My mother owns a property which she frequents periodically as she lives mainly in her pub.

She was alarmed to find out that the Gas provider had gained access to her premises via a warrant, to read her meter.

They allegedly sent her three letters, but she has not received one and did not contact her by telephone.

What is the current law surrounding Warranty o Entry?

I did read this extract:

Magistrates have become used to issuing warrants to authorize utility companies to enter domestic premises.

The procedure under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954 (as amended) (“the 1954 Act”)

enables the applicant utility company or its agents to enter a building or part of a building

when reasonably required in the conduct of their business.

Typically, they may seek a warrant to effect entry to fit a prepayment meter for domestic property

or disconnect the supply in commercial premises where previous gas or electricity bills have been left unpaid.

In the article it was argued that by so doing the applicant local authority circumvent settled practice in the county court,

offend the principle of proportionality, and potentially invite the magistrates to misapply the law.

http://www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk/features/Warrants-Entry

Thanks in advance

so when did they last read the meter?

sadly by law they are required to 'see' a meter or read it

better than every 24mts

dx

Hi DX

Thanks for the reply.

I think it was about a year ago, the Gas Engineer installed a new meter.

She has one of the pay as you go meters, so loads the card up with credit and then inserts it into the meter.

Thanks

oh that's not right then

something smells here.

why would they need to force entry to read a meter they can obv see is getting credit put on it?

although, they 'could' be worry not a lot is being put on it?

why was the pre pay installed?

bad debt?

why would they need to force entry to read a meter they can obv see is getting credit put on it?

For gas supplies in particular, the two-year inspection is also to ensure the meter is safe. Shouldn't apply in this case though, with it being installed a year ago. :/

Hi DX

The pay as you go has always been there about 40 years, although they did replace it with an up to date type and my Mother has kept it like that.

Yes I am of the same thinking as you, she is hardly there so they suspect that maybe there is some kind of Gas theft? Anf then use the entry as an excuse to inspect maybe?

Agree Evesir

poss no harm in asking them

dx

Or they had to "re-program" the meter because your mum was not using as much gas as they would like her to.

Once they insisted on having my pre pay meter inspected despite reading it a few months before.

I booked an appointment with them and got my friend, a gas safe registered, to supervise what the guy was going to do.

He was not happy about this.

He huffed and puffed, spoke on the phone with someone and then left the property without even looking at the meter.

All of this was captured on camera.

Never heard from them again about this suspicious inspection.