renting - electric cut off!

gingerbreadman_2

Hi,

Bit of a problem, got a contract with reeds rains for a 6 month rent. Only been in 2 months but N power have cut the electric off.

The flat was empty for 3 months before we moved i nand the guy before us has left unpaid bills - nobodys told N power this and they've proceeded to cut the power off.

Reeds rains blame n power, and n power blame reeds reins - to be honest ive nop idea where we stand. We've had no power for 2 days, freezers thawed out and foods ruined not to mentioned inconvenience of having no hot water / shower / heating.

Anyone know where I stand? I've lsot 2 days of being warm and about £80 worth of food!

~Beanie~

Did you advise NPower that you had moved in and provide them with a meter reading?

N79

Who is your electricity contract with? Get in touch with them as they should have taken over the supply from N Power.

You do have an electicity supply contract don't you.....

gingerbreadman_2

when we moved in reeds rains took the meter reading and thats in the lease agreement - we've never sorted anything with any power company just presumed reeds rains would do that as part of their service?

sooz

Err no!

You should have called all your utility suppliers & given them your meter readings & name, address & date you moved in.

Call them ALL now. Anything before your first meter reading is up to the previous occupiers.

N79

No thats your responsibility. Consider it a lesson learnt. You have to have a supply contract. Phone N Power, grovel, pay the reconnection fee and the charges since you moved in and they will reconnect you.

PasturesNew

Letting agents always take a meter reading for some reason. But you have to phone the utility company yourself and let them know you've moved in and give them a meter reading.

sooz

Letting agents take a meter reading with you, so that your new meter reading is agreed. Everything before your agreed reading falls to someone else, whether the last tenant, or the LL in case of a vacant period.

Have you been paying any bills over the last 2 months?
Have you called your local council to inform them that you are the new occupants, & you are liable for the council tax?

gingerbreadman_2

letting agent sorted the council tax etc for us and we're paying that

never had a power bill though

if letting agents dont sort any utilities im wondering what they do for the £200 'admin' fee and then the 10% they're charging the owner of the property...

sooz

gingerbreadman wrote: »

letting agent sorted the council tax etc for us and we're paying that

never had a power bill though

if letting agents dont sort any utilities im wondering what they do for the £200 'admin' fee and then the 10% they're charging the owner of the property...

£200 admin= £20-50 referencing and credit check, & £130-150 for inputting the details into their computer
10% to landlord is for advertising, tenancy agreement, credit checking you, & inputting details onto their computer + VAT

You wait until you see their bill for renewing your tenancy agreement

sarah_elton

Always, always, always take care of all utilities yourself. It's your responsibility, and nPower have cut you off because no one has paid the bill from the previous date, until now, not until you moved in.

1. When you move in:
Take meter readings for gas/elec/water, phone the suppliers and start an account. Give them name, address and starting meter readings. Then you won't pay for anything used by previous people. Also, if previous people had unpaid bills it won't get disconnected - they'll chase them for the money but it won't affect you. If no meter for water the same still applies - phone the water company and start an account. They'll pro rata the normal yearly fixed rate for the part of the year you're in there.

2. When you move out:
On the day you move out, phone the utility firms and say you're moving out as of that date, and give them the final meter readings. They will then post you a final bill, to whatever forwarding address you give them. This ensures you don't end up paying for what is used by the next people in the property.