2nd electric and gas bill arrived

MoneySavingUser · 11 March 2010 at 2:14PM

I was living in a rented house until 1st February 2010. I phoned Southern Electric on the morning of the 1st and gave them the gas and electric meter readings.

They sent me a bill for each to my new address dated the 2nd February 2010.

I paid both bills at the post office on the 12th.

Today I have received two more bills dated the 5th March 2010 stating that they are my amended bills upto 1st February 2010. The total amount comes to £16. I suppose I used a little bit more electricity after I phoned them in the morning but doubt it comes anywhere close to £16!

I get the feeling that the landlord has suddenly decided to take a meter reading at the start of March and tried billing me for usage! (The property has a built in fridge/freezer that stays on so even if he hasn't been in there electricity would still be used, not sure about gas)

All of the bills state 'Your bill is based on an actual meter reading' but by that statement one of them must not be based on the meter reading at 1st Feb!

I doubt the landlord will be co-operative and he was informed that I had sorted out all the final bills. Should I tell Southern Electric that I am not going to pay or tell them that I will pay if they agree that it is full and final settlement and they won't send me anything else unexpected in the future?

Sammy85_2 · 11 March 2010 at 2:24PM

I would send them a letter, include a copy of your original bill and the meter readings that you took, plus any proof you have that you moved out then. Give them the address of the landlord and tell them that any usage beyond your meter readings is for his account.

PS, you might try posting on the utilities forum too, they are very helpful.

Fire_Fox · 11 March 2010 at 2:42PM

Have you asked Southern Electric why you have a second bill? There is no point in assuming that the landlord has taken another lot of readings, find out.

overandout_2 · 11 March 2010 at 2:52PM

And also, did you take a photo of the gas/electricity meter when you moved out?

sunshinetours · 11 March 2010 at 2:58PM

Phone them up - I find Southern Electric customer services a breath of fresh air usually which is one reason I have stayed with them

prudryden · 11 March 2010 at 2:59PM

I agree with the above post. Southern Electric are generally very helpful.

welshy_2002 · 11 March 2010 at 3:00PM

Just phone them

.. once you give a 'final' meter reading, the bills are someone else's problem.

MoneySavingUser · 11 March 2010 at 3:58PM

OK thanks everyone I will give them a ring

overandout wrote: »

And also, did you take a photo of the gas/electricity meter when you moved out?

no I just wrote it down

G_M · 11 March 2010 at 4:18PM

All of the bills state 'Your bill is based on an actual meter reading' but by that statement one of them must not be based on the meter reading at 1st Feb!

Do you mean both the recent bills? Or all 4 bills (the 1st 2 and these new 2)?

It seems likely the original bills were based on your 'customer readings' of 1st Feb.

If the new bills are 'actual readings' then Southern Electric must have visited to read them. You need to find out what date this 'actual reading' was made. Unless it was also on 1st Feb, you are not liable.

MoneySavingUser · 11 March 2010 at 7:08PM

Yes I mean all 4 bills

Edit: I phoned them and waited in the queue for ages - nearly gave up but then someone answered

I explained it to him, he put me on hold and then said he had cleared them and I would receive another bill with a zero balance

I asked him why I had been sent these amended bills he said it was something to do with final catchup readings(?)

So he said I didn't owe them anything so hopefully that is the end of it!

2nd electric and gas bill arrived

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free