Friends communal gas charge increased 400%!

[Itsnotallblackandwhite]

Not sure if there will be anything that can be done, but I need to try and help my friend. He is a pensioner and lives in a Housing Association house on a small sheltered-housing estate. He lives in what used to be the warden’s house (2-bed and a bit bigger than the other properties). Neighbouring properties are 1 and 2 bed flats. All tenants pay a charge for hot water and heating, which runs from a communal gas supply. They all pay separately for the electricity they use.

My neighbour has paid around £20 pw (£1,040 a year) for his share of the gas charge for years (which is cheap), people in 2-bed flats pay similar and 1-bed slightly less. He is conscientious and just has the heating on when he needs it, in the rooms that he is using. Some of his neighbours have their radiators on full blast 24/7 as they’ve “paid for it”. It’s an unfair system as some tenants use far more gas than they are communally charged for, and a minority use less.

Yesterday he was given a letter that said his gas charge would be increasing to approx £80 per week! (£4,160 per year). HA staff are handing out the letters personally as they are well aware of how much this will impact people. It’s a 300% increase. I’m gobsmacked for him. He doesn’t get any pension credit as he has a small private pension and he’s just resigned to the fact that he’ll have to pay it.

Any ideas of how I might be able to help him? He’s already thinking of downsizing to a 1-bed flat if one comes available, although HA staff said that would save about £1k a year, so he’d still be facing a big increase. It just doesn’t seem fair that he could be paying £4k a year for heating and hot water which would be subsidising the neighbours who waste energy because “they pay for it” iyswim?

I think he should ask to go on a separate gas meter and just pay for what he uses, but I’m not sure if it will be allowed by his HA, or even if it will be possible? I also wonder if he might be able to claim some pension credit if he’s on limited income? Some of his neighbours are threatening to go to the press and their local MP, not sure if that would help if the HA are facing huge increases in gas charges themselves. The whole communal gas thing seems deeply unfair though.

Just realised my title is wrong - it’s a 300% increase I think

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/if-your-home-is-on-a-heat-network/

If he's in England, he can get in touch with the CAB

Thanks @Kerfuffler , that’s helpful. I’ll get a CAB appointment set up for him.

Doesn't he receive the cost of living payments, warm home discount, energy grant and is he over 80 for the other payment?
These are all meant to help against the higher cost of energy.

Pensioners get more help then disabled people for example, it is a terrible time for everyone buy everyone I'd having to cut back unfortunately

Also councils and HA might have extra grants available

But he can’t cut back, can he, because it’s a communal bill?
Really unhelpful advice

Cutting back on other stuff... like everyone else. I am having to cut back on food, clothes, fuel, going out .. etc.

I think he should complain to the council and ask them to fit sub meters. That way they will pay the total for the communal meter but each property will record the exact number of units they use, so what they pay will be a true reflection of their use. Alternatively, rewiring so that each property has their own meter.

As it’s a communal meter, that probably means that he isn’t a customer of an energy supplier so isn’t able to benefit from the rebates and support. That’s because it’s the bill payer (HA) who are the customer and they are a business.

These won't cover £80 a week. Average bill is £48 a week for just over 2 people in a 2-3 bed house, for both gas and electric. £80 just for gas is far too much.

Agree with TheSnowyOwl communal charging has contributed to the bill getting this big. It would be better if everyone had their own meter. I'd be pushing hard for this.

I agree, there needs to be sub meters so people are forced to stop taking the piss.

300% increase does sound about right, mine is also around that since price increases. It is really scary.

Definitely needs his own meter. Might rein in the ones taking the mick a bit.

Energy bills have only doubled based on the cap of recent years and the current energy price guarantee, though I appreciate lower fixes were available before.

Landlords supplies are classed as commercial so not subject to the price cap. The other problem would be that even if individual flats did have their own meters, there would still be a charge for communal areas such as corridors, lounges, laundry facilities, toilets, kitchens etc.

Thanks for replies. I will see if they can push for sub-meters. I don’t know if he gets all or some of the £67 rebate.

yes I get that it’s hard for everyone, but I live in a similar size property to him and I only heat the rooms I’m in and can choose to have the heating off if I want to. Of course he can do the same, but he’ll still be paying between £346 and £279 per month for gas alone no matter how much he uses (and that’s every month all year round). He has his separate electricity bill to pay on top of that. I don’t know if he gets extra help for being a pensioner or whether fuel payments are paid directly to his HA to cover the communal costs (which might be why he’s only paid £20 pw up to now).

I’ve just looked at the estimated annual energy cost for myself and it’s £970.87 per year for electric and £443.43 per year for gas - and I’m not stingy with the heating, but I am careful. He’ll pay more in 2 months for gas than I’m predicted to pay for the year!

Well yes, but the individual bill + any communal charges is still likely to be lower than a share of an overall communal bill in this case.
i pay my own electricity bill and get communal electricity costs added on to/included in my service charge.

Yes, I agree. There may still be a share in a fairly large communal bill though depending on the building and what services are using gas. Depends on the size of the flat in relation to the size of the communal areas.

It’s so desperately unfair that so many people are experiencing real misery and anxiety about the fuel increases.

Whilst this is not right, it may be possible to get grants from ten local council. I’d also be making the Social Care Teams for Older People and Vulnerable Adults aware of the situation, it needs to go higher up the chain.

There are grants available too. Definitely get in touch with a reputable law centre/cab to get info on help out there. The Council won’t advertise but there are little pots of money and access to other resources there for the public.

Sorry if garbled, on my second day of Oramorph amd it’s all a bit wavy. 😁

Not garbled at all @HoofWankingSpangleCunt (would love to know the story behind your user name 😁). You’ve given some useful recommendations.

Hope the meds settle and give you relief soon 🌼

Lol Op, I got this name from another mNetter. I think it was an insult for Jacob Rees Mogg and I was quite taken by it. I was given permission to take it for myself.

Think you need to push for individual meters .
But also tell him not to go cold , others are not considerate to him by cutting down so why should he . It seems it's one big bill so everyone needs to look at there use . If you have some going cold and some having heating on 24 7 it's not right .