need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas - Maddys1

[Maddys1]

Good morning I'm being accused by British Gas of tampering with my Gas meter even though over the last six years I had heart trouble having had to have a triple bypass this year in June I can't seem to talk to them as they are adement the meter was tampered with and if I didn't do it somebody else did I need some help from somebody please

[Amethyst]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

How are they accusing you? Have they written to you or visited you?

[Maddys1]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

How are they accusing you? Have they written to you or visited you?

They have written and visited and have now removed the meter

[wales01man]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

What are the saying you have done to meter? tampering could mean lots of things

[seduraed]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

I have to agree with everything you say, Des. I am smelling a scam, too. Unless BG can prove the OP has tampered with the meter in any way - and the onus is on BG - they are skating on very thin ice, legally, indeed. As for BG's demands, I feel it is a case of, "Until you can prove, conclusively, that amount of gas has been consumed, the account is in dispute." I do not consider tampering by the BG employees described by the OP can be ruled out either. Their demeanour raises a lot of questions. The BG employee's statement that was witnessed by two other persons besides the OP could be important. The OP and those who were present when the statement was uttered need to write down what the BG employee said and sign and date it if they have not already done so.

I am wondering if this is a scam? It's one I have heard of before. The crucial thing is they want you to pay THEM. Ring BG use the number on the net or from your bills. Check if they have sent revenue protection officers.

[Maddys1]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

They I have disconnected it and turned it round so it runs backwards

[wales01man]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

was it turned round when they collected it or when it was read? Without accusing you or anyone was it ever turned around by anyone its easy to do actually seen it many times

[Maddys1]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

No it's never been turned around its in a cupboard in in front of my shop which is open to public view at many times during he day

[seduraed]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

Can you clarify your last post. You state that the Meyer has been turned round to run backwards. Who did this,you? If so so that going to get you into a lot of pain. The so called By men? I smell a scam. You need to ring BG revenue protection or engineering. I have never heard of a legitimate gas Meyer running backwards. Solar fed electricity meters, yes.

We need to know more.

[Maddys1]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

It's never been turned around that's what British Gas have said they have never found it the wrong way round in the 30 years I have had my business it's them that are saying that they think it has been turned around which it never has

[charitynjw]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

At first blush I would be concerned about the safety aspect.
If the meter has been removed, it should be done in a safe manner, properly capped off to ensure that gas cannot escape.
Just turning off at the emergency valve is not sufficient.

Gas emergency services. 0800 111 999 (This is a 24 hour emergency line).

[Maddys1]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

It was removed by British Gas and all done properly and has been capped

[Amethyst]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

Okay. They need to provide you with evidence that the meter was tampered with. I believe they should contact the Police when they accuse someone of tampering with the meter - as it is a criminal offence - have you been visited by the Police?

Are you currently without Gas or have they fitted a prepay meter in its place ?

How much money are they asking for in back billing and over what period ?

Have your bills be pretty normal over the last couple of years ?

I would send a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act to British Gas to get everything they have about you.

[charitynjw]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

It was removed by British Gas and all done properly and has been capped

Gas & electricity suppliers have to inspect customers' meters at least every 2 years to comply with their Ofgem supplier's licence (unless they have an alternative arrangement in place).

[Crazy council]

Re: need advice regarding of accusation of tampering gas meter by BGas.

Hi

With most instalations, there is a meter in the road that meters a few propertys, then the individual meters.

In the first instance, if anything is suspected or alledged, they read the meters and tally them up with them main underground meter. ( this is probebly were they get the initial figures from. But the underground meters are not accurate enough, and will still count any gas leaked between the main dever and the individual meters. ( so if there has been a gass leak before anyonmes meters, it would initialy look like stolen gas ) Ask them what leaks they have had in the area

If the meter has been turned or tamperd with, they can tell, Its not just the seals, theres something they can check inside ( i suspect thats why they took it away ), And they were probebly checking for something called an Ipan Number on the meter.

Have you changed supliers over the past 8 years. sometimes this can cause confusion over the starting figures for the billing. ( again i have seen this happen ) . Ask foir the mpan number for each meter that you had, ask for the starting and finnishing readings on them.

Also, hows you bills for the period reletive to how they shoiuld be.

I have seen these things play out in the past a number of ways.

Were a person had tamperd with teh gas meter, kept pushing them to prove it, even though it was obvious, and it cost them over 20k in fees ( this was a LL that had tapped of a shop supply to supply a number of flats above, declaring them to be electric only He had managed to loop the numbers on the meter ( run till it resets ) and only let them check whgenm it was close to the numbers it should have been

A LL that did similar by swapping the meter and only letting them in when it looiked like it ballanced , Again he got stung, and if i remeber, they put a charge over the propertys for there fees.


And the ionnocent ones

quite a number ( most common i would say ) . Is confusion when :
Suppliers have been changed over the years and somethibgs been regfisterd wrong against an Ipan nuimber
The gas usage at the property is unusualy low for that typew of business
There is discrpance between the main underground meters, and the indivudual ones.

Leads to engery companys just charging the difference between the road meters and the individuals, especily if there is a business with low considered gas usage.

The most common casue for the above, is a leek between the main road meter, and the indivudual meter. ( ask them about reported leeks or presure drops in the area , infact, ask them about mains presure at your junction )
It must have been quite an old type meter for them to say it was run backwards.