New tenant

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  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,098 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
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    OP, it's your job to register for the utility accounts and take your own meter readings on day one. Don't ever rely on an LL or letting agent to do this for you-it's nothing to do with them. The same applies to water billing, telcoms, council tax etc. It's the responsibility of the bill payer: the tenant.
    If you fail to register or specify a tariff, then you are put on SVT-the default tariff, and the most expensive.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Rm1505
    Rm1505 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    I understand that, but like I said, I did spend a good few weeks filling out my meter readings on the new tenant form on their website and then emailing them the same information as they didn't get back to me. I was initially told to expect a welcome pack via mail, then when that didn't happen I started communicating online for ease. I started phoning 3 weeks ago and still haven't got it sorted. Had I known they weren't going to send me anything in the mail and had I known how slow they were going to be, I would've phoned them the first day I moved in, as I did with my council tax, internet and phone providers, and tv license etc.

    Anyway, I am phoning again tomorrow to hopefully sort all of this out! Thanks everyone!:D
  • Geoff1963
    Geoff1963 Posts: 1,088 Forumite
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    Think yourself lucky that :
    1) You have had a free loan
    2) Your energy supplier doesn't run :
    a) The airline you use
    b) Your local nuclear power station
    c) etc.:)
  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    edited 10 July 2017 at 8:54AM
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    Why do I have the feeling this is a Spark Energy scenario ? .OP you do not have to be shy in naming the supplier..you wont get sued..
    I agree with Macman that you should not accept the landlords start readings. It is the old tenants end read, ( which may not have been sent in) and new one who it falls upon.The old tenant could have skidaddled with debts and not sent in an end reading...l/l are notorious for trying to avoid paying out utility bills which fall upon them when the property is vacant in between tenants and try to offload months of vacant weeks standing charges onto the new tenant..Also many are hopeless at understanding Eco 7 meters ( if you have one ), not knowing day from night..which can lead the supplier being baffled by start/end readings which do not match.
    This is a very common scenario with rentals..all would end with smart meters in place, yet another positive for the obligatory fitting of these sensible meters. Anyone who thinks they should not be used just does nt get the whole picture in the utility business.
  • Rm1505
    Rm1505 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    The landlord showed me both gas and electricity meters the day I moved in to prove to me she had written the right ones on the lease and to show me where to find them.

    I have now raised an official complaint against the company (which is Flow, btw) and I have been assured that I am on the right tariff as they automatically put new customers on the variable tariff which I think is right for me as there are no exit fees, and as I am saving to buy a house next year hopefully, I can't guarantee how much longer I will be in this flat. The cheaper tariff is Fixed July 18, but apparently it would cost me £30 to get out of it.

    They also mentioned in their reply that they will look at reducing my bill, not sure how much I believe they will do that but I will phone again with today's meter readings once I get home from work.
  • footyguy
    footyguy Posts: 4,157 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    May I ask, which supplier is it that allows a new tenant to send "details via the new tenancy form on their site" to set up a new account?
  • Rm1505
    Rm1505 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    Im with Flow, I dont think many people have heard of them but then I am new to all this!
  • footyguy
    footyguy Posts: 4,157 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    edited 10 July 2017 at 3:11PM
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    Rm1505 wrote: »
    Im with Flow, I dont think many people have heard of them but then I am new to all this!

    Thanks. Oh I've heard of them, they are on most, if not all, comparison sites :)

    However, I cannot find the online form you say you found on their website.

    I have found this pdf
    https://www.flowenergy.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Flow_MovingHome_InteractivePDFv10FR.pdf

    However you have to return it, once completed, by either email or snail mail.

    That form also asks you when a good time for them to call you would be, so that you are put on their best tariff. If they did not call you when you requested, why did you not call them?

    Edit: Oh, I guess you just used their contact us page
    However, without an account number, I guess it was ignored or otherwise unable to be followed up.
    Or if they did respond, it would have been via email as that would be the only contact info you provided ... and email is never a 100% sure way of communicating unless you receive a receipt confirmation. Maybe a reply got lost on it's way to you?

    They have a freephone number to contact them on - that's the simplest and most appropriate in the circumstances.

    Why were they unable to set up your account when they first accept they had contact from you 7 days ago? It is normally done whilst you are on the phone. Then they can also discuss better tariffs. But you will be charged at the default tariff for the period you became liable for consumption until mutual contact was established.
  • Rm1505
    Rm1505 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    Yes that is the form I used several times and I emailed it into them. I waited about maybe ten days before resending it, and then I used the contact us page asking why it was taking so long.

    I should've phoned sooner had I known it wasn't being processed at that time, but I partly thought it was being dealt with and knew these things can take time, as my other bills did, and I also didn't want to pester them too much. I've been too polite and just hoped that they'd email or phone me like they were meant to.
  • Rm1505
    Rm1505 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    I did provide them with my phone number and a time to call which is on the form.

    I should also point out that my landlord thought that they were "mainly an online company" which made me try all online options first
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