As owner of an uninhabited property, I'm billed for a standing charge
for the (unwanted and unused) electricity supply.
The house is not likely to be used again and the standing charge amounts
to around £256 per year (having risen sharply since the 2021 charge of ~£108)
I've asked the electricity company to delete my account and stop billing
me for their service.
They refuse to do that (or to put me on a zero-standing-charge tariff)
unless I pay a separate company for disconnection.
I've asked several times what the legal basis for this is, but have
received no response.
To summarise, I don't want the service, am not in contract for it, but
the electricity supplier won't close my account until I cough up for disconnection. Presumably they are acting within the law, but can anyone confirm that, or tell me which legislation?
On 28/06/2025 08:58, DIsgruntled wrote:
As owner of an uninhabited property, I'm billed for a standing charge
for the (unwanted and unused) electricity supply.
The house is not likely to be used again and the standing charge
amounts to around £256 per year (having risen sharply since the 2021
charge of ~£108)
I've asked the electricity company to delete my account and stop
billing me for their service.
They refuse to do that (or to put me on a zero-standing-charge tariff)
unless I pay a separate company for disconnection.
I've asked several times what the legal basis for this is, but have
received no response.
To summarise, I don't want the service, am not in contract for it, but
the electricity supplier won't close my account until I cough up for
disconnection. Presumably they are acting within the law, but can
anyone confirm that, or tell me which legislation?
You will have a "deemed" contract which was created automatically when
you acquired the property. It doesn't need your agreement or signature.
The property is not an entity so any contract ought to be with the
previous owner.
It's extremely rare that a supply to a property carries over to the new incumbent. I was of the understanding that where a landlord forced a
energy contract onto a tenant was also outlawed many years ago.
On 28/06/2025 14:39, Kempshott wrote:
On 28/06/2025 08:58, DIsgruntled wrote:
As owner of an uninhabited property, I'm billed for a standing charge
for the (unwanted and unused) electricity supply.
The house is not likely to be used again and the standing charge
amounts to around £256 per year (having risen sharply since the 2021
charge of ~£108)
I've asked the electricity company to delete my account and stop
billing me for their service.
They refuse to do that (or to put me on a zero-standing-charge tariff)
unless I pay a separate company for disconnection.
I've asked several times what the legal basis for this is, but have
received no response.
To summarise, I don't want the service, am not in contract for it, but
the electricity supplier won't close my account until I cough up for
disconnection. Presumably they are acting within the law, but can
anyone confirm that, or tell me which legislation?
You will have a "deemed" contract which was created automatically when
you acquired the property. It doesn't need your agreement or signature.
The property is not an entity so any contract ought to be with the
previous owner.
It's extremely rare that a supply to a property carries over to the new incumbent. I was of the understanding that where a landlord forced a
energy contract onto a tenant was also outlawed many years ago.
Fredxx <fredxx@spam.invalid> wrote:
The property is not an entity so any contract ought to be with the
previous owner.
It's extremely rare that a supply to a property carries over to the new
incumbent. I was of the understanding that where a landlord forced a
energy contract onto a tenant was also outlawed many years ago.
Electricity Act 1989:
"3(1) Where an electricity supplier supplies electricity to any premises otherwise than in pursuance of a contract, the supplier shall be deemed to have contracted with the occupier (or the owner if the premises are unoccupied) for the supply of electricity as from the time (“the relevant time”) when he began so to supply electricity."
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29/schedule/6/crossheading/deemed-contracts-in-certain-cases
So the moment you become an owner (of an unoccupied property) you are in a deemed contract with the supplier. The contract only ceases when you either transfer to a different supplier, sell the property, install a tenant or cease the electricity supply.
There's nothing to say that ceasing the supply must be free.
That deemed contract is separate to a contract that may have existed with
the vendor or a prior tenant, although it will be with the same supplier
they previously used. You are free to switch to a different supplier as
soon as you wish, but if you do that the deemed contract will exist for a short period (one day or whatever).
The only way to avoid the standing charge is to pay ~£200 for a
meter disconnection/fuse removal. Then pay the same again to
reconnect. Same for gas. That's the law.
Thankyou. It's a bit of a relief if it is cut and dried like that as it
looks like there is no point in fighting it.
The supplier did tell me on the phone, a few years back, that
disconnection was free, but I'd have to pay if I wanted it reconnected,
but now they say that was incorrect. That has been a bit annoying.
I wonder why I've not been offered meter disconnection/fuse removal as mentioned by TTman - will aim to ask about that.
The only way to avoid the standing charge is to pay ~£200 for a meter disconnection/fuse removal. Then pay the same again to reconnect. Same
for gas. That's the law.
On 2025-06-28, Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Fredxx <fredxx@spam.invalid> wrote:
The property is not an entity so any contract ought to be with the
previous owner.
It's extremely rare that a supply to a property carries over to
the new incumbent. I was of the understanding that where a
landlord forced a energy contract onto a tenant was also outlawed
many years ago.
Electricity Act 1989:
"3(1) Where an electricity supplier supplies electricity to any
premises otherwise than in pursuance of a contract, the supplier
shall be deemed to have contracted with the occupier (or the owner
if the premises are unoccupied) for the supply of electricity as
from the time (“the relevant time”) when he began so to supply electricity."
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29/schedule/6/crossheading/deemed-contracts-in-certain-cases
So the moment you become an owner (of an unoccupied property) you
are in a deemed contract with the supplier. The contract only
ceases when you either transfer to a different supplier, sell the
property, install a tenant or cease the electricity supply.
There's nothing to say that ceasing the supply must be free.
That deemed contract is separate to a contract that may have
existed with the vendor or a prior tenant, although it will be with
the same supplier they previously used. You are free to switch to
a different supplier as soon as you wish, but if you do that the
deemed contract will exist for a short period (one day or
whatever).
That is not always true. I moved into a rental property a while back
and I was put into a "deemed" contract with EDF Energy, who I would
not voluntarily have contracted with under any circumstances. As far
as I recall I received no notification of this and had no way of
knowing about it. And it took about a year to manage to get out of
the contract and switch to a different supplier, because, according
to the system, the meter in the property (which did exist) "didn't
exist".
On Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:32:52 -0000 (UTC)
Jon Ribbens <jon+usenet@unequivocal.eu> wrote:
On 2025-06-28, Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Fredxx <fredxx@spam.invalid> wrote:
The property is not an entity so any contract ought to be with the
previous owner.
It's extremely rare that a supply to a property carries over to
the new incumbent. I was of the understanding that where a
landlord forced a energy contract onto a tenant was also outlawed
many years ago.
Electricity Act 1989:
"3(1) Where an electricity supplier supplies electricity to any
premises otherwise than in pursuance of a contract, the supplier
shall be deemed to have contracted with the occupier (or the owner
if the premises are unoccupied) for the supply of electricity as
from the time (“the relevant time”) when he began so to supply
electricity."
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29/schedule/6/crossheading/deemed-contracts-in-certain-cases
So the moment you become an owner (of an unoccupied property) you
are in a deemed contract with the supplier. The contract only
ceases when you either transfer to a different supplier, sell the
property, install a tenant or cease the electricity supply.
There's nothing to say that ceasing the supply must be free.
That deemed contract is separate to a contract that may have
existed with the vendor or a prior tenant, although it will be with
the same supplier they previously used. You are free to switch to
a different supplier as soon as you wish, but if you do that the
deemed contract will exist for a short period (one day or
whatever).
That is not always true. I moved into a rental property a while back
and I was put into a "deemed" contract with EDF Energy, who I would
not voluntarily have contracted with under any circumstances. As far
as I recall I received no notification of this and had no way of
knowing about it. And it took about a year to manage to get out of
the contract and switch to a different supplier, because, according
to the system, the meter in the property (which did exist) "didn't
exist".
You could have removed it and sold it on e-bay. If it didn't exist, you
would have committed no crime. Then ask them to come along and show you
why you still needed a contract.
On 28/06/2025 23:15, TTman wrote:
The only way to avoid the standing charge is to pay ~£200 for a meter
disconnection/fuse removal. Then pay the same again to reconnect. Same
for gas. That's the law.
I'm planning to disconnect from the gas network for a while. My
supplier, Octopus have told me that the gas meter must be uninstalled -
and that this will not cost me anything. Octopus has also said that,
should I wish to go back on supply with them at a future date, a meter
will be installed at no cost to me.
Am I missing something in the way of costs to me?
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