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Discovered on returning to property after absence of 21 months (shielding from Covid) that Cadent had renewed gas mains 18 mothns at least earlier and disconnected my gas supply. It is still disconnected. Cadent or their contractors had simply left a "sorry we missed you". NOTHING else. Even if I am cut off for non-payment correct practice requires SIX written notices to the address. In this case there were NONE. Obviously I should have stopped payments to my supplier before going away.
I am 85.
Apparently their duty to me in respect of the meter ends six months after diconnection. It's possible they didn't even notify my supplier, let alone me, of any disconnection. They claim Data Protection Regulations prohibit that, but Ofgem say (through the CAB - Ofgem is uncontactable directly) that disconnection converts me into a vulnerable consumer, and removes any such prohibition. Had my supplier (whom I pay by monthly direct debit) been so notififed I might have learn of the disconnection from them in time to come to the priperty within the month allowed for reconnection and ensure I was reconnected. To add insult to injury, Cadent trumpet online a multipage claim to consider "vulnerable" consumers with great care and consideration - but this seemingly applies only to people who are having difficulty paying - and mostly such folk don't pay Cadent directly at all. Nothingly like a good image on the cheap.
I must instead face the immediate cost of reconnection and possible further costs arising from their failure to contact me which might be over £5,000 - it is/was a gas centrally heated house, and a single visit from a "Gas Safety Inspector". who, of course, could not verify his claims, but he is also an equipment supplier and installer, alleged that my boiler and gas fire were both "dangerous" - though I had survived my last use of them remarkbly well. The latest official suggestion from Cadent is that I contact a charity - not even a practical one - they named National Energy Action, which covers folk on the official poverty line - though by the time this is satisfactorily resolved that is where I shall probably be. I cannot, so it would seem, even get credit for the standing charge for the greater part of the period in which I have had no gas supply, since the only record of "capping" my supplier has is the date on which I called in Cadent to try to establish what had happened.
Neither Citizen's Advice, not apparently "Which", seem to be able to make any impact on this.
If you have to deal with Cadent, EVER, check your insurance first. I had never heard of them until this happened. They seem recently to have been bought by an Australian mining company. Given current gas profit levels, I can't see them giving an inch.
I am 85.
Apparently their duty to me in respect of the meter ends six months after diconnection. It's possible they didn't even notify my supplier, let alone me, of any disconnection. They claim Data Protection Regulations prohibit that, but Ofgem say (through the CAB - Ofgem is uncontactable directly) that disconnection converts me into a vulnerable consumer, and removes any such prohibition. Had my supplier (whom I pay by monthly direct debit) been so notififed I might have learn of the disconnection from them in time to come to the priperty within the month allowed for reconnection and ensure I was reconnected. To add insult to injury, Cadent trumpet online a multipage claim to consider "vulnerable" consumers with great care and consideration - but this seemingly applies only to people who are having difficulty paying - and mostly such folk don't pay Cadent directly at all. Nothingly like a good image on the cheap.
I must instead face the immediate cost of reconnection and possible further costs arising from their failure to contact me which might be over £5,000 - it is/was a gas centrally heated house, and a single visit from a "Gas Safety Inspector". who, of course, could not verify his claims, but he is also an equipment supplier and installer, alleged that my boiler and gas fire were both "dangerous" - though I had survived my last use of them remarkbly well. The latest official suggestion from Cadent is that I contact a charity - not even a practical one - they named National Energy Action, which covers folk on the official poverty line - though by the time this is satisfactorily resolved that is where I shall probably be. I cannot, so it would seem, even get credit for the standing charge for the greater part of the period in which I have had no gas supply, since the only record of "capping" my supplier has is the date on which I called in Cadent to try to establish what had happened.
Neither Citizen's Advice, not apparently "Which", seem to be able to make any impact on this.
If you have to deal with Cadent, EVER, check your insurance first. I had never heard of them until this happened. They seem recently to have been bought by an Australian mining company. Given current gas profit levels, I can't see them giving an inch.
