Utility Warehouse just broke into my house

[Surfer01]

Nothing but stupid, pointless insults to all....Bailiffs, UW, and me!

 

I offer possible explanations to the OPs original enquiry based on a little personal knowledge and experience and all you can do is throw in totally unnecessary and pointless insults!!

 

I think this just shows you up for the ignorant person you obviously are!

At least I know a hell of a lot more about the electric supplier business than yourself as on occasions you have offered incorrect advice or made incorrect statements one notably that UW have an electric supplier's licence when they don't! There are others but I coudn't be borthered digging them up now.

[pelham9]

ZAZEN WARRIOR.

 

Please withdraw this spurious comment or explain precisely what you mean by it?

.

 

There is at least one person on this thread who has admiited elsewhere that he is an agent for UW. His posts cannot be accepted as unbiassed.

 

You on the other hand are a lonstanding respected contributor to CAG and my renarks wer not made in your direction.

 

Why are you protesting? Please explain.

[pelham9]

an official looking hand delivered letter with no postage stamp,

.

 

I get hundreds of official looking unstamped letters addressed to 'the occupier' through my door every week. Unless the letter has the name of a utility company* on it or someone else who I like to hear from. I would likely not open it. There would be no way of knowing that a letter is delivered by anyone other than the postie.

 

One of the problems of deemed contracts is the continuing uncertainty that utilities have of the identity of the occupier. They have responsibility to the court to ascertain with certainty if any of the occupiers would be adversely affected by a breakin for disconnection etc. They cannot do this without a home visit. However home visits are anathema to utilities as they cost money. They appear to believe that to arrange a home visit by an agent who may or may not deliver a nondescript 'occupier letter' and may or may not report back to them can be counted as a certainty.

 

*If it were from NPower I certainly would shred it immediately!!

[shining Light]

There is at least one person on this thread who has admiited elsewhere that he is an agent for UW. His posts cannot be accepted as unbiassed.

Could that be me I wonder? Edited July 18, 2010 by shining Light

[Blomquist]

Thanks team for ALL of your comments

(and hysterical hyperbole © ZAZEN.WARRIOR) , even those by UW affiliates; it helps to understand the ignorance/weakness of a company before you begin legal action!

 

I will be speaking to UW today to ask them for a contact name to begin litigation. They have managed to send me a recalculated bill for gas, WHICH INCLUDES THE LEGAL COSTS ETC, along with gas top up card, but have yet to send me a bill for electicity or a top up key.. beginning to worry that the electricity will run out with no means of top up.

 

Just to confirm as I believe I left some abiguity in my previous post, I did not receive any mail, court warrant, etc addressed to Current occupier or previous tenant, if I had, of course I would open it (afterall, I was expecting a bill), hand delivered or not.

 

Some really helpful legal tips have been left by a number of you, if anyone has anything to add, would be much appreciated

[Blomquist]

By the way, managed to find this on a similar thread about UW, a post by none other than our very own SHINING LIGHT defending the company from yet another allegation of corruption. I do believe the Lady doth protest too much... Or at least has read a little too much into the company manifesto... talk about one sided advice, of course you don't want me to begin legal action, you LOVE the UW

 

 

 

"fleecing the public and are a [problem]"

 

Hmm, lets see:

 

A growing customers base.

 

PLC of the year last year

 

Top rated by various 3rd parties many times.

OR READ IT HERE: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/utilities-gas-electricity-water/267163-held-ransom-utilities-warehouse.html

 

 

[speedfreek]

I understand what speedfreek is saying:

 

But I do believe that this is a forum for informed people helping other people to overcome situations that they feel are out of their hands, NOT a place for personal discrimination based upon lack of knowledge or understanding. Speedfreek, you are as good as someone who goes onto forums for people who need help with alcholism and telling them they are the cause of their own problems and to just stop drinking. Perhaps work on your advice.

 

Shame you can't practice what you preach eh?

 

I have only stated the honest view point of how it would be seen by almost everybody else in this world. By your response I've obviously touched a raw nerve or two?

 

Just because you don't like this view there is no need to abuse the person who suggests it eh?

 

I also have suggested that as well as your problems with UW there is another angle on this with regards to your tenancy and the fact you have more than likely broken it's terms and all that entails.

 

Since it was being suggested that you approach you landlord or letting agent it would be prudent to get the facts on this before it was attempted. I could be wrong here but the landlord could well be within his rights to evict you then charge you for the cost of rectifying this?

 

But hey I'm just a troll

[zazen.warrior]

Post removed.

Edited July 29, 2010 by zazen.warrior

[Blomquist]

re: Speedfreek

 

I have used fact to counteract an obviously one sided and biased poster, who isn't offering advice, but is tryin to disuade myself the OP from taking legal action against his company.

 

You however, are making wild assumptions based upon your ignorance and for some reason insist on attempting to make people feel stupid for posting an honest plea on a subject they do not understand. Why not go outside and practice your favourite past-time... kicking people when they're down? Many thanks, all the best.

[Blomquist]

Hi zazen,

 

Money is not an issue. as you will have read in my previous post, I was willing to pay my bill in full once it arrived. Money is not the issue here, it's UW breaking into somebody's house based upon an assumption of occupation without getting their facts together.

[Blomquist]

oh and UW said that once the bill is up to date, the meters can be removed (or by another supplier)

[Surfer01]

Pay for the consumption used from the date you took a reading when you first moved in until current date then find another supplier, do a CoS and get pre-payment removed. Do this as soon as possible as the pre-payment meter will be loaded with all the back debt and with a PPM the standing charge is always a lot higher.

UW are NOT an electric supplier, they are only an agent no matter what they tell you. They do not have an electric supplier's licence. I think they use Npower as their electric supplier but not sure.

In the meantime start proceedings against UW [problem] artists but listing everything chronologically and backed up by the regulations or Master Registration Agreement which si the industry guidebook. Either way they had no right to break into your premises without your explicit permission. Did you find the £1000 that was removed in your absence when UW broke into the house? How come your very expensive equipment got damaged and you lost that project that you were working on due to the computer being unexpectedly cut off putting your job under threat? Must have cost you a fortune at the local repair shop trying to retrieve the data that was lost.

[zazen.warrior]

Post removed.

Edited July 29, 2010 by zazen.warrior

[Surfer01]

This is just ridiculous.

Why do you think that as it could happen if someone broke into your home?

[zazen.warrior]

Post removed.

Edited July 29, 2010 by zazen.warrior

[Surfer01]

I was suggesting possibilities and not that it actually happened.

[Blomquist]

just spoken with UW. The (incredibly helpful) rep, has told me that it was wrong for UW to expect me to pay the legal cost and has told me to call the debt team tomorrow and pay £555 as the rest of the £800 is legal costs. she has put a note on my account that will confirm the company's viewpoint. I will then be able to have the meters removed, a deposit of £105 is required, but I am happy to cover this based upon the fact that I have not payed by bill until this point. I cannot speak for my landlord who may wish to seek compensation, but I will be happy that this is resolved to my satisfaction if this is all true and actioned as it has been said. I will confirm here tomorrow if they were telling the truth.

[shining Light]

surfer01 said

 

At least I know a hell of a lot more about the electric supplier business than yourself as on occasions you have offered incorrect advice or made incorrect statements one notably that UW have an electric supplier's licence when they don't! There are others but I coudn't be borthered digging them up now.

I took this list below directly from the Ofgem website. I don't pretend to know much about energy licenses but it does say "licensed electricity suppliers" offering ....

 

 

Confirmed list of licensed electricity suppliers offering FITs (FIT Licensees) - List is in alphabetical order.

 

British Gas

Ecotricity

EDF Energy

EnDCo

E.ON

first:utility

Garsington Energy

Good Energy

 

Npower

Opus Energy

Scottish and Southern Energy (encompassing Scottish Hydro, SWALEC, Southern Electric & Atlantic)

Scottish Power

Smartest Energy

Tradelink

Utility Warehouse (Electricity Plus Supply Limited)

 

[Surfer01]

Okay so now they have a licence when before they relied on Electricity Plus Supply Ltd which is now a subsidiary of Npower so in fact all UW customers are buying their electric from Npower via UW. Reading the MSE site ther seems to be a lot of dis-satisfied UW customers.

BTW I just worked out my electric bill using the figures quoted on the UW website and I am better off with my current supplier by a few quid, bt not much. I know I don't have an issue with their CS either which is unusual for a supplier.

[45002]

just spoken with UW. The (incredibly helpful) rep, has told me that it was wrong for UW to expect me to pay the legal cost and has told me to call the debt team tomorrow and pay £555 as the rest of the £800 is legal costs. she has put a note on my account that will confirm the company's viewpoint. I will then be able to have the meters removed, a deposit of £105 is required, but I am happy to cover this based upon the fact that I have not payed by bill until this point. I cannot speak for my landlord who may wish to seek compensation, but I will be happy that this is resolved to my satisfaction if this is all true and actioned as it has been said. I will confirm here tomorrow if they were telling the truth.

 

Blomquist

 

I'm glad to hear you nearly got it all sorted

 

Good luck ;-)

 

45002

[shining Light]

Okay so now they have a licence

 

I don't want to go on about things like this because it doesn't really have anything to do with the original post, but it is important to clarify things which can mislead others.

 

UW actually aquired their gas/electricity licenses about 8 yrs ago (I can't remember when exactly). The arrangement with Npower came later after they had already aquired them.

 

I don't like bad service either, be it UW, BT, B.Gas, Barclays Bank etc etc.

Despite a couple of comments on here to the contrary I do not have a biased view of UW..yes, I am a distributor but if I feel they are wrong I will say so (it did happen with one of my customers a couple of years back).

 

Personally I have no complaints regarding their services/prices, I have been with them for about 8 yrs, very happy and have never had a major issue.

 

The the majority of my customers are also happy (I speak to them every 4-5 mths to check everything is OK and they all have my email address should they have a problem they can't understand/resolve). Many have been customers for between 5 and 8 yrs now.

 

Hopefully the OP will get his problem resolved very quickly and I wish him well (sincerely) whoever he moves to.

[pelham9]

Blomquist

 

I have advised you to go to the magistrate court to find out about the warrant but you appear not to have done so. The whole matter turns on whether the breakin was legal. That requires that a warramt was obtained in a legal fashion with true testimony being obtained by the court from the utilitiy's warrant officer. A scrutiny of the application will quickly give the answer to that.

 

If the warrant was defective then UW's position is totally undermined and you can tell them exactly what you require and they will have to agree.

 

Then you will not have to continue negotiating with the utility and arguments on this thread over blame etc will be superfluous.

 

Is there any reason why you should not go to the court and determine the exact status of the warrant? The staff in these courts are very helpful and a visit should not be intimidating in any way.

[Blomquist]

Guess what? UW have stiffed me again! Called their debt department to pay off the bill (excl legal fee/installation) and was told it was totally out of the question and I had to pay the full amount. I've referred them to the call I made earlier in the week and that the helpful rep told me I would be allowed to pay off only what I owe. She said they will listen to the call and ask for a manager to call me back. she also said that the warrant of entry is charged against an address and not a customer with an outstanding debt ie whoever is at address. again I asked her why they desperately sent a person to my address in febuary when I had only been there less than one month and why I received no such letter. No response other than they were trying to ascertain only who lived there and not "where is our customer". This sounds totally implausible that they would commence this kind of action against an "address" within a month of someone moving. Obviously the previous tenant did not inform them they were moving and that has now sped up the process against me and I know they would not normally start legal action against someone who had so recently moved in. I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and visit my magistrate court (unless they come up with an adequate solution). I'm not concerned about the legal fees and I understand I will receive compensation in the eyes of the law. to add to the issue, they have sent a new bill addressed to the old tenant to my place!! are they going to break in again when they realise she won't pay??!!!

[Blomquist]

any help on how to handle this incoming call would be great. I was definitely told I would get the charges back by one of their employees and they will now try to go back on that...

[Surfer01]

How can a warrant be issued against an address without nominating a person at the address?