How do gas companies know w when you’ve changed provider?
So I’m moving house and am switching provider for pretty much all of my utilities etc. So how do they, my new provider, start supplying my house the gas instead of my previous provider. I’m assuming they use the same pipe but it’ll contain the whole areas gas and smaller pipes would branch off up streets and eventually into houses wouldn’t they? How do they direct only British Gas gas into my house instead of Scottish Power gas?
I’m stoned so please excuse me if this makes zero sense
In: Engineering
I will preface this with saying I’m in the US, and I don’t know if it works differently in the UK.
Consumers of natural gas here have a meter where the gas line enters the building (home, store, apartment building, restaurant, whatever). The gas company has a person who comes by and takes note of the readings periodically and they send you a bill for the difference between the current reading and the last reading. It’s just like measuring power at the meter where power comes in. Both are more automated these days and it can be done remotely/electronically so nobody needs to physically come around.
As far as them knowing you changed providers, you need to let them know by either signing up online or by phone so they can bill you accordingly. The previous residents should have informed the utility they were moving. Sometimes they will come and put a lock on the valve and it will be removed when there are new residents and the account is set up.
The gas companies all use the same pipe, but they have their agreements about how they all pay the bigger company they buy their gas from. Sort of like roommates dividing up the bills. They just concern themselves with your billing and then they settle up with whomever bills them. They keep the difference as profit.
Latest Answers