Writing on behalf of my partner who is medically retired from his main job but qualified as EPC assessor and works part-time.
His last client was needed EPC done to remortgage his house. It wasn’t an easy work. Later the same day my partner completed the report and sent draft EPC to the client, asking him to pay. Then he issued it, too - work done. He always tries to give the highest rating legally possible. In this situation it was high C.
The client e-mailed back, saying that he expected it to be a B, and under current circumstances he’ll just drop the remortgaging altogether. He didn’t pay up and stopped communicating. What makes me especially angry is that he’s a union worker, supposed fighter for social justice. My partner also noticed that he steal electricity from the main post on the road. There’s a cable connected to it that goes into his garden shed.
My questions are practical.
Do we have a case for a Small Claims Court and how likely are we to win? It’s £75 but a matter of principle.
How many letters do we need to write him before filing the case and can we do it in e-mail format? How long do we need to give him before starting the procedures?
If we want to report him stealing electrics, how do we go about it and what evidence do we need for it?
All of these questions can be answered on mcol online
Report him to whoever supplies the cables as you don’t know who the utility supplier is
Yes you can make a claim
Most people don’t give the certificate until they are paid for this very reason.
Send a letter to him along the lines of
Dear x
Having recently checked my account I dont seem to have had the payment for the EPC (remeber the one you wrongly anticipated was B but i a merely qualified person deemed high C?) As im sure this is an oversight on your behalf I write to request payment of said monies £75
Should you need an EPC doing on your garden shed (why else would you be wired into the street lamp post as per my photos) please settle the 1st invoice.
Failure to pay by (insert. Date) will result in the matter being escalated to both the amall claims court (£75 outstanding) and the Local Authority/Police (section 13 of the Theft act 1968)
Many thanks for your business
Thank you, Gary. Love your sense of humour )) The guy paid up when threatened with court. Good for him - saved his credit rating because we were prepared to go all the way.
I never heard about section 13 of the Theft act 1968. Isn’t it a civil matter (I may be naive, ofc)?
Section 13 of the Theft Act 1968 addresses the crime of “abstracting electricity”. Specifically, it makes it illegal to dishonestly use electricity without due authority, or to dishonestly cause electricity to be wasted or diverted.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
Dishonestly using electricity:
This means using electricity without permission, such as connecting to a neighbor’s meter or bypassing your own meter.
I don’t. That is something for local authorities to investigate.
Is it normal in the UK to connect to electric pole on the street and put a meter “on the end of it”? Please advise. ))
Yes all the time I lived in an old mill house in Wales .The cable came across the field on poles. into the house ,then to a meter Done by elec co not home owner!!
It always stuns me these kind of people. When you don’t pay, someone will always suffer further down the line. It is especially serious when it’s a self employed person that relies on that money. But to steal electricity is the same as shoplifting, someone will pay for it!
Walk away and forget about it. It’s incredibly annoying but the hassle and stress will just take up too much headspace for the tiny amount of cash involved.