Recently moved house, I have no gas provider but gas is being supplied - is this a mistake?

Sir Flabo on 26/11/2021 - 19:32
Last edited 26/11/2021 - 19:33

Hello,

I had a quick google search and couldn't find any information on this.

I've recently purchased a house where I was told the utilities were disconnected so I organised electrics so I could renovate the house. A few weeks later, we've noticed our hot water and gas stove are still working - however, we do not have a gas supplier.

So my question is, can I just run this out until they disconnect it or will I get slapped with a fine/bill? I've been meaning to get around to organising a gas provider, but if they're going to keep it going for free then why fix it?

Cheers!

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Downvoter on 26/11/2021 - 19:42
    +4

    Why unlawfully steal something? Gee I dunno

  • pharkurnell on 26/11/2021 - 19:49
    +2

    They give away gas all the time… tis the new world order…

    • SF3 on 26/11/2021 - 20:07
      +2

      Yes, until it shows up in OP credit rating report. /s

  • Hithere on 26/11/2021 - 19:58
    +4

    Do they actually disconnect the gas or just take a reading when an occupant moves out?

    At the next meter reading they'll notice that gas is being used still and the OP, the current occupier, will get billed by whoever was supplying the previous occupant.

    You might as well fess up OP you're not as clever as the utility company.

    • Quantumcat on 26/11/2021 - 21:48

      If the previous occupant never got a final meter read then it will be them that has to pay. Assuming it isn't a smart meter. There's no proof the gas was used after settlement of the property.

      • AndyC1 on 27/11/2021 - 10:27

        Most renters or people who sell a house inform the utility companies they are moving out and the utility company does a final read. Now the next part gets interesting in that if you do not tell the utility company that you moved in then you will be up for ALL of the utility (gas and/or electricity) since the last read, but if you tell them you moved in they will do another read as the start read and the gas & electricity between the end and start reads will be paid by no one.

        If no one informs the utility company then you may be disconnected and have to then pay a reconnect free and a bond……

        Also if you use the gas and you know you should not then this is stealing and the utility could if they wanted press charges of theft, but I doubt this will occur.

        • Quantumcat on 27/11/2021 - 19:52

          You haven't entered a contract with them so I doubt they could sue you

          • AndyC1 on 27/11/2021 - 20:08

            @Quantumcat: More to the point, it sounds like you have no idea how the legal system works.

            • Quantumcat on 27/11/2021 - 23:04

              @AndyC1: If a business posts you an item by mistake they can't charge you for it, even if you use it. They can come and collect it at their cost if they would like, but they can't make you pay for it. Same here.

              • AndyC1 on 28/11/2021 - 10:57
                +1

                @Quantumcat: What has receiving unsolicited goods got to do with using a utility that is already at the house you have moved into and are effectively using illegally?

                • Quantumcat on 28/11/2021 - 12:52

                  @AndyC1: You never asked anyone for the utility. Imagine you weren't planning on using gas at your property at all so never signed up for it. But there was a leak. I think you would be allowed to be upset at getting a bill for that, when you never asked for gas and they should never have connected gas, and even if you did want gas maybe you could have chosen a different provider that was cheaper. You never entered a contract with them saying you wanted gas from them.

                  • iand on 28/11/2021 - 21:41

                    @Quantumcat: Try proving that you didn't turn the gas back on at the meter or tha they didn't turn it off when they did the last read

                    • Quantumcat on 28/11/2021 - 21:53

                      @iand: If the gas is not connected you can't just turn it on yourself

                      • iand on 28/11/2021 - 22:04

                        @Quantumcat: There's a lever on the side of the gas meter which you use to turn the gas on or off, it operates in a similar manner to the water meter in that it's turned on/off before entry to your house for consumption not before entry to your property

                        • Quantumcat on 28/11/2021 - 23:23

                          @iand: That doesn't make sense. Then how is the gas company to know whether to charge you the daily supply charge or not? Surely it has to be connected before that switch will do anything. Otherwise anybody who only has gas for heating could just switch it off when it isn't cold and avoid the daily supply charge all summer.
                          I am fairly sure the gas would have to be connected and costing you the daily supply charge whether or not you have that switch on. The switch would just be for safety when there are renovations or installations of gas appliances.

                          • iand on 29/11/2021 - 13:50

                            @Quantumcat: I think you'll find the electricity is not turned of at the pole only at your meter or if they want they might come out and remove the fuse at the entry point but they don't turn it of at the street same with the water they simply turn it off at the meter(usually just read it and don't bother turning it off but again can you prove they didn't ) this is why it's such a big deal about dial before you dig as if you hit something before your meter they may have to turn of the whole street to do the repair

                            • Quantumcat on 29/11/2021 - 14:02

                              @iand: Another thing is if you can just turn it on yourself at the meter how do they disconnect you if you don't pay your bills? It can't just be a switch you can operate yourself at the meter. They must be able to do something remotely.

        • avoidfullprice on 28/11/2021 - 11:40
          +1

          if you do not tell the utility company that you moved in then you will be up for ALL of the utility (gas and/or electricity) since the last read

          Not true. In Sydney for example they could only chase you for 3 months of usage (which could translates to their own last read, but not the final read of previous occupant)

      • DoctorCalculon on 28/11/2021 - 01:01
        +1

        Assuming it isn't a smart meter.

        AFAIK, there is no smart / remote / digital metering for gas. They are all old school meters which require periodic manual reads.

        Water on the other hand has remote (EverBlue Cyble enhanced) or actual digital / smart meters (depending on your location / water company).

  • SF3 on 26/11/2021 - 20:02
    +1

    Srsly?

    Lol

  • Hardlyworkin on 26/11/2021 - 20:03
    +1

    No problem, it's just part of Scotty's gas lead recovery.

  • avoidfullprice on 26/11/2021 - 20:11

    I get slapped with a fine/bill?

    Yes, also cost of disconnect/reconnect.

    Esp you have a gas stove, you can't even play the dumb card "I didn't know we have gas"

  • boomramada on 26/11/2021 - 20:51

    These days electricity or gas connections doesn't get discounted, provider simply read the meter, upon new connection provider read the meter again if needed.

    Make sure to double check the meter number on new connection.

    • jv on 26/11/2021 - 20:58
      +1

      These days electricity or gas connections doesn't get discounted

      We are with Origin and I definitely get a discount.

  • WreckTangle on 26/11/2021 - 20:54
    +2

    Lol, the gas company will put you on the highest rate they can and send you a bill!

    • jv on 26/11/2021 - 21:00

      Good point.

      They should find the cheapest provided ASAP and signup first.

  • ddhar on 26/11/2021 - 21:00
    +3

    Better take a photo (with date) of your current gas reading to prove it is what you 'inherited' when you bought the house.

    The gas provider can't charge you for any prior usage, i.e. previous owner could have been leeching gas for free and guess who they will send the bill to.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2021 - 21:31
    +1

    The gas company will still send you a bill afterwards, happened to me with the electricity

  • dufflover on 26/11/2021 - 22:46
    +2

    When I moved in and signed up to services I asked why things were still working, wanting to make sure the billing and usage would all be correct. The basic jist the provider said was that most distributors these days keep all the services on in case of emergency, unless there really is an issue with someone always not paying up.

    Considering you can legally get chased for every electronic dollar these days even if transfereed by mistake, you think the distributors aren't going to send you a bill at some point? Not like you can hide it given it's going through a meter lol

    • dasher86 on 26/11/2021 - 23:33
      +2

      I haven't received a gas bill for 5+ years and counting.

      • Euphemistic on 27/11/2021 - 06:59

        You’d better move out soon. When they work out you aren’t paying they’ll try to back charge you to the last meter reading.

        • dasher86 on 27/11/2021 - 07:02
          +3

          I made reasonable efforts to get connected at the start. And their are rules that they can only bill you maximum arrears 1 year. I think in Vic this is now four months. Either way I'm safe.

          • WreckTangle on 27/11/2021 - 07:53
            -3

            @dasher86: Depends on what the efforts were and if they were indeed reasonable, otherwise you’re on the hook for theft.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2021 - 00:29

    I moved in to my rental apartment 3 years ago and signed up for electricity and gas with my provider. They said they didn't know where the gas was located was for my particular apartment, but I've had gas the whole time I've been here and never been billed. I have no idea how it all works but I'm expecting a bill some day.

  • Euphemistic on 27/11/2021 - 07:01
    +1

    Pretty unusual for them to actually physically disconnect utilities. They just take a meter reading when the previous owner asks them to disconnect. Then you’ll most likely be charged from that last meter reading to current when you sign up.

    Every time I’ve moved the peer has stayed on despite me telling them I’m disconnecting on move date but maintaining vacant possession for a few months waiting for tenants or renovating etc.

  • Sir Flabo on 27/11/2021 - 08:53

    I've signed up with a new provider, I'll update as to what happens

    • olderman on 14/02/2023 - 21:58

      Keen to hear the end of the story :)

      • Sir Flabo on 15/02/2023 - 09:51

        Not really a great story, they just connected the gas and billed for the difference in meter reads

        • olderman on 15/02/2023 - 11:06

          Jeez, got it. Thanks!

  • nakahanap on 27/11/2021 - 12:08

    At a previous property, I initially contacted a provider to connect and supply. I moved in and used the appliances in good faith but no bills arrived. I contacted the supplier numerous times and still no bills. Finally, after much chasing up on my part it turned out that different utilities had recorded my address differently and they had no way to correlate them.

    So, for the example…

    I wrote 1/5 RoadyMcRoad on the application (which was the format suggested on the form).

    They had my address as Unit 1, 5 RoadyMcRoad.

    I received about 9 months of bills at once. Which was legal at the time in my state.

    • Sir Flabo on 27/11/2021 - 14:03

      Oof, thanks for the insight

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