To ask for help with this weird situation?

EnergyConundrum · 2023-05-19T19:47:24+00:00

I moved into a house a month ago. The landlord has been trying to get the energy situation sorted to no avail. The previous tenant was getting free electricity and I've figured out why - every energy company thinks it's a prepayment meter but it's not, so it's just providing energy and there are no bills arriving. I took a meter reading the day I moved in and I was waiting for the landlord to get an account set up with the current supplier but she's been having no luck (she's been trying for quite some time). I asked her if I could just try switching to another supplier and sort it out that way. I've spent a few hours online and realised I can't switch because I wouldn't be able to top the meter up and all the tariffs they give me are for prepayment. I don't know what to do and it's really stressing me out. Who would I talk to about this? Will I end up with the previous tenant's massive bill 😱

malmi · 19/05/2023 21:06

You're only liable for your own consumption, so keep that move-in reading, maybe take a photo of the meter so there's no argument.

Original poster

EnergyConundrum · 19/05/2023 21:10

malmi · 19/05/2023 21:06

You're only liable for your own consumption, so keep that move-in reading, maybe take a photo of the meter so there's no argument.

I did that... I'm just so worried about it all 😟 moving is stressful enough

OP posts:

Hatemylife2023 · 19/05/2023 21:16

Ask for a smart meter? That will get you the mains electric board updated as well on any event. I very recently finally got a smart meter and found they had to update the Mains electric panel whilst making the change as expected. It only took Scottish Power 2 years to keep an appointment to make the change but it finally happened!!

Many years ago when I moved into my last flat (2009) as a tenant I created mary hell as wasn’t aware until moving in it boasted one of those dreadful prepaid meters at the time, I got onto my existing electric company and asked them to switch me from prepay to monthly, based on my 3 year proven history of paying in previous rented flat of always paying by DD - for a charge of £50 which they waived at the time I got changed over very easy and that was way back then.

You shouldn’t get charged for anyone’s bills as long as you can prove things which it sounds like you can.

DomingoinLittleOakley · 19/05/2023 21:16

Agree with PP - if you have an opening reading that's good. Continue to take regular readings, preferably photos, and in the meantime there is a Facebook Group which is run by people who have worked for energy companies and know the ropes. You could try posting with your dilemma in there - they are very helpful according to a friend of mine who had no end of trouble when she moved into a property with a supposedly smart meter which didn't send readings and the previous tenants had left with a massive debt which the energy company tried to make her pay for!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1656333068221124

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1656333068221124

LadyJ2023 · 19/05/2023 21:22

Not sure why it's up to the landlord to arrange your new account always been ourselves in rented property

Original poster

EnergyConundrum · 19/05/2023 21:24

LadyJ2023 · 19/05/2023 21:22

Not sure why it's up to the landlord to arrange your new account always been ourselves in rented property

Well it was up to her because she was responsible in the time between the previous tenant moving out and me moving in, but she was trying to sort it for a while so she told me to just wait. But she's not got anywhere with the current supplier they keep fobbing her off. We're both fed up with it

OP posts:

Original poster

EnergyConundrum · 19/05/2023 21:26

Hatemylife2023 · 19/05/2023 21:16

Ask for a smart meter? That will get you the mains electric board updated as well on any event. I very recently finally got a smart meter and found they had to update the Mains electric panel whilst making the change as expected. It only took Scottish Power 2 years to keep an appointment to make the change but it finally happened!!

Many years ago when I moved into my last flat (2009) as a tenant I created mary hell as wasn’t aware until moving in it boasted one of those dreadful prepaid meters at the time, I got onto my existing electric company and asked them to switch me from prepay to monthly, based on my 3 year proven history of paying in previous rented flat of always paying by DD - for a charge of £50 which they waived at the time I got changed over very easy and that was way back then.

You shouldn’t get charged for anyone’s bills as long as you can prove things which it sounds like you can.

I would get a smart meter but I don't even have an account yet with them... Every supplier when I try to get a quote thinks it's a prepayment meter so I'm not really sure what to do

OP posts:

Original poster

EnergyConundrum · 19/05/2023 21:27

DomingoinLittleOakley · 19/05/2023 21:16

Agree with PP - if you have an opening reading that's good. Continue to take regular readings, preferably photos, and in the meantime there is a Facebook Group which is run by people who have worked for energy companies and know the ropes. You could try posting with your dilemma in there - they are very helpful according to a friend of mine who had no end of trouble when she moved into a property with a supposedly smart meter which didn't send readings and the previous tenants had left with a massive debt which the energy company tried to make her pay for!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1656333068221124

Thank you - I will have a look on this page and see if they can help

OP posts:

HotelNotPortofino · 19/05/2023 21:36

Do you know who the current supplier is?

If so, suggest you and your LL go above the normal customer service & try CEO mail for an email, & explain what you have tried.

Or via Twitter & be persistent in your retweets ;)

Original poster

EnergyConundrum · 19/05/2023 21:51

HotelNotPortofino · 19/05/2023 21:36

Do you know who the current supplier is?

If so, suggest you and your LL go above the normal customer service & try CEO mail for an email, & explain what you have tried.

Or via Twitter & be persistent in your retweets ;)

I do. I'm going to get on to them on Monday. I don't want to mess up any progress that may have been made behind the scenes but according to my landlord there hasn't been any 😬 so think I'll just tell them I'll take it from here.

I've never heard of this situation before and it's just really stressing me out - this is the first time I've lived alone and I've got everything else sorted.

Suppose something had to go wrong...

OP posts:

AbbaG12 · 19/05/2023 22:18

I believe that there's a national database for all meters and that'll state what the meter type is. I don't think you'll be able to switch companies whilst the details are incorrect. It's good you have a photo of the reading when you moved in. I think it's highly unlikely the last tenants would have got electricity for free as the meter will still be ticking over.

I think it's on the landlord to get this resolved. I'd probably seek legal advice to see where you stand. I'd recommend they put in a complaint with the current company about the time it's taking the company to resolve the issue and then to the ombudsman if they fail to deal with the complaint. Seems to be quite a few issues with certain companies. The sooner the landlord makes a big fuss, the better.

Newspeaker · 19/05/2023 22:35

You should be dealing with this yourself really, so a good idea to take over. Legally, when a tenant moves into a property they are responsible for notifying the energy companies that they are there and paying the bills. I say this as a landlord who had a tenant who didn't transfer the account into their name, and just ran up bills in my name. I wasn't responsible and didn't pay for their consumption.