Electricity & Gas

PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY AND GAS

Park Home estates are often supplied with electricity and gas by the site owner. (If you are supplied direct by  a utility provider and can change your supplier at will, this information does not apply.)  If however the site supplies your electricity and gas certain rules apply.  First electricity.

ELECTRICITY

The supply of power from a site owner is governed by government regulations and the price you can be charged per unit for electricity is strictly regulated.

(See: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/74486/11782-resaleupdateoct05pdf)

Essentially your site owner cannot charge you more per unit than he pays, and you have the right under your Written Statement contract to see his bills and calculation of costs to verify the unit charge.  Additionally, your supplier does have the right to include the relevant proportion of any standing charges shown on the bill.  A supplier may also impose a ‘reasonable’ administration charge covering meter monitoring, and the costs of producing and distributing accounts.

GAS

Gas (LPG) supplied by a site owner whether in bulk or cylinders is not regulated. Site owners may set their own level of charge including unit costs, standing charges, climate levy and administration charges.  These charges must be reasonable and are covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.  Again, under your Written Statement you are entitled to an explanation of the charges and the evidence of the costs.  Should you not wish to utilise gas provided by the site, then you can obtain your own gas cylinders, but you will require to provide connections at your own expense and the site owner can demand a gas safety certificate from you. 

If you believe you are being overcharged for utilities, you should contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or local Trading Standards Department.

If your site owner refuses to supply details of charges you should report the matter to your local licensing authority as a breach of the Written Statement which could affect the site owner’s licence.