepay meter.

    Hi guys. I know there are a few posts like this lurking around, but none that I have found have given me the relative information I need.

    Basically, this morning I woke up to find a letter stating that BG will be making an application for a warrant in court on the 8th November, so that they can access my house on the 17th November to install a prepay meter. I owe them a little over £300 and have been paying off what I can afford regularly over the past few months without fail. The last correspondence I received from them was back in June and that was when I set up a direct debit to pay them. I did ask for a payment card multiple times back then to ease payments, but they have refused each time. I even asked on the phone today but the robot operator also refused as there is nothing they can do on the system until the bill is paid in full. I also said that an entry warrant isn't needed as they have permission to enter to fit the meter even though I would prefer it if they didn't install it, but he wasn't accepting this and said that I can say all this in court.

    From the research that I have done, a warrant costs money and said money, along with court costs and personnel costs of hiring a team and locksmith for the entry will also be applied to my account. This is unacceptable and I will not be paying it. My partner works part time while I look after our 21 month old and I am also on DLA for life for mental reasons (severe depression and anxiety), and we just cannot afford to pay all of that. We can barely afford our current bills now and prices seem to be rising. I worked out that we can pay an extra £30 a month to BG if we sacrifice a few things and fall behind with a few other bills, but the operator on the phone refused that payment plan and payment card request unless I could pay what I owe in full. All attempts to reason with them failed and the phone call was a bunch of "No-no's and talks of court dates followed by the usual script-like behaviour".

    My question to you guys is, is it worth me heading to that court date and stating that we were not asked prior to this letter about installing a prepay meter, that all this came out of the blue, that we were paying off what we owe regularly and that if the prepay is installed, we will be in even more debt? I also read that as I am disabled they cannot legally install a prepay, but I have not found any legislation backing this up.

    I am lost at the moment. I have no clue about law or what to say to get out of this or what to even say in court. Ideally I want them to accept our monthly payment increase and cancel the court date, but that seems impossible right now.

    Any help you guys can give will be appreciated.
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: British Gas: Warrant for Entry to install prepay meter.

    Hi

    Just some general advice

    Put what you saying here in a letter/email to BG and demand a response, if you draft the letter and put the details on here someone will help refine the letter.

    I understand your position, and why should you accept the extra costs if there avoidable, If your paying for your use, and some of your arrears, theres no good reason for them to proceed, but if you dont chalange them they will.

    Pre payment meters also cost more i think ( not sure )
    crazy council ( as in local council,NELC ) as a member of the public, i don't get mad, i get even

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: British Gas: Warrant for Entry to install prepay meter.

      Originally posted by Be4st View Post
      Hi guys. I know there are a few posts like this lurking around, but none that I have found have given me the relative information I need.

      Basically, this morning I woke up to find a letter stating that BG will be making an application for a warrant in court on the 8th November, so that they can access my house on the 17th November to install a prepay meter. I owe them a little over £300 and have been paying off what I can afford regularly over the past few months without fail. The last correspondence I received from them was back in June and that was when I set up a direct debit to pay them. I did ask for a payment card multiple times back then to ease payments, but they have refused each time. I even asked on the phone today but the robot operator also refused as there is nothing they can do on the system until the bill is paid in full. I also said that an entry warrant isn't needed as they have permission to enter to fit the meter even though I would prefer it if they didn't install it, but he wasn't accepting this and said that I can say all this in court.

      From the research that I have done, a warrant costs money and said money, along with court costs and personnel costs of hiring a team and locksmith for the entry will also be applied to my account. This is unacceptable and I will not be paying it. My partner works part time while I look after our 21 month old and I am also on DLA for life for mental reasons (severe depression and anxiety), and we just cannot afford to pay all of that. We can barely afford our current bills now and prices seem to be rising. I worked out that we can pay an extra £30 a month to BG if we sacrifice a few things and fall behind with a few other bills, but the operator on the phone refused that payment plan and payment card request unless I could pay what I owe in full. All attempts to reason with them failed and the phone call was a bunch of "No-no's and talks of court dates followed by the usual script-like behaviour".

      My question to you guys is, is it worth me heading to that court date and stating that we were not asked prior to this letter about installing a prepay meter, that all this came out of the blue, that we were paying off what we owe regularly and that if the prepay is installed, we will be in even more debt? I also read that as I am disabled they cannot legally install a prepay, but I have not found any legislation backing this up.

      I am lost at the moment. I have no clue about law or what to say to get out of this or what to even say in court. Ideally I want them to accept our monthly payment increase and cancel the court date, but that seems impossible right now.

      Any help you guys can give will be appreciated.
      Legally, in any court hearing related to this issue (Right of Entry Act 1954) the court MUST consider all evidence put before them in order to be able to issue a warrant. They must be satisfied that the warrant is the only means by which the utility company will recuperate their losses. If you are able to prove to the court what you have said in relation to offers of payment and even voluntary entry, then the court CANNOT issue the warrant. The trouble is, both the courts and the utility companies fail to follow the procedures correctly, and many warrants are issued illegally. Check out my thread titled 'warrant of entry fraud' for more information.

      Comment

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