FloGas deposit charge

heartofwhite · 19-09-2013 12:59pm #1

Hey everyone,

So myself and the girlfriend moved into a house last week and it now turns out that the heating is controlled by Flogas who are now looking for a 250 deposit in order to maintain supply. If this is not paid by the end of the week, we will be disconnected.

At no point did the letting agent mention this potential cost to us prior to moving in and it is not specifically mentioned in the contract. I informed the letting agent that we did not have the money available to pay and that we were happy to do without the gas for the duration of the contract or alternatively if they could remove the deposit requirement I would be happy to pay the bills by direct debit.

The letting agent has just come back to me and said that this cannot be allowed to happen and that we would need to pay the deposit. If we do not come up with the money, we will be liable for the 75 euro disconnection fee and a 75 euro reconnection fee when we leave.

I rang Bord Gais who do not look for any deposit. However, due to the fact that the gas supply is bottled rather than tanked, Bord Gais is not an option. So we have no choice but Flogas.

Can the letting agent do this?

Any advice appreciated.

dudara · 19-09-2013 1:33pm

Don't bother with the letting agent. Your contract will be with Flogas. Have you asked Flogas about waiving the deposit if you agree to pay by direct debit?

To be honest though, this is pretty much standard practice when signing up to any utility.

petes · 19-09-2013 2:38pm

Nothing to do with the letting agent.

Seems from Flogas website you need to pay a reduced deposit of €100 even when paying by DD.

"Existing Gas Users switching to Flogas Natural Gas

Payment is by Direct Debit Mandate. Should you not wish to pay by Direct Debit, then a refundable Security Deposit of €250.00 is required.

Tenants wishing to pay via direct debit are required to pay a reduced deposit of €100.00 and a security deposit of €250.00 where no direct debit is supplied."

Is there a fee to be disconnected?

heartofwhite · 19-09-2013 2:57pm

According to the Letting agent there is a fee of 75 to disconnect and the same again to reconnect. There is no way in hell that I am paying this. As far as I am concerned, the letting agent failed to tell us of the need to pay the 250 deposit. We do not have a choice of switching providers to avoid the cost therefore the letting agent should have told us before we signed the contract.

The letting agent rang my partner this morning demanding that the deposit be paid by Friday. My partner got really upset and rang me. It is not on as far as I am concerned. I genuinely did not know that it was standard practice to request a deposit to maintain a gas supply. I am not trying to be difficult but I do not have the money for this unplanned cost.

My choices as far as I can tell:

Pay the 250 deposit to Flogas

Pay disconnection fee now and reconnection fee on leaving and do without gas

It is such crap and has me in such a bad mood.

petes · 19-09-2013 3:06pm

Do you intend to use the service?

heartofwhite · 19-09-2013 3:14pm

It does not bother me if we have it or not. Genuinely, if I could avoid having the gas heating and avoid the disconnect fees and reconnection fees, I would be happy.

If I ring Flogas and say that I want to disconnect the service, they will pass on the disconnect fee to the registered owner of the property who in this case lives in Poland. The letting agent run the property on her behalf as she no longer lives in Ireland. The letting agent is saying that the registered owner should not be liable for the charge and that it will passed onto me instead for choosing to disconnect.

Why should I be liable for the charge? I was never given a viable choice in the first place!

kaimera · 19-09-2013 3:17pm

Is this your first interaction with a service provider?

Bord Gais was 400e deposit for no DD iirc.

ESB might have one as well.

You can move your existing accounts to your new address and tell FloGas to cut you off

whomitconcerns · 19-09-2013 3:25pm

there is bord gais where i live. I had to pay them 250 deposit to set up my account, simple as that. Its normal practice

heartofwhite · 19-09-2013 3:26pm

Unfortunately this is my first time having bills in my name. I setup the ESB no problem at all last week - they did not require a deposit for direct debit at all. The whole thing took five minutes on the phone.

Bord Gais also do not require a deposit but they do not supply bottled gas.

emeldc · 19-09-2013 3:45pm

'I rang Bord Gais who do not look for any deposit. However, due to the fact that the gas supply is bottled rather than tanked, Bord Gais is not an option. So we have no choice but Flogas.'

Am I missing something here. If it's bottled gas, just put your own bottle on it

heartofwhite · 19-09-2013 5:11pm

I am not sure - I think that the bottle is held elsewhere and serves the estate because we have a gas meter on the side of the house and are charged based on this.

emeldc · 19-09-2013 5:18pm

heartofwhite wrote: »

I am not sure - I think that the bottle is held elsewhere and serves the estate because we have a gas meter on the side of the house and are charged based on this.

It must be a tank. A bottle wouldn't last 10 mins.
It's just like any other utility so and it seems the supplier can ask for a deposit if they want one. I don't really know where you stand with the connection fees.

sandin · 19-09-2013 10:40pm

Nothing to do with the letting agent whatsoever - so don't even bother with that route.

Welcome to the world of renting. Many people who rent run up big bills and run away. In most cases they cannot be traced. therefore most suppliers will insist on a deposit to cover part of the cost of an unpaid bill in case you do a runner. ESB will simply cut you off if payment is not made and then insist on deposit when you re-connect.

Flogas basically are covering their asses and they have huge experience of losing out to those who rent properties. So if there is anyone to be angry with, its the dishonest people who don;t pay their bills when renting.

ANXIOUS · 21-09-2013 8:05am

I dont think You don't have to pay the deposit if you own the place.

keithclancy · 21-09-2013 10:55pm

ANXIOUS wrote: »

I dont think You don't have to pay the deposit if you own the place.

How would they know you own the place ?

All4shopping · 21-09-2013 11:20pm

We had the same prob with Flogas when we moved into our house in July 2012, we continued to use the gas and they sent us out bills which we pay in the post office, have not had a request for the deposit since the initial letter they sent us in July 2012. We also rent

FloGas deposit charge

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