Scottish Power - broke into house

[Vampyra]

My friend who is a vunerable adult with certain mental health issues,

recently awoke to the sound of people breaking in to his house.

 

 

He text me and I rang him and

he told me they had smashed in the porch doors and front door and were inside

and he could hear them rooting around and having a laugh.

 

 

He wouldn't go down and confront them, which I wish he had done

as he could prove for sure they were in parts of the house that the gas meter isn't in.

 

I phoned the police who turned up just after they had gone and my friend wouldn't answer the door.

The police said the door was not broken and still locked.

 

My friend told me that they had moved things from his porch into his hall and left a letter from Richburns in the middle of the hall floor.

He agreed all the doors were locked when he finally went downstairs.

 

He will not face up to the matter.

He claims he had a bill of £1200 ish which was for only a year of gas

- he only has a gas boiler as everything else is electric

and they were only estimated readings and he was only 3 months behind

- I have my doubts but I have not seen any of the bills.

 

The real problem I have is,

whilst I am aware that utility companies can and do enter into houses to change meters,

they only had to go into the porch and change the meter in the cupboard out there.

They had no earthly reason to enter the house.

He has even found a key which looks like a lock picking skeleton key, again in his hallway.

 

Unfortunately my friend is behind on many bills and I cannot help financially and have not the time to devote to sorting all his issues out

- plus he is very abusive to me and makes a million and one excuses as to why he can't deal with it.

He may be ill but I am not his whipping post!

 

I am just about to email Keith Anderson of Scottish Power because I feel he needs to explain

if they needed to break into his house when the meter was outside.

Also, my friend said he signed up to gas with Sainsbury's years ago

but this was sold over to Scottish Power but he never signed a contract with SP.

 

Regardless of the rights or wrongs,

it is a terrible thing for anyone to be awoken to the sound of people breaking in.

I don't know if he got a Letter of Intent, as he just piles post up unread.

He is also a clinical hoarder and so I feel these people should not have been rooting through stuff.

 

Any advice as to how to deal with this would be great. Thanks.

[dx100uk]

are SP aware he is vulnerable?

 

 

dx

[Vampyra]

No idea - well they are now - I email Anderson. But I don't think they were before this.

[Vampyra]

Is there anyone who can please advise what the law is about them picking locks to enter someone's home if the gas meter is outside of the home? I don't know the wording but would hazard a guess they have the right to only enter a property to gain access to their meter.

 

My email to CEO has failed to get a reply. Doesn't surprise me to be honest.

 

Also, can anyone please clarify the percentage of debt repayment via the key card? E.g. If one puts £10 on the card how much of that can legally be used as repayment?

 

Many thanks.

[Vampyra]

Also, would this have gone to court before they did this? My friend says he has no knowledge of this but I know he often gets so depressed he doesn't open mail.

[Vampyra]

PLEASE...does anyone know the law regarding the entering of homes to access meters?

 

Somebody please help?

 

We can't really move forward as I don't know what to do for him at this time.

[dx100uk]

they have to by law read the meter better than once every 24mts

 

 

look at the relevant act of parl.

 

 

dx

[caro]

I understand that in order to change a meter to a prepayment one they have to get a warrant from the court if the occupier refuses. I don't believe a utility company would ever have the power to break in.

 

I'm not doubting what you say your friend has told you, but can you be sure that what he has told you is accurate?

[45002]

I understand that in order to change a meter to a prepayment one they have to get a warrant from the court if the occupier refuses. I don't believe a utility company would ever have the power to break in.

 

I'm not doubting what you say your friend has told you, but can you be sure that what he has told you is accurate?

 

 

 

Utilities supplies would use a lock smiths with a warrant, to gain entry.

[Vampyra]

Yes they moved all his stuff from the porch into his hall and left a letter propped up on something in the hall.

 

I don't know what the relavant law is this is why I am asking. I have never had a utility meter other than water when I moved so I have no idea how they are used and cannot answer his questions.

[caro]

Didn't the letter explain what it was about and what gave them the right to enter his property? Maybe a contact phone number?

[caro]

Yes they moved all his stuff from the porch into his hall and left a letter propped up on something in the hall.

 

I don't know what the relavant law is this is why I am asking. I have never had a utility meter other than water when I moved so I have no idea how they are used and cannot answer his questions.

 

Andyorch has provided this information which I hope will help.https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ and also the the Gas Act 1986 and the Electricity Act 1989