Hydro electric taking friend to court!!!!!!!! Please Help?!!!!!!

xxlaurissaxx

Hi Guys,

Not sure if this is in the right thread, if not please let me know and i shall get it moved. A friend of my boyfirends has gave me the following details to ask you guys for advice -


We moved out of the property on the 31st May, a meter reading was taken and passed on to our landlord. We then get a bill for £207, we refused to pay and questioned the outstanding amount because we noticed that Hydro Electric had charged us for 2 months that we were not there, so instead of up to end of May, it was the end of July.
When we highlighted this fact the woman dealing with the bill said, “do not worry about paying this bill, we will send you an amended bill for the correct amount,” and quoted us an amount in the region of £143. We again received the same bill this week (November) and a gentleman on the phone said, “we want the full amount paid now or we will begin court proceedings,” when the amount due was questioned, he said, “it was tough, that was the reading they received from our previous landlord and so that is the amount you will have to pay.” When it was questioned again, he said, “you have 10 days to pay it, if not then we will again proceed through the courts,

where there will be a 15% charge put on top.”


We know that there is an outstanding amount to be paid; we are just questioning why we have to pay for 2 months (June and July) that we were not there?




Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks guys :beer:

Laurissa xx

notbritishgas

It looks as if your complaint may be with the former landlord. I think he may have not given Hydro your reading (forgot?) and when he or the new tenants contacted them in July the reading on that date was given.

Cardew

The only important issue is the meter reading(s) on the day you left; you just check the bill against those readings.

However I assume your friends did not take that reading?

If they didn't inform Scots Hydro they were leaving and the meter readings, how are they supposed to know they left in May and the readings on that date?

If they believe that gas/electricity was used after 31 May to the date of the bill, then their dispute is with the Landlord.

He presumably gave them the meter readings.

xxlaurissaxx

Thanks ill pass that on. xx

Premier_2

The account holder(s) will be responsible for any consumption, although as others say, they may have their own complaint against the LL.

Ignore the threat of a 15% surcharge - it's a typical treat by some money chasing monkey to entice the debtor to pay promptly, but their legal team would never attempt to collect such a ridiculous surcharge through a court.

MrsTinks

Don't suppose your friends sent a letter to anyone with the correct reading on it at the time they left the property?
Obviously they left the property in May when i assume their lease ended. They could produce the moving out papers (assuming they went through a lettings agency) to prove the date they vacated the premises to back up their reading which might help.
This is why you should always get an official moving in check and moving out check where all readings are noted and signed by the tenant and the lettings agent

xxlaurissaxx

Ill get him to ask them and post back. Thanks xx

xxlaurissaxx

Hi This is what information i got from him, -

A meter reading was taken and handed to the letting agent and we did present the moving out papers with the terminated lease date to Hydro, they know for a fact that
we moved out on the 31st May. Do they have the right to threaten and charge us for the two months we were never there for?

Thanks

Premier_2

xxlaurissaxx wrote: »

Hi This is what information i got from him, -

A meter reading was taken and handed to the letting agent and we did present the moving out papers with the terminated lease date to Hydro, they know for a fact that
we moved out on the 31st May. Do they have the right to threaten and charge us for the two months we were never there for?

Thanks

Yes. If you were the account holder it is your responsibility to inform the energy supplier that you wish to terminate the supply contract since you are moving out. If you failed to do that, they are entitled to bill you for any consumption.