For those serial defaulters on their utility bills often a pre-payment meter is installed to overcome the problem.
So I always assumed that Compo would eventually be on a coin-in-the slot type after years of non payment and being disconnected, an action which costs the supply company money.
If it is a private landlord they often can control the electrical supply via a meter which gives them an additional income (or used to be able to do so - may now be outlawed) by increasing the cost per unit.
Local Authority landlords did not get involved in this at all. They may all have had private landlords but I recall that when Clegg and Howard were moved there was some reference to the Housing department which suggests the Local Authority. Compo's dwelling which seems to have been an under-dwelling is much less likely to be on LA stock.
Of course, I had some neighbours when I was very young who merely connected up the supply direct to their fuse box, bypassing the meter altogether. Dangerous as the 'tails' on the supply are live and could be fatal if touched while the rest of you was in contact with earth.
They also very occasionally did the same with the gas supply, just found a length of rubber tube and connected the gas pipe straight to their internal supply pipes: however as this also bypassed the pressure control valve it was likely to get a lot of fluctuation in gas pressure; when this fell there would be danger of air being sucked into the gas supply which tended to make it more explosive. Also there is a considerable difference between the pipe bringing gas into the house and the pipework supplying the cooker or fires. Old town gas was much more explosive than natural gas: I know because I could recreate some of these effects in a miniature way with a badly attached bunsen burner as a science teacher.
However there were no explosions next door!!
