Power Companies
So it seems that power companies representatives have been able to break into people’s houses and put them on pre paid systems either by installing a new metre or flipping the smart metre to pre pay mode. The Times ran an article on this and for a month or so it was totally banned. Today it was announced that with some exceptions (over 80s, where power is needed for medical equipment, though some pieces of equipment are not mentioned and some disabilities) and where there are no exceptions the company must give you notice 10 times before they can just walk in and change the metre to pre pay.
This is joke. Very few things make me swear but how could they be allowed to fucking walk into a persons hope and change the metre in the first place.
It is not just the big companies, but those who supposed to be more bloody caring like OVO.
What a bloody country I live in.
This is joke. Very few things make me swear but how could they be allowed to fucking walk into a persons hope and change the metre in the first place.
It is not just the big companies, but those who supposed to be more bloody caring like OVO.
What a bloody country I live in.
Comments
There are two issues that have caused the problems. First and foremost the utility companies have not been doing their job properly in terms of contacting customers and assessing vulnerability. And secondly magistrates were instructed that provided the evidence they were given (on oath) established the grounds for issuing a warrant, then they should not question it or enquire further - so there was effectively no scrutiny of the companies’ actions.
There are quite a few organisations with unexpected power - again until you cross them you don't know about it. HMRC/Customs are a pretty annoying lot on occasion but dig down a bit and you find they have power that the Police can only dream about, esp the Customs side. They have, for example, total access to all of your records held by any Govt Dept. and you may never know why.
Local Authorities can hold data on anyone who is linked in any way to a safeguarding query or about whom a suspicion has been raised however spurious or vindictive. You may never know that the data is held unless you do a subject access request or (more likely) a Safeguarding check throws up an anomaly.
I agree but the issue with them lies not in their application for access but the magistrates grating it.
Questions need to be asked as to why warrants are being issued. It may well go back to the restricted gene pool of magistrates which also needs attention as like many public bodies it is horrifying unrepresentative.
As for diversity, it is a known problem which has been addressed to an extent in the past, but it is not clear how effective that was, and it doesn’t seem to be a current priority of the Justice Department (colour me unsurprised). Socio/economic data hasn’t been gathered, but nationally 56% are women, 13% from black and minority ethnic communities. 82% are aged 50 or over.
Today I got an email from their debt recovery department informing me that I’ve been paying too little and am now in arrears by over £1K. As a result, they are tripling my monthly direct debit. I cannot afford this increase.
FUCKING BASTARDS 😡
Wankers.
At the risk of sounding callous and uncaring. I suspect that warrants are being issued because occupants are failing to co-operate with the energy company.
I'm sure you have some kind of evidence base for that suspicion. Otherwise it could sound like it's based on a negative stereotype of the "sort of people" you think end up on prepayment meters.
That's reflected in the experience @Spike just reported. Cooperation can include noticing that prices are increasing and contacting supplier early to arrange an affordable increase in payments to prevent large debts accruing. When that offer isn't taken up then it's the utility provider that's being uncooperative.
If by being unable to pay the increases, then perhaps. Don't worry, I worked for 17 years in a Building Society and I think I know why people can't or won't pay.
I have a prepayment meter - it's what came with the flat when I bought it. As my provider is changing, I'm planning on finding out if I can have it changed to a proper direct debit meter (I'm not too bothered about whether it's "smart" or not) - I rather like the idea of not having to schlepp along to the shop every couple of weeks.
What sort of evidence do you have in mind ?If someone co-operates by allowing the energy company in to change the meter, a warrant is not needed.
I see. By "co-operate" you mean "do exactly as you're told".
I forget you're ex-police sometimes.
If the occupier refuses access, a warrant is the only option.
No it's not. There is the option to not install a meter.
Ask yourself why someone might refuse. It may be that they know they are pulling a fast one and should pay up .... but have you ever considered the fear, anxiety, vulnerability, brokenness of those people? I've seen it at first hand and always tried to have a conversation that was broader than the debt - even then I could find other agencies to help and other mechanisms.
To go piling in only draws battle lines and in some cases will push people over the edge. There's rightly been an outcry about OFSTED following one poor lady's suicide - how many people are pushed beyond pain and endurance when their homes and lives are violated by bailiffs and magistrates? (Yes the latter - gammon as many are - hold the blame too).
Presumably aided by a battering ram, shouting Police and a truncheon.
So what, cut them off completely? Or do you mean give them free energy?
I assume that's what was meant.
We don't allow water to be cut off for non-payment. Energy companies can pursue debts through the courts if they must, and can seek to have money taken directly from wages or benefits if needs be.
If a pre-payment meter is fitted, if the person cannot afford to put money on it, they are effectively cut off.
To be in a situation where this is the case, we can assume partial or complete dependence on benefits of one kind or another. Therefore to avoid cutting off, either the electricity company writes the debt off, or benefits are increased to enable them to pay. Either way, the bill ends up falling to everyone else.
Essentially, if someone can't afford something, either they don't get it or someone else pays for it.
If the occupier is vulnerable according to various established criteria, the companies are not supposed to apply for warrants. As has been recently documented, they simply haven’t been checking.
The utility companies have lots of options. They can talk to their customers to arrange payments that are affordable. They can help people cut their usage. They can support installation of more efficient boilers, insulation, double glazing etc that can cut costs. Though, in many cases the responsibility to improve efficiency lay with someone else (the landlord), and if the landlord isn't doing their bit to help tenants keep their bills down then that shouldn't be taken out on the tenants by forcing a pre-payment meter on them.
Put simply, the purpose of a gas or electricity company is to supply gas or electricity to people. Whereas, in practice, many of these companies seem to think that their purpose is to make profits for shareholders and pay their directors big salaries, and they're willing to wash their hands of difficult customers (by putting the supply of energy entirely into onto the ability to buy top ups) to ensure the money flows. When people get sick for lack of heating or power to cook then that's blood money.
The problem was that meters were broken into and the money taken. The money would either be 'borrowed' by the occupier or stolen by a neighbour when there was nobody in the property. Either way, there would be a repair cost and the money repaid to the supplier. These days houses with meters are no longer a target for burglars, and people don't have to pay twice.
But, that's not relevant. Whether you're putting actual coins into the meter or walking down to the corner shop to buy a top up if you don't have money at that moment in time you're effectively cut off when the credit falls to zero. Even if the price per kWh was the same as payment by direct debit that is more likely to create problems because a pre-payment meter doesn't allow regular monthly payment that balances the higher costs in winter with over payment in the summer. Though, of course, the prices aren't equal - costs per kWh on a pre-payment meter are higher than any other payment plan. It's not as bad as paying twice, but paying on a pre-payment meter is paying more for the same amount of electricity or gas.
Vimes' Law of Boot Inequality. Cf. the solar panels we have the space and money to have fitted.
SSE (now owned by OVO) still left me without electricity for two almost three days though since their new customer phone lines are only open Mon-Fri 9-5. As in, the times when most people are not moving house.
And being cut off is definitely a thing: I once forgot to top up the meter and came home from work to find the place in darkness. Luckily the corner shop was still open, but I'd given myself a fright.
This sort of account would help some people these days but I accept that the big increases we have had in the last year would still leave people with difficulties
But, what we want doesn't change what is - and, it is the case that (outwith the current situation where government has capped prices for domestic users) the cheapest tariffs are for those who can pay by direct debit and the most expensive are for those on pre-payment meters.
I suspect that direct debit users are prefered because they are more likely to use more supply.
And are cheaper to administer - hence the higher prices for metered supply
You are mostly right. Officially you cannot rent out a place with no central heating.
FWIW I don't my bedroom to be 18C - far too warm!