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Original poster

My friend hasn't paid electric bill in 3 years what will happen to her?

30 replies

Wanderingstar12 · 03/02/2022 21:22

Hi 3 years ago my friend and I moved into the same new build block of flats owned by the council. We were told that our electric was supplied by British Gas but that we could set up with any energy supplier we wanted when we both moved in. I phoned British Gas and created an account but, she didn't. Out of curiosity, will she ever be billed and when? She seems to be getting away with not paying her electricity? When will British Gas find out and if they do, will they want the full amount or just last 12 months?

OP posts:
Dentistsinthefreemarket · 03/02/2022 21:23

They'll electrocute her obvs

Thellis · 03/02/2022 21:26

My parents haven't paid for water since they moved into this house 17 years ago! They have no idea how it happened and I always wonder if it'll ever get flagged up.

Thellis · 03/02/2022 21:26

But bloody hell wouldn't want to risk it with electric that is a lot more expensive if they do suddenly back charge you!

Policyschmolicy · 03/02/2022 21:27

We had this in a new build flat although we tried repeatedly to setup the account. In the end we paid a token amount - but that was because we could prove that we had attempted to pay for energy. Not sure what happens in the case of evasion.

Username7521 · 03/02/2022 21:32

I moved into a flat a while ago and tried multiple times to set up electricity. British Gas weren’t interested. I pushed and pushed and finally spoke to someone who confirm the flat had never been registered. We told the landlord and he ended up getting the property registered (which needed a new box etc) but no one ever came after us for the electricity it took to set up the box (over 7 months I think). We chatted to the landlord about it and he said he never got anything and he had had the property for 5 years before we moved in.

So in my experience nothing will happen.

HiKelsey · 03/02/2022 21:35

I've currently got this issue. Moved into a new build. Tried to contact water and electricity to set up. Neither would speak to me because I rent off a housing association and they said it was in their name. Tried housing association my email got lost internally. Finally got water sorted and am pay a year off slowly off with my normal bill. Still not electric, I tried and tried and tried and had many hold calls ended after being on the phone for 2 hours. In the end the housing association got involved and now after 1.5years I'm getting set up as a new customer but still waiting for the welcome pack 3 months after I managed to give them my contact details. It's a bloody nightmare!!

Original poster
Wanderingstar12 · 03/02/2022 23:13

Yeah its definitely evasion! She has made no attempt to phone ANY energy so that's why I'm worried!! This is not the same as trying to get a bill but the companies failing to bill!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Wanderingstar12 · 03/02/2022 23:17

But yeah any one have experience with this type of evasion? To be completely honest she admits she didn't read the welcome pack telling us to set up with an energy supplier upon moving in so wasn't aware she had to as she thought it was included with our rent but it's not!

OP posts:
Sunsetsupernova · 03/02/2022 23:18

Is she not getting any letters from them? We had this in a split level flat once where the meter was shared and the downstairs neighbours were taking our money but not paying the bill.
Eventually the electricity company came round with bailiffs and installed a prepayment meter. It had the debt on it though so whenever you topped it up it would automatically take away some of the debt. Total nightmare

BarbaraofSeville · 04/02/2022 07:06

I find it hard to believe that you could just ignore the problem for three years without action from the supplier.

British Gas would have likely sent numerous bills for 'the occupier' and sent meter readers. Has she been dodging these?

Plus like @Sunsetsupernova says, in that timescale, they're likely to get as far as enforcement action, sending bailiffs to force entry to install a prepayment meter to recover the debt and not allow any further supply without advance payment.

vivainsomnia · 04/02/2022 09:14

An old neighbour did exactly that. She came home one day to find out people had gone to her house, without her consent and installed a key meter.

The case had gone to court and the judge granted permission for this to happen. She also got a ccj.

Roomba · 04/02/2022 09:42

My old neighbour did similar. She also came home to find they'd broken into her house (damaging her new front door in the process) and installed a prepayment meter. And half the street had stood and watched the proceedings - the hammering on the door and drilling the lock alerted everyone that something was going on. One guy went over and asked what the hell they were doing and was loudly told they had a court warrant for non payment. So the whole street gossiped about it and she was mortified.

Original poster
Wanderingstar12 · 04/02/2022 11:20

Not a single letter she says!! Not a single energy supplier are aware she is in the flat as it is a new build and she hasn't phoned a single company to create an account!

OP posts:
drpet49 · 04/02/2022 11:22

** Dentistsinthefreemarket

They'll electrocute her obvs**

^This Grin

Original poster
Wanderingstar12 · 04/02/2022 11:27

You would think British Gas would have at least sent a letter to the property but nothing....Not a word!! They dont seem to realise electricity is being used at the property! I don't know if she's found a loophole for new builds or if somehow she will be found out? Very confusing! I don't want to advise her to open an account now and face her 3 year bill unneccessarily if she may have somehow found a free electricity loophole. Obviously I'm worried for her too if somehow British Gas do backbill or take action for evasion but so far not a single letter from them!!

OP posts:
DaisyChains3 · 04/02/2022 11:31

I lived ina house for a year and a half and never got an electricity bill. I repeatedly wrote to them to tell them but they never did anything about it. I wonder when they finally wised up.

IWasHotInTheNineties · 04/02/2022 11:33

@Dentistsinthefreemarket

They'll electrocute her obvs
Crikey Shock Octopus might but British Gas would never.
Wafflesnsniffles · 04/02/2022 11:34

This is more common than a person might think - there was a thread on here a few months ago, with an op who had tried and tried to register their address to no avail resulting in no bills for years. Various people commented saying they too were in the same situ or knew people who were. Assuming a person has tried to sort it out and failed........... the next best thing to do is rejoice in the freebie!

BarbaraofSeville · 04/02/2022 11:35

I think you can only be back billed for a year if it was the supplier's fault, eg they didn't respond to her attempts to set up an account.

However if she's not tried to do this, I don't know if they'll catch up with her.

She might be lucky, or they may come one day wanting thousands, and be able to enforce payment.

The problem would come if they got some sort of back payment order and she hadn't put money aside to for such eventuality and couldn't pay it through income going forwards.

She would be utterly stupid to think they'll never catch up with her, because they could well do.

RavenclawDiadem · 04/02/2022 12:14

We are currently having huge issues with one of the "big 6" providers. When we were with our previous provider they sent someone round to install smart meters on the gas and electricity, they have been nothing but a hassle, didn't work, we kept having to do manual readings, just hopeless. Then they did start working. Switched provider. New provider is giving accurate electricity bills but the latest statement says we have not used any gas since 6th January.

Impossible as we have gas central heating and a combi boiler for hot water. We are keeping every single webchat and email as proof that we have flagged this up, but they keep emailing us saying our account is in credit and they will send us a refund.

Oh, and they can't send out anyone to physically check the meter and diagnose the problem "because Covid".

FunnyInjury · 04/02/2022 15:06

Is she renting then OP?

dancingthroughthedark · 04/02/2022 15:40

I did a house exchange a few years back and transferred my accounts over to the new house, this brought to light that the previous tenant had not paid a water bill in all of the 17 years she had lived here. Not sure how it happened but the water company in their wisdom added her debt to my bill and it took months to sort out. We were visited several times by bailiffs and other debt collectors so I'm not sure of she had actually ever paid for anything!

Original poster
Wanderingstar12 · 04/02/2022 15:45

Yeah she is renting from the council!!! Nothing wrong with the meters or anything as I myself and all other neighbours have successfully signed up to energy providers. It's strange the council haven't had the bill as they would be the original British Gas customers before we all moved in!! But no one has been in contact with her. Such a strange thing!

OP posts:
TrickyToPickUsername4644 · 04/02/2022 16:06

Eventually, when they find out, theyll get a court order to come and fit a prepayment meter in the property and shell have to pay her bills that way

dexterslockedintheshedagain · 04/02/2022 16:15

Is she an adult? Why are you so concerned about it all?