Unjustified big increase in gas charge

[register]

I live in a council one-bedroom flat. The heating is communal heating and the council has increased the amount that I have to pay for the heating by 60%.

I have been through stage 1 of the council’s complaint procedure because I have looked in the Internet and I have not found any evidence that there has not been an increase of 60% of the gas price last year. Moreover, nothing is stated in the tenancy agreement which says that the council can increase the charge of the heating how much it wishes

The council has replied to me that this increase is due to the high cost of energy and that it is necessary.

I would like to know on which grounds I can take up my complaint to stage 2 of the council’s complaint procedure and if there is a law which says that the Council can increase the charge of the heating how much it wishes without putting forward any evidence that the price of the gas has increased by 60% last year.

Moreover, this huge increase can cover a bad management from the Council

[echat11]

Send the Council a Subject Access Request, make it a 'general' request, you don't want them holding back stuff, not that they would.
They have 30 days to respond, you've identified that information might help here.

Make sure you get Proof of Postage.

islandgirl Might be able to help with this.

[register]

which information can I request in my Subject Access Request?

[Pezza54]

Please read www.islington.gov.uk/housing/heat-meters

By law, all homes on a communal heating network must have a heat meter installed where possible
Islington council began installing heat meters in autumn 2022

After a heat meter is fitted, the tenant only pays for heating and hot water used

If you don't have a heat meter you should ask the council for their report on the viability of the installation of heat meters

[echat11]

which information can I request in my Subject Access Request?

You want all the information related to your one bedroom council flat.

There will also be a residents association, so no doubt they can advise.

This might have to be a collective effort, no doubt others are in the same position.

[atticus]

which information can I request in my Subject Access Request?

your personal data held by the council. How this will help you is not clear to me.

[register]

Can you tell me what is this law which says that all homes on a communal heating network must have a heat meter installed where possible.

Moreover, what I need to know is what law or regulation regulate the increase that the council can impose concerning gas charge. I think that there should be some law or regulation about this issue and that the council cannot impose the increase that it wishes.

This information will also be necessary if stage 2 of my complaint failed and I need to go to court

[Pezza54]

Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014

[echat11]

your personal data held by the council. How this will help you is not clear to me.

The same way you would send a SAR to an energy company.
They should provide all the details they hold.

[atticus]

I do indeed understand that. But how might that help in relation to the subject matter of the OP's complaint?

[register]

Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 says that council should install a gas meter in each flat but only "if possible". Hence, the Council will simply reply to me that it cannot do it because the building is too old or because the way it has been built. I have the same problem with water because I tried to have my own water meter and I was told by the council that it is not possible because the way that the water network has been designed in the building

[Pezza54]

A gas meter is not the same as a heat meter

[PallasAthena]

I do indeed understand that. But how might that help in relation to the subject matter of the OP's complaint?

SAR requests are sometimes recommended here when a Freedom of Information request would likely be more useful. This seems to be one of those occasions. OP could submit an FOI requesting details of the councils actual gas costs for the building.

However the council may try to use various FOI exemptions to reject the request so OP may also want to involve their local councillor.

The good suggestion was made earlier than instead of trying to deal with this on his own OP should work through a tenants/ residents group if there is one, or at least for a group.of residents to work together. Theore complainants there are the harder it is for the council to fob them off.

[echat11]

I do indeed understand that. But how might that help in relation to the subject matter of the OP's complaint?

Any information that is garnished would be helpful, i.e. Terms and Conditions on price increases, etc.

They can't just 'arbitrarily' increase gas on someone who might be 'vulnerable'. Even though they say it's because of increase in gas costs.

I know Councils are 'struggling', but they should try and absorb as much of the costs as possible.

[register]

I do not know what is the gas cost for the building but it could be high due to bad management because the council does not have any incentive to negotiate better deal with its gas provider or to shop around because it does not pay the gas cost directly because it is paid be the tenant who cannot do nothing to decrease the costs.

Furthermore, I heard that communal heating should be cheaper because the gas can be bought in bulk and because there is only one boiler in the building and not a building in each flat

Moreover, I think that the cost of gas imposed by the council is not due to the consumption of gas by the building because I think that the Council pays the gas provider from a "fund" and sometimes there is too much money in this fund and at other time there is not enough money and it should be what is happening now and it is why the council has increased by 60% the gas charges it imposes on the tenants of this building