Gas supply problem - this is going to be hell

Step 1 - contact EDF (Only 40 minutes to get through to a human) - 1 min of talk and now back on hold while she hunts for a supervisor

Phone Transco and tell them you can smell gas and cannot turn-off your supply, they will come out sharpish and either cut-off, or at the very least should sort the problem out, as they connected the meters in the first place.

Beano

Beano

Sorry but transco have been replaced by NGT.

They are only responsible for transporting the gas up to the governing valve (the bell shaped thing) in the meter box. They repair leaks up to their side of the valve FOC and charge for leaks on the customers side. This has nothing to do with them.

The problem is firmly between 3 customers and 3 suppliers and yes it will be a mess.

The good news is that no one will be cut off.

Regards

Mick

Step 2 - EDF have been very helpful (Ok I did push the my partner is disabled button - true BTW)

However acording to the manager looking at the TRANSCO DB two of the meters do not exist so had to call British Gas.....

Step 3 - British Gas
Wow a mega quick connection to a human, very helpful could have someone here this evening to get gas on - expecting call from TRANSCO.

However sorting out the mess (well I could here the pity in her voice). Just trying to explain the 3 way confusion over the phone takes forever (even I get confused when pulled off my thread - I thought that physics degree would be useful but nothing compared to the special and general theory of gas supply)

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Beano

Sorry but transco have been replaced by NGT.

They are only responsible for transporting the gas up to the governing valve (the bell shaped thing) in the meter box. They repair leaks up to their side of the valve FOC and charge for leaks on the customers side. This has nothing to do with them.

The problem is firmly between 3 customers and 3 suppliers and yes it will be a mess.

The good news is that no one will be cut off.

Regards

Mick

NGT is Transco and the bell shaped thing is called a Service Governor, plus they are responsible for the Gas Meter ( they own 99% of the UK meters, which is about 21 Million) and 12" of pipe after it leaves the Gas Meter.
You need to instigate the process quite firmly and they should liaise with the suppliers concerned.
Beano 25yrs Man and Boy

Well why did EDF and British Gas both mention Transco - Oh sorry I forgot this is customer serice in the UK in the naughtys and forgot that the energy supply Lawyers/Finacial advisers are Screwem,Shaftem and Scarper

Rumor has it that Thames Water, BAA and the PFI industry just love SSS's services

[QUOTE]
I've (in No 2) have been paying No 1's bill.

No 3 has been paying for No 1 but had a key meter fitted and lost it means I have only cold water only here as he's lost the key

No 1 should be paying for No 3 but despite repeated contact with British Gas keep being told that they owe nothing so have not paid a thing for two years.

Everyone is with different energy companies, properties are 3,2,1 bedroom so bills should be proportionally different and with prices a nasty financial mess to sort.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The wonders of privatisation.

Beano

The rules changed June 2004.

Transco was broken up and 4 providors have now taken over distribution along with NGT.

The new companies are now responsible for the meters but the problem is simply, who used what gas for how long and at what price.

The transportor wont care, the providors will.

Regards

Mick ...who spent a few months in the energy industry as a consultant advising on this.

Beano

The new transporters are now buying meters instead of NGT. The relevant Transco staff were Tuped across to the transporter depending on what geographical area the meter is in.

NGT is now a relatively minor player but in order to prevent customers from becoming confused, the name Transco is still being used.

Basically, Transco was a monopoly and had to be broken up which it was in June 2004.

Regards

Mick

Step 3 - I Have gas!
Someone just arrived and made the payment meter work (next door lost the key)

So Gas back on and I have to say good for you British Gas even though I'm not a customer (but this could be the disability thing) for getting it sorted.

The next step to get the meters swaped and 2 years of wrong bills sorted - I guess this will be the painfull part. But fingers crossed

Oh and Don't talk to me about TUPE
Was in a great final salary scheme (Then TUPE'd) but the pay as you go scheme at the new company (I gave 5% they gave 15% was very good) then go back to the original company.
Refused reentry to the final salary scheme and I Pay 6% they pay 6%.

So in both transfers I've lost pension £££ and also I'm going back at a lower grade than when I left (They don't have the old IT grades as they hived it off and so lose 4x salary life insurance etc etc)

Note to companies that still have a final salary scheme outsource a department for a few years then bring it back in to lose your pension obligiationsn - Legaly OK morally it stinks.

I sympathise Stuart.

Over the past 18 months I've uknowingly been paying two meters, appartently and it took 3 months to work out which one was really ours. Then when I moved to British Gas in digust I managed to get two bills again! One from each supplier!

My downstairs neighbour has just said to me tonight that his existing gas company rang and told him he's going to British Gas. Which he's not actually done! He thinks he's only 30 days away from recieving his 12 month £60 cash back. Needless to say he's a little suspicious!

Jay

Ok now I've got my gas supply back there is a (warped) part of me thinking I will enjoy this (in a totally perverse sort of way) . All I need now is to entice Ester onto this thread (BTW did I say they promised I’d lose weight when I changed supplier )
And with the disabled thing going on I can see things being cut off/re supplied/cut of re-supplied/…………. And 3 companies and Transco/NRG/rob you meters/we’re disco) discussing this for years. And that’s just to get standard bills sorted as to sorting out the last 2 years – Doris Stokes we need you


However the truth is welcome to rushed privatisation, rushed data protection laws, cobbled together anti money laundering laws, telephone automation (it's like trying to hit the jackpot on a fruit machine to reach a human these days) and when you do they could be on Mars. And all the while "Your call is very important to us, please hold, please hold...." (Very good Sparks track BTW)

Sorry but the public needs to revolt (or be convinced to pay for service = well we bought Naim) but how!

(BTW The rant is due to bottle of Red after the 2 hours on hold just kicked in)

quote:

Transco

Thanks for the info Mick at least it makes sense.

But to me to "prevent customers from becoming confused," is to to hide stuff. This is wrong if you can find out the company then I can, and WILL, state my case. But if I'm told it's Transco that is incorect what chance do I have!

However these days X=Y=B=C (but only if you bought H and the pension with Q sold to iternational F and dicounted for 1p to Y) so G get 10 and Q gets 1 and so on.

The above may sound silly but only by moving some pension assets at a particular time did I avoid £50,000 becoming (Well it could be £1 or £5000) at the moment the international lawyers re raking in the fees all by clever, and legal acounting. I was lucky some of my old collegues were not.

Same way I lost my final Salary sceme
and then 15% of my salary contributions into the company scheme went to 6% i.e I ended up 11% of my salary worse off worse off ALL DONE LEGALY UNDER TUPE

(sorry for shouting)

You’re quite right Mick in stating National Grid was broken-up, however, this very morning I’ve been talking to an ex-colleague who still works for National Grid Gas (Lattice). He stated that, the asset shifting manoeuvre (sale of assets) took place on the1st of June 2005.

National Grid own and maintain the Transmission network and 50% of the Distribution network, which are the geographic areas known as North West, East of England, West Midlands, and London.
The other 50% of the Distribution network being sold off and divvied up between the four companies you mention. These being Scotland Gas Networks Ltd, Northern Gas Networks Ltd, Wales and West Utilities Ltd and Southern Gas Networks Ltd.

The Shippers purchase the meters and are responsible for the meters. There are roughly 60 companies in the UK who are shippers / suppliers, EDF, Powergen, United Utilities etc. These meters are more than likely to be installed and serviced by Transco engineers who have moved to these new companies. With TUPED pension rights?

National Grid (the Transco name kept so as not to confuse the public) operate the national gas emergency service / Number 0800 111 999.

All very confusing for Joe public and me, so Stuart is in for some grief in getting the account straight.

Regards,

Beano

Beano

You said Scotland Gas Networks. I think you will find it is Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) which is jointly owned by Scottish & Southern Energy plc and a Canadian consortium. They are responsible for transporting gas in Scotland and southern England.

The scenario you listed is correct but it could change if any of the transporters lose the franchise due to price or missed targets etc.

Therefore the old Transco name is kept but when the customer rings the number the call is transferred to the appropriate transporter.

It is easy in concept but customers prefer to deal with a name they know and hence Transco will still be visible for a while to come.

Your were correct about June 2005, I wrote 2004 as a typo.
Regards

Mick

Mick,

What is TUPED the acronym for?

More name changes than Mr D Poll.

Regards,

Beano

Beano

TUPE stands for Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).

It supposedly protects workers when their current employer sells a subsidary or a large contract to another company.

The workers are transferred from the current employer and then work for a new employer and all of their conditions of contract are protected for twelve months.

There is no protection for their pension rights which is probably their most important asset.

Regards

Mick

Step 5 - Contact British gas (7 mins on hold)
Have to go through the explaining process on the 3rd attempt the friendly lady on the end of the phone said, in the nicest way, “I hate you, how can you do this to me on a Friday afternoon” next time around we think we've got it. Gas lady and I decided we needed a drink by this point.

Back on hold.....

TUPE

TUPE

Step 6 Continued - back of hold.

The system says that 2 meters are there that arn't! The meters that are there they have trouble finding so I give all the serial numbers of the meters and who they supply.

And......

It's being refered to management. Told I will be contacted in a couple of days. Asked if I need contact other energy companies and told "no".

Place your bets on number of days

Well surprise surprise no call from British Gas.

Gas meeter ran out of credit again (and I can't use the key that next door has I would be paying of his debt) so had to get them oput on an emergency call. Promissed 4 hours but no one turned up until the next morning.

Called up to find out what is happening and gust as I started to get somewhere cut off. Called back and there customer services system is down - sigh,

Perhaps this is a job for your MP/local press/local radio? Sounds like the sort of story they love to get their hands on.

Steve.