commercial electricity reconnection

[woolfy5]

Hi, i have recently bought a retail premises from a person who had their electricity cut off.British gas assured us that once purchased ,if we could forward proof of purchase that they would reconnect us within ten days.They have had proof of purchase but now say that as the previous tenant had a contract with them to say that he would not re assign the lease to anyone else whilst he had a debt owing to them ,that."they do not recognise the assignation of the lease to us as he had a contract to british gas and had an outstanding debt.:
Basically saying they wont reconnect us until the previous tenant pays up.He has long gone and we have no idea where he is or how to contact him and he isnt likely to pay anyway.So where do we stand?They wont discuss his terms or contract or outstanding debt with us as its not our contract.Nor will they reconnect us or recognise that we are the current owners of the property .Surprising really as my solicitors assure me that we are .Apparently british gas have decided they are above recognising legal documents if they dont want to .Can this be right .Any help greatly appreciated .many thanks andy

 

[1john]

Are british gas the DNO or are they the company selling the electricity to the last occupier?

 

[Spark123]

Have you asked your solicitor about the law regarding the debt?

 

[ColJack]

work out what you would be earning a day and send BG a letter to the effect that you are losing X amount a day and will be suing them for lost earnings for every day over a week ( reasonable time frame for reconnection ) that they do not reconnect you..

follow this up with a letter to your solicitor asking them to start proceedings..

you legally own the property and they have no right to refuse service on the basis of a previous owners debt to them..

yo do own it don't you, not just lease it? that's probably a different kettle of fish..

 

[flameport]

Have you actually purchased the freehold, or just had the remainder of the lease assigned to you? There is a huge difference. There is also the possibility that you have purchased the building but not the land they are situated on.

Leases can be very complex documents, so you need to discuss this with your solicitors ASAP and find out exactly what you have taken on, as it is possible that the previous tenant did actually have some contract or other which may or may not be enforceable.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

British Gas are not a DNO, they are just a supplier. If they were a DNO then they wouldn't be owed anything by the previous property owner, as DNOs don't sell electricity to end consumers.

Find another supplier rather than run up more solicitor's bills, court fees etc.

 

[woolfy5]

My apologies for not stating the obvious.We have taken the lease over from the previous tenant. I guess this makes it a lot more complicated.My solicitor assures us that we are the legal lease holders and that they have no right to "Not recognise the assignation".Of course he doesnt live in the land of utility gods . I have spoken to my solicitors and BG about debt and its not our debt.BG wont even discuss how much is owed
All they keep saying is speak to the previous tenant to contact us and sort the debt out.He isnt around anymore doesnt seem to compute with these guys and anyway whats it to do with me ?.They keep saying its nothing to do with me when i question them about it but expect me to find the debtor for them and get him to pay up.I dont see how we can go forward if they will only deal with someone whos not available and wont set up a contract with a new client.They must have a president for this but they wont say anymore than they already have .We have spoken to other suppliers and they cant take over the account until its been reconnected by BG .A boys club contract probably lol

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Good luck.

 

[SteNova]

tell them the previous tennant is dead

they might ask for a death cert though

 

[ColJack]

surely if you contact the DNO directly then they will re-connect it and then when you contact the suppliers you just need to give them the meter number?

 

[timtheenchanter]

contact DNO directly to re-connect, see what they say, then use a different supplier.

really doesnt suprise me with BG, they chased me for money allegedly owed from a previous property, even getting a debt collection agency in to "track me down" because I had allegedly moved without paying final bill/giving forwarding address.

now hang on, I did give address, pay last bill, and I (at that point) was buying both my gas an electric off BG in my new property.

 

[woolfy5]

thanks guys will let you know what happens

 

[securespark]

Pass all these details onto the troubleshooter in Saturday's Times.

She loves stuff like this and she'll help, I'm sure!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/article3358533.ece

OR, probably much more effective:

http://www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk/

 

[dannyboi2003]

BG are a sack of ****e! When i bought my house it had a prepay gas meter, i wanted this changed back to a credit meter and they were an absolute nitemare to deal with all because like yourself the previous owner owed them money. I changed supplier then arranged to have the meter changed with them, simples! I now take great pleasure telling them where to shove it when they ring me asking to switch back to them!

Best advice (and i think this has already been sugested) is switch supplier and arrange the re-connection through them.

 

[woolfy5]

Good new today guys .After being complete nobs BG have agreed to reconnect us as long as we pay £1100 bond.Have paid it and are awaiting reconnection so i can then transfer to another supplier. and that will be the end of BG for me .Many thanks for all your replies .My advice avoid them like the plague !