Bord Gais/Gas Networks Ireland disconnection

bazzajf

Hi all,

I wonder if anyone can advise on what course of action I should pursue in light of the gas supply in our newly moved into rented property being cut off today – February 22nd, 2016.
We have just moved into our new rental property in the last week (on Feb 15th 2016) and my wife arrived home at lunchtime today to discover that a gas disconnection notice was posted and our gas supply which provides the heating to the home is disconnected. We have a 9 month old baby who is currently suffering with a chest infection and the gas supply has been disconnected in one of the coldest weeks of the year.

We are in the property for just one week and we were in the process of surveying the utility providers to assess which provides the best value, I did not realise that we had no longer than one week to make our decision and that we would then be cut off without prior warning or notice – it is totally and utterly unacceptable and unreasonable and has left my wife in a very distressed state this afternoon with our young baby.

My wife has been advised by Bord Gais (pre-existing supplier) that there is a €150 reconnection fee which can facilitate the gas being reconnected for Wednesday (February 24th).

I am outraged at this and would like to see the reconnection fee waived given that we were provided with no prior notice or warning of any issues regarding payment of a gas bill – if there were any issues with the previous tenant, we should not be held responsible or liable for this. We have been forced into a situation now where we will have to stay in this unheated property for 2 nights with a young sick baby in one of the coldest spells of the year.

It is absolutely outrageous that this event has occurred and I be appreciative to hear any views on what course of action I should pursue in light of this.

stronglikebull

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is entirely your own fault. You moved into a house, and didn't sign up with any supplier, so therefore you are not being supplied with anything. You have absolutely no recourse against a service supplier for not supplying you with something you never asked them to supply.

This should have been the first thing you did when moving in.

All of the stuff about cold week, sick baby, etc, is irrelevant. Whatever arrangement was in place with a previous tenant is irrelevant. No one was under any obligation to provide you with any notification, as you were not and are not a customer of theirs, so how would they notify you? If a previous tenant moved and cancelled their service, then it was 100% your responsibility to make sure you took on supply the moment you moved in, and ensure you didn't get cut off. Waiting a week is ridiculous.

Save your outrage, order the service, pay for it and move on.

seamus

^^
What this man says, I'm afraid.

It's up to you to choose a utility supplier on the day you move in, you don't get a "grace period" where someone supplies you with free utilities until you make up your mind.

njs030

Did you tell the gas company you had moved in? As the others said how were they supposed to contact you and warn you? Also who was paying for the heating you were using and planning on continuing to use while you decide which supplier to go to?

Unfortunately when you have a child it's your responsibility to provide for them not the gas companies, take it as a lesson learned and don't expect utility companies to be psychic.

bazzajf

stronglikebull wrote: »

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is entirely your own fault. You moved into a house, and didn't sign up with any supplier, so therefore you are not being supplied with anything. You have absolutely no recourse against a service supplier for not supplying you with something you never asked them to supply.

This should have been the first thing you did when moving in.

All of the stuff about cold week, sick baby, etc, is irrelevant. Whatever arrangement was in place with a previous tenant is irrelevant. No one was under any obligation to provide you with any notification, as you were not and are not a customer of theirs, so how would they notify you? If a previous tenant moved and cancelled their service, then it was 100% your responsibility to make sure you took on supply the moment you moved in, and ensure you didn't get cut off. Waiting a week is ridiculous.

Save your outrage, order the service, pay for it and move on.

Nonsense - the least any utility company should be required to do is provide some prior notice of disconnection not to mention trespassing on property without permission.

Speedwell

bazzajf wrote: »

Nonsense - the least any utility company should be required to do is provide some prior notice of disconnection not to mention trespassing on property without permission.

You've been in the property one whole week. How do you know they provided no prior notice?

bazzajf

notjustsweet wrote: »

Did you tell the gas company you had moved in? As the others said how were they supposed to contact you and warn you? Also who was paying for the heating you were using and planning on continuing to use while you decide which supplier to go to?

Unfortunately when you have a child it's your responsibility to provide for them not the gas companies, take it as a lesson learned and don't expect utility companies to be psychic.

I disagree with your analysis but thanks for your input.

VincePP

bazzajf wrote: »

Nonsense - the least any utility company should be required to do is provide some prior notice of disconnection not to mention trespassing on property without permission.

They do, and its usually longer than a week.

The only two people at fault here are either yourself for assuming free gas and electricity for a couple of weeks, or the landlord for not getting you to sign up with a utility before handing over the keys.

It is normal that if a propoerty will lie empty for a period of 30 days (or shorter) that the gas is disconnected. The previous tenant would have been told that and if its a professional landlord, the LL will have known that.

Absolutley no fault here by the gas company.

VincePP

bazzajf wrote: »

Nonsense - the least any utility company should be required to do is provide some prior notice of disconnection not to mention trespassing on property without permission.

I hate when people use this crap.

The gas connections are owned by Bord gais, they have absolute permission to access their connection.

And its not yourpropoerty, you are simply a tenant.

So maybe get off your high horse and look in the mirror to find whois at fault.

bazzajf

VincePP wrote: »

They do, and its usually longer than a week.

The only two people at fault here are either yourself for assuming free gas and electricity for a couple of weeks, or the landlord for not getting you to sign up with a utility before handing over the keys.

It is normal that if a propoerty will lie empty for a period of 30 days (or shorter) that the gas is disconnected. The previous tenant would have been told that and if its a professional landlord, the LL will have known that.

Absolutley no fault here by the gas company.

I disagree with you on your assertion that I would have had an assumption that I would be entitled to free gas. That is an idiotic thing to say.

Your other points are reasonable.

bazzajf

VincePP wrote: »

I hate when people use this crap.

The gas connections are owned by Bord gais, they have absolute permission to access their connection.

And its not yourpropoerty, you are simply a tenant.

So maybe get off your high horse and look in the mirror to find whois at fault.

Utility companies need permission to enter someone's property if the meter is so located. Deal with it, that is a fact.

Try and compose yourself on the keyboard my friend - Enough about "high horses" and the like, personal comments of that nature aren't helpful.

Thankfully, the situation has been resolved. BGE has conceded that they had been sending warning notices to the landlord's address as he had contacted them regarding receiving utility bill correspondence for our property at his residence. He had been on holidays for the past fortnight and was not in a position to advise us accordingly.

Thanks to all for the feedback.

Ice Maiden

Standard for a property to be disconnected when it is vacant or appears to be vacant due to nobody registering. Notice does get sent to "The occupant" though.
I still however don't understand delaying before registering, despite using the heating away. The person to whom you said you disagreed with their analysis - what's there to disagree with? They are correct.

Did you take a meter-reading when you moved in?

bazzajf

Ice Maiden wrote: »

Standard for a property to be disconnected when it is vacant or appears to be vacant due to nobody registering. Notice does get sent to "The occupant" though.
I still however don't understand delaying before registering, despite using the heating away. The person to whom you said you disagreed with their analysis - what's there to disagree with? They are correct.

Did you take a meter-reading when you moved in?

Moot point on your part - As posted earlier, the situation is resolved but thanks for your concern.

ScouseMouse

bazzajf wrote: »

Utility companies need permission to enter someone's property if the meter is so located. Deal with it, that is a fact.

.

Are you saying if I decide I am not going to pay my utilities, they cannot come into my driveway, access the box and cut me off?

What a load of rubbish!

Listen to yourself will you.

bazzajf

ScouseMouse wrote: »

Are you saying if I decide I am not going to pay my utilities, they cannot come into my driveway, access the box and cut me off?

What a load of rubbish!

Listen to yourself will you.

It's a valid point you raise my friend, if in a little heated manner,I suggest trying to compose yourself on the keyboard/touchscreen, it will do wonders for your blood pressure.

Most meter locations are located at the front of house or adjoining wall and easily accessible. In instances where they are located behind high access passageway doors on the side of a property (such as in my case) permission is required. Don't take my word for it - ring Gas Networks Ireland.

Ice Maiden

Great it's sorted anyway, and presumably you took a meter-reading on the day you moved in so that you'll be charged for usage from that day.

ScouseMouse

bazzajf wrote: »

It's a valid point you raise my friend, if in a little heated manner,I suggest trying to compose yourself on the keyboard/touchscreen, it will do wonders for your blood pressure.

Most meter locations are located at the front of house or adjoining wall and easily accessible. In instances where they are located behind high access passageway doors on the side of a property (such as in my case) permission is required. Don't take my word for it - ring Gas Networks Ireland.

I don't need to compose myself thanks. I have a low toleration for what appears to be ridiculous opinions. A lot, if not all posters on this thread have pointed out the obvious. You are only a tenant. You have no idea how long this is going on for. I was in a similar situation years ago and it was caused by nobody in the houseshare wanting to take it on in their own name. Still, it took them about a month, after three or four request for a contract, for them to put a lock on the supply. Again, it was in the driveway, so suggesting they need permission to enter, is bordering on ridiculous.

Unless they somehow entered a locked yard, hallway, building or similar and did it somehow?

You come across as outraged. I do recall a thread about people taking responsibility for their actions and their sense of entitlement. Ah, here is is. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057563256

bazzajf

ScouseMouse wrote: »

I don't need to compose myself thanks. I have a low toleration for what appears to be ridiculous opinions. A lot, if not all posters on this thread have pointed out the obvious. You are only a tenant. You have no idea how long this is going on for. I was in a similar situation years ago and it was caused by nobody in the houseshare wanting to take it on in their own name. Still, it took them about a month, after three or four request for a contract, for them to put a lock on the supply. Again, it was in the driveway, so suggesting they need permission to enter, is bordering on ridiculous.

Unless they somehow entered a locked yard, hallway, building or similar and did it somehow?

You come across as outraged. I do recall a thread about people taking responsibility for their actions and their sense of entitlement. Ah, here is is. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057563256

Thanks for your input and sarcastically referring me onto a thread regarding a sense of entitlement.

If only our exchanges of views could have been more productive - alas not to be..never mind.

dudara

Right, this thread has served enough purpose, no need for handbags.

dudara