Ovo/Grosvenor/Face2Face Gas Debt/Faulty Meter - RE: Application for warrant under the Rights of Entry Act 1954***Claim Discontinued***

[stuckinarut11]

It's laughable I've been through this in 2014 also and they backed out.

 

They're going full force this time however I will not back down.

 

I think the magistrates will be surprised when I arrive with my 7 bundles of 25 pages and ask them do they consider themselves to have jurisdiction to deal with the matter or should it be in the civil court.

 

The magistrates stated last time that the application was purely to fit a Pre payment meter they were shocked when I said yes with the balance loaded.

 

I have an unltimation email from ovo saying pay up or have a meter with 4000 debt loaded choice is your. Escalated debt specialist.

[Calliope20]

Hi witsend99,

 

If they are billing you based on meter readings and not estimates, then it seems either your bill is correct or your meter is faulty. If you believe your meter to be faulty, ask for an accuracy test.

 

I can't really see the point of going through the courts, wasting your time and theirs when the energy provider will want a resolution as much as you.

 

Arrange an accuracy test with them if you believe your meter is faulty, or set up a payment plan and pay back the debt, it shouldn't be too difficult to resolve...

[stuckinarut11]

Update

 

Case adjourned until February

 

 

my emotions got the better of me as their representative was making false representations.

 

However it was called at 10am and adjourned for half hour for the energy company to confirm they wish to proceed.

 

When we went back in

I had a prepared statement and a bundle which the court initially refused to accept stating that they are there for warrant only and nothing else

 

 

to which I responded I appreciate that

however for you to make an informed decision surely you need visibility of all the facts.

 

 

They proceed to take my bundles one each for the 3 magistrates myself and grovesnor and the legal advisor for the bench who is totally impartial and decent.

 

The bundle revealed that:-

 

1.There is an ongoing case with the ombudsman

 

2.my initial complaint in Sep 2014 took 19 months for a deadlock letter to be issued may 2016

 

3.face 2 face were instructed prior to grovesnor.

They obtained entry by knocking and their compliance offer made an executive decison to no longer act in the matter

 

4.the revised deadlock for the ombudsman was only issued in November 2016

 

5. That Ovo are giving me 3 options

 

#Pay the 4000 debt

#Pay for a meter accuracy test I have asked them to pay 50% of which they refuse.

#Finally continue the warrant process have a Pre paid meter with debt loaded and 20% of all top ups deducted

 

6.BETWEEN 02/09/2014 TO 19/09/2014 SOME 17 DAYS I APPARENTLY CONSUMED 330 UNITS OF GAS

 

YET IN THE NEXT CONSECUTIVE 19 DAY PERIOD ONLY 62 UNITS WERE USED.

REALLY........

 

Grovesnor put their case forward and stated I last made a payment in Sep 2014 of £130.00.

They also claimed that they have had no contact with me since then.

 

The bench were asking grovesnor questions which they were unable to answer

to the extend they asked him outright

"is this a commercial property in question as £2000 per an annum does not appear to be correct"

 

 

to which he responded

- "I'm a self employed agent just doing my job I can only say what ovo disclose however it does seem rather high"

 

I then said I tell you what issue the warrant for disconnection only no pre payment meter.

I'll have no gas in winter for a few nights but at least I can put an end to this stress and pay another supplier to reconnect and supply me.

 

 

The bench looked at me shocked and said are you saying you want us to issue the warrant and I responded and said yes purely for disconnection as it is my belief you have no jurisdiction for debt matters and disputes

 

 

so if your options are only disconnect or install a prepayment meter then disconnect me as I am not having a Pre payment meter with a large disputed debt loaded,

that's just setting myself up to fail and would be an injustice.

 

I think my point was made and the bench asked one final question to grovesnor?

 

Would you fit a prepayment meter for current charges and let the ombudsman investigate previous charges to which they said NO we need to recover £4000

 

The bench retired

I was not called to the stand

however throughout the panel refered to me asking questions and I was speaking after grovesnor maybe not the best to do in court but no objections were raised.

 

The bench returned and addressed me first

said they can appreciate this matter is causing stress and they do sympathise with me however they must remain impartial,

 

 

they went on to say that I was well prepared for the court and raised several valid objections it's disappointing the same can not be said for the claimant as the representative here today is unable to provide us with much specific information.

 

We will adjourn this for 2 months however Mr xxx we expect you to do nothing further and be assured all debt collection practises will be put on hold.

 

They then addressed the grovesnor rep on behalf of ovo and stated

By the next hearing we want counter signed bills from ovo confirming the money is actually due.

 

We also require a full investigation into the bills from 2014 as it's apparent there is a discrepancy 330 units in 17 days yet only 62 the following 19 days.

 

We also require Ovo to maintain two weekly contact with the ombudsman.

 

We also suggest the meter is tested.

 

The hearing ended and no warrant was given.

Grovesnor literally run out of court as I packed my stuff up and put coat one of the magistrates called me and said

 

By the time you come back in February

should Ovo persist

can you make minimal payment for your benefit

say £40 a month for current charges

as you will owe them some monies for what you're currently using

I obviously agreed and that was that.

 

I will also add that prior to being called I had a security guard stood at my side.

 

The rep for ovo approached me and I kindly asked him to go away and we will discuss in court.

He persisted and I said leave me now.

He did and made a phone call.

 

He then returned and starting talking to me again to which I said did I not just say leave me alone we will talk in court and he replied but we can sort this.

 

To which I shouted

do you not speak English get away from me I've told you 3 times,

bare in mind I was sitting down and I'm trying 5ft 6 and this idiot was standing over me looking down on me speaking.

 

So security took him in a private room and stood next to me till we were called

[ericsbrother]

may seem like a silly question but is your meter calibrated in Cu Ft or Cu m? Have you looked at your bills to see what you are being billed for as far as amount of gas used is as there was a common problem with people being billed for say 200 Cu Ft of gas as 200 m3, the difference being that the latter is 28 times more gas than the former.

[cchange]

Update

 

 

2.my initial complaint in Sep 2014 took 19 months for a deadlock letter to be issued may 2016

 

 

Your actually on quite shaky ground because complaints must be taken to the ombudsman within 12 months of making them (its was 9 months prior to 2015), regardless of deadlock letters.

Its quite feasible that your supplier could dispute the ombudsman having any jurisdiction if the initial complaint is the same as the current one (as you were out of time with that one).

 

 

Update

 

The rep for ovo approached me and I kindly asked him to go away and we will discuss in court.

He persisted and I said leave me now.

He did and made a phone call.

 

He then returned and starting talking to me again to which I said did I not just say leave me alone we will talk in court and he replied but we can sort this.

 

Your Ovo rep experience sounds funny and reminiscent of one of them high court bailiff TV programmes.

 

Note the magistrates court only has power to issue warrants. It can't make orders about requiring contact with the ombudsman etc.

 

On a practical note, if I was in your position, I'd 'move out' and get someone to 'move in' by switching to a supplier like Utilita replacing meters with smart meters after they take supply. Then move 'back in' to another supplier of your choice.

With prices going up, easier said than done.

I don't know yet why the CAG site team removed valid urls

 

[Removed]

[cchange]

I don't know how this affect you but Ofgem remove the requirement to inspect meters every 2 years from the gas Standard conditions supply licence.

This was under revision of the gas SLC 12.8-12.16 as per this url:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/97556/reformingsuppliersmeterinspectionobligationsfinalproposals-pdf

So no health and safety issues exists.

[BazzaS]

and if you have a gas boiler, when it is serviced, your GasSafe Registered servicer should be checking the gas meter visually to the same degree that the 2 yearly inspection by the gas supplier would have done ........

[stuckinarut11]

Update

 

The account has been final billed.

 

The supply had moved to another supplier.

 

I can only assume they got fed up of attending court and obtaining no benefit

[stuckinarut11]

Third court hearing today

 

Arrived and waited patiently for warrents to be called, 2 granted mine was not listed.

 

Court clerk dug out file and immediately after last hearing the date was changed to 13th March at the energy company request.

 

I've wasted a day at work attending court today this is becoming a farce and I'm being strung along and played for a fool

[unclebulgaria67]

If you have changed supplier, they can't force entry, so they are wasting the courts time and yours. Suggest that you complain to the court manager about this.

[Andyorch]

Third court hearing today

 

Arrived and waited patiently for warrents to be called, 2 granted mine was not listed.

 

Court clerk dug out file and immediately after last hearing the date was changed to 13th March at the energy company request.

 

I've wasted a day at work attending court today this is becoming a farce and I'm being strung along and played for a fool

 

Have you asked the court why you was not advised ?

 

 

Andy

[stuckinarut11]

Court advised it was upto the other party to advise of the adjournment in all honesty the court staff there were appalled by the state of affairs.

 

I have attended court regarding this matter on 3 seperate occasions.

 

I have just spoke to grovesnor who have advised ovo pulled the file so they no longer instructed, spoken to ovo who has advised a debt collection agency will be in contact however they have decided not to proceed with warrent application.

 

What a waste of court time and mine

 

The court have just phoned me to confirm they have received notification that the file is to be discontinued and no further action will be taken through the courts.

 

Court have advised I may be able to recover loss of earnings through small claims court

[Andyorch]

Excellent hopefully this bring the matter to an end and will amend your thread title to reflect the same.

 

Push for the loss of earnings though ..you will need a letter from your employer confirming same.

 

Regards

 

Andy