British Gas - - a whiff of fundament

[DuffNCustard]

I took a phone call form a contractor to UK Powernetworks. today.

 

He said that British Gas via the person who read my gas meter some 3 weeks ago

had reported a fault before our electrical fusebox/meter.

 

This had been replaced earlier in the year. All fully test and 100%. There is no fault.

 

British Gas does not supply either our electricity or our gas.

 

I challenged to contractor but allowed him to visit.

 

He confided that he'd been told to knock at every door on our street advising of this 'fault'.

 

He is not going to do this and has said that this feels just like cold calling.

 

So I wonder what if there had been a 'fault' hmmm in a pigs eye.

 

I expect that British Gas would have made some proposal.

 

Just thought I'd let all you other folks out there know.

[dx100uk]

prob a spoofer I bet its nowt to do with british gas.

 

you need to report him/

 

dx

[Conniff]

If he knocks on your door I would suggest you get a recording of him along with a picture of his face and then should this turn out the way it sounds it might and some of your neighbours get conned, you will have some evidence to give to the police.

[DuffNCustard]

More information.

 

This morning we were woken up by a loud rapping on the front door. Three vans and a work gang had arrived to remove our 'fused neutral' the understanding of which eludes me.. We let the first man in to lok under our stairs at our new meter. He informed us that he would need to dig up our drive to fulfill this task There ensued a discussion and we understand it is to do, and I quote "wiv 'elf and safety' and that it is the law!

 

The company behind this is UK Powernetworks.

 

We have refused to let them dig up our drive, they have now gone away.

 

I have found their customer services and can use a caller pay number. I will call them to request a copy of their complaints procedure. But if anyone knows who the managing director is and his contact details, could they kindly psot them for me as I intend to write to him formally to complain and to make it crystal clear that his company will not be digging up my drive.

Edited June 18, 2013 by DuffNCustard
typo

[Conniff]

There really is something sinister going on here. If it really was health and safety, any argument you might have made about digging up your drive wouldn't have made the slightest difference. You don't just abandon health and safety because someone complains.

 

You also need to establish their 'full' name as

 

UK POWER NETWORKS LIMITED

14-18 CITY ROAD

CARDIFF

UNITED KINGDOM

CF24 3DL

Company No. 07353731

 

UK POWER NETWORK SEVICES LIMITED

14-18 CITY ROAD

CARDIFF

UNITED KINGDOM

CF24 3DL

Company No. 07357889

 

Are shown as 'dissolved'.

 

If they appear again, make a note of all the registration numbers and try to get some pictures of them.

[Sheila117]

What are the names of the contractors please?

[Sheila117]

http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/

They are a DNO for the east of England.

http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/electricity-distribution-map.html - nothing dodgy about them in my experience.

 

I am an electrician and do contracting work for UKPN.

The British Gas man reporting an issue before the meter is plausible.

There is a scheme running at the moment where old/potentially dangerous supplies/equipment is reported by those involved in metering etc.

We often get called to jobs by UKPN because British Gas Metering has been along, condemned it and won't work on it until the defect is repaired (meter changes are a common cause).

 

With regards to the fused neutral, if you haven't reported a fault then I can't understand why they would investigate/visit.

I hope this is of help.

[DuffNCustard]

I do not have the contractors (company ) name I'm afraid. But I have tracked down the CEO of UK Powernetworks and his office address.

 

I have also got hold of an Investor presentation made by the CEO in september 2011 that outlines their strategy , business plan and management structure. Amongst this are found statements about customer satisfaction.

 

I am going to write (snail mail) to Mr Basil Scarsella and complain

 

No written or verbal communication to arrange a survey and agree the date it is to be done

How they maintain my rights under Data Protection

Who reported the fault - the electricity meter was replaced earlier this year, clearly the work was not deemed to be a health and safety risk then. Therefore how is it a health and safety risk today? bearing in mind that it was only one of the work gang that informed us of this.

 

and I will state that they are not digging up my drive. My issue here is that if a trench is dug there is noway that it can be restored to its original state as it will sink.

 

I'd like to post up my letter here and seek input and vetting - would this be OK?

[Conniff]

There is no company registered at companies house with the business name of UK Powernetworks

[Sheila117]

They took over from EDF and are owned by a Chinese company/consortium which also own three (mobile network) i am led to believe.

http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/about-us/documents/UKPN_Compliance_Statement_v1_(April_2011).pdf

Edited June 18, 2013 by Sheila117

[Conniff]

That is

 

UK POWER NETWORKS HOLDINGS LIMITED

NEWINGTON HOUSE

237 SOUTHWARK BRIDGE ROAD

LONDON

SE1 6NP

Company No. 07290590

 

which is a different name to UK Power Networks.

[Sheila117]

UK Power Networks (Operations) Ltd. is part of UK Power Networks Holdings Ltd.,

whose details are as follows:

UK Power Networks Holdings Ltd

Newington House

237 Southwark Bridge Road

LONDON

SE1 6NP

Registered Company Number: 07290590

 

You know more about the legalities than me so I shall leave it.

[DuffNCustard]

Complaint to the CEO, feedback sought:-

 

Dear Sir,

• I am a customer and I wish to complain in the strongest terms:-

• Rude treatment and no prior contact for an appointment

• No explanation why UK Powernetwork needs to remove a fused neutral

• Data protection of my details

Yesterday one of your contractors telephoned us.. He needed to come and ‘have a look’. Although completely out of the blue I agreed to see him later that afternoon. He had obtained my contact details from British Gas or a meter reader, he was not sure.

He ascertained that we have a fused neutral and a metal connector below that needs to be replaced.

He also stated that he would be making a complaint, he felt that he was being used as a ‘cold caller’ and was required to knock on all the doors in the street to establish which other premised also had a fused neutral.

 

This morning we were awoken by a workmen from your company, three vans and a work gang were parked outside.

They had come to remove the fused neutral and casually informed that they would need to dig up our drive. When the request to dig up our drive was refused, my husband was aggressively informed that it was all to do with “’elf an safety an its the law”. The work has not been done.

I note the following:-

“Operational Changes Being Implemented”

“Delivering a truly customer focussed business

• Improve the capacity and calibre of customer‐facing teams e.g. call centre, new connections, service

alterations

• Streamline the new connections process

• Focus on areas playing into Ofgem’s ‘Broad Measure of Customer Satisfaction’

• Reduce number and value of compensation payments”

Source UK Powernetworks, Investor Presentation September 2011

 

I would like:-

A written apology from UK Powernetwork. The calibre of your service alterations is appalling.

Confirmation that my drive will not be dug up and that the viable alternative of disconnecting the power by accessing the cable via the pavement will be done.

An explanation of your Data Protection policy, how my details are used and kept secure, the retention period of my details and finally your source for my information.

 

Yours

[DuffNCustard]

Had a phone call today from the CEO's aide-de-camp - he's been tasked with getting an analysis together by Monday.

The Customer service Manager called me yesterday, very nice chap, but could not explain why there were no details of the ,planned work' on my record as viewed via their case management system and couldn't explain how their data was integrated with operations - seems like its all a smoke and mirrors cobble-up.

I will get a written response from the CEO. For info: As British Gas have been named I have sent them a request about my data and how they 'keep it safe' - massive great website eulogising their commitment to DP laws. But I've had no reply yet. SAR will be sent if nothing comes by next week.