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AIBU?

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Original poster

Should I pay this bill?

29 replies

Barbaro · 11/07/2018 14:50

So back story simply:

Moved into our rental house at the end of march
Got letter through saying supply for electric is with company a for the house when previous tenants had it
Decided to stay with company a and called them to get put on the account which was done

However, unknown to us, the rental agency had told company b to put the electric supply back to company b after ex tenant moved out, and then told company b to add our names to the bill without telling us.

Company b then cuts off company a's access, no one tells us anything, and in July we get a bill for almost £250.

I think the letting agency should pay this for not telling us plus its almost double what company a would have charged us.

Am I being unreasonable? We don't have the money for this and we had been told by the letting agency to sort out our own suppliers.

OP posts:
DoJo · 11/07/2018 14:53

So the rental agent took out a contract in your name for more expensive energy than the suppliers you had arranged. Didn't company a get in touch with you to tell you that they had been asked to stop supplying you?

ChelleDawg2020 · 11/07/2018 14:55

You have the right to choose supplier. If your contract was with company A and nobody told you it was cancelled then company B can't chase you - you never signed a contract with them.

Contact company B and tell them that you set up the contract with company A, either they made a mistake or an unauthorised 3rd party set up a contract with them on your behalf. Contact A and give them your meter readings and ask for your bill.

Don't pay B a penny.

Cath2907 · 11/07/2018 14:55

If your name is on the bill then you should pay as otherwise any CCJs etx. would end up in your name.... HOWEVER I am not sure that a third party should be able to change the electricity supplier once you've set something up. I'd be playing merry hell with the supplier and the agent. The supplier didn't notify you they'd taken over supplying for you??? You didn't sign a contract with them or agree to a rate?? I think the supplier is at fault for this. Pretty sure I can't ring up British Gas and arrange for them to take over supplying next doors house?

blackbirdbluebottle · 11/07/2018 14:56

Don’t pay B at all. You shouldn't be paying for a previous tenant's bill. And you have the right to move to a different supplier

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 14:56

No company a didn't tell me that the supply got stopped. I only found out when I got the bill from company b.

OP posts:
AdaColeman · 11/07/2018 14:58

Have you got a record of the letting agent telling you to arrange your own supply?
What does your agreement with the letting agency say about utilities?

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 14:58

I've also called the agents now and they are going to call me back, but they are basically saying so far this is my problem and I have to pay it. Company b are saying its my problem too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 14:59

My agreement with the letting agency says to set up my own supplies. No names of companies are given so I have them there.

OP posts:
blackbirdbluebottle · 11/07/2018 15:00

Just to clarify is this bill from before you moved in or after? If it's before say you have sort legal advice and you will take them to court if they think you are going to pay it

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 15:02

It's from after we moved in. It's only for our time in the house.

OP posts:
DoJo · 11/07/2018 15:07

Company b are saying its my problem too.

Can company b produce anything to show that you entered into a contract with them?

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 15:08

Not really other than them saying that they sent me a contract which I don't have. They say that since the letting agency added my name its my bill.

OP posts:
Enko · 11/07/2018 15:18

I would change the letting agency bill to the most expensive I can find. Smile

Seriously op I would contact citizen advice for this. I don't think you can be held to the bill but wouldn't like to advice you there. Perhaps post in legal?

cjt110 · 11/07/2018 15:18

Don't pay anything. Take any information you have - letting agreement etc to Citizen's advice. Advise Lettings agent and Company B you are seeking advice.

Of course Lettings and Company B are going to say it's your problem. Lettings agent doesn't want to be lumped with a bill/court action and company B want their bill paid.

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 15:20

To throw more shit into this mess, I just got a call back from the letting agency and they said its utter garbage what company b is saying and that as far as they are aware, it's with company a for electricity. They never called company b about it and technically don't even manage the house anymore the landlady does. But she told them that the supply was with company a and its up to us if we want to change which we don't.

OP posts:
Bluelady · 11/07/2018 15:33

So company b needs to give you a copy of the contract showing you signed up with them. How did they get your name if the letting agency didn't give it to them? Have they got a crystal ball in their accounts department?

DoJo · 11/07/2018 15:46

Presumably you have copies of your agreement with company a, plus payments made to them etc in which case I would send them to company b starting that unless they have any evidence of a contract that supersedes that, they can jog on...!

Maelstrop · 11/07/2018 15:54

I managed to put all bills into my tenants' names without showing contracts etc. It can very easily be done.

RafikiIsTheBest · 11/07/2018 15:56

Have you contacted company a? Are you sure that b is legit?

CanaBanana · 11/07/2018 15:58

What's the bill for? Just electric? Or is there a transfer fee too? How much would the bill have been if you stayed with A?

Firstly you need to contact A and B to complain that they've transferred your supply without your authorisation. Obviously someone has fraudulently telephoned B and told them to change your supply. This is not your fault or your problem. It's not up to you to find out who did it. It's their fault because they should have sufficient checks in place to prevent fraud. Even if B claims the letting agent transferred it, this still counts as "someone else who transferred my supply fraudulently without my permission".

Get the supply changed back to A. The rest is for A and B to sort out between themselves.

cjt110 · 11/07/2018 16:02

Just a thought.... you say the lettings agency don't manage your property anymore and it's the landlady herself.

Who does your rent get paid to?

And also, have you checked the LL hasn't changed this without the LA's knowledge? Some LL's can be arse holes despite being lovely to your face.

Original poster
Barbaro · 11/07/2018 17:40

Nah my landlady wouldn't do that, she is nice. We pay her directly for the house.

I think that when we took out Internet with company b, because they also supply electrics and are known for that more, I think they just assumed they were doing electrics as well for us when we never told them to. But they don't want to admit to that. They previously blamed me for it saying I asked for it via a phone call, I asked for evidence, they wouldn't give it. Then they blamed my partner saying he gave meter readings, but won't provide proof of this either. And now they are blaming the letting agents so not inclined to believe them to be honest.

We paid company a at the beginning, but I thought I had set up a direct debit for them and foolishly I didn't check that anything was going out, just assumed it was on the monthly basis that we agreed. But nothing apart from the first payment went. However, I would expect to be told of my account had been closed which I wasn't, hence why I just assumed we were paying them.

OP posts:
MMM3 · 11/07/2018 18:14

Call company a and get switched back right away. Send company b a certified letter stating you never contracted for their services and protest the bill.

However... I don’t know how credit reporting works in the UK, but it’s a real nightmare in the US. How much less would the bill have been with a? It wouldn’t have been free, so the excess isn’t 250. You could possibly go to court, but you’d still have to pay an amount he judge decides is fair for the utilities. So- is the amount of difference worth the hassle of court and/or dealing with credit agencies? Maybe it is, maybe not, but do consider that before going down with the ship on principle. DO report them to whatever government agency supervises them, whether you decide to pay or not.

SleepingBooty · 11/07/2018 18:22

I would kick up a stink with company B to complain that they fraudulently set up a contract for electric supply without your consent. Demand a credit note and compensation.

Limpopobongo · 11/07/2018 18:22

It is fact that some letting agencys have agreements that they set up who the supplier is. Presumably they get a payment for using their preferred supplier. Unless its in the tenancy agreement they have no right to do this. You need to write to the supplier heading the letter with the word COMPLIANT and indicate that you have been erroneously switched without your permission.

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