Advice Requested re: non payment by prev owner

ShadyAmigo

Hi all,

I have literally moved into my new flat today, on opening the door I noticed some unopened letters addressed to 'the occupier'.

One is from PIB on behalf of npower requesting $413.35 in missed payment im guessing, and the other from trent water for $102.

I'm not liable to pay these am I? should I just phone the companies and tell them that the bills are nothing to do with me?
Thanks for your time and help,
Ian

PS I am hoping to go with ebico, can i still get the cashback from the price comparison/switching sites even though i have not had any contracts at this property so far?

Cardew

No obviously you are not liable for those bills.

Personally I would take the meter readings and ring NPower and Severn Trent(?) with the readings and explain that you have moved in today. Important follow that up in writing with copies of the correspondence addressed to 'the Occupier' back those companies.

Assuming PIB are a debt collecting agency, I would not correspond with them in any way at all.

You do have a contract with both companies. As soon as you move into a property and use gas, electricity or water you have entered into a legally binding 'deemed contract' with that company(you have no option with water anyway).

P.S.

I assume you have a USA keyboard as you are using $ instead of £.

kazd

You are not liable, call the companies involved tell them you have just moved in and give them an up to date reading.

ShadyAmigo

Thanks for your help guys, I assumed I didn't have to pay- it's just nice to have it confirmed by other people and to put my mind at rest.

PS I'm not using an american keyboard, i've got the beta version of win 7 and the pound sign is mapped to # at the moment
--fixed £

Fire_Fox

Do crack on with calling them - the next door flat had it's meter changed to a pre-pay whilst vacant due to non payment of (presumably) estimated bills. Once the guy was here to change the meter he did not give a fig that the flat was empty, just wanted access to the basement.

Premier_2

I'm a little confused why the demands were addressed simply to "the occupier" and not the named account holder

With regards changing to ebico, you won't get any cashback from them as they never give this type of bung. As a result, although the comparison sites are required to list them and their prices, they usually won't allow you to switch via them because they don't get any cut either.

You can switch quite easily using the ebico website, which they'll probably direct you to

anniecave

If the previous occupier moves out and tells the relevant suppliers that they've moved out and gives forwarding addresses etc

In this case the suppliers sometimes set up a new account from the following day and start billing addressed to the occupier. So if the property is empty for a little while then the bills for the "occupier" can mount up, especially on estimated gas/electric readings.

So when you contact them then they will close down the "occupier" accounts and set up new ones for the new person moving in. Unless the next person moving in has moved in very quickly after the previous person out, in which case the "occupier" debt is actually theirs anyway so they just change the occupier to the new person's name.

Definately make sure you take readings and give them to the suppliers when ringing up!

Sirbendy

indeed. The flat we're moving to has a lot of bills addressed to the estate agent, of all things..not even the one we're using. I'm assuming this is because they were given as a point of contact.

I've already called SE and said "moving in on the 13th, I'll contact you with readings - your bills are WAY off, the place has been unoccupied for 4 months..". The woman was quite happy.

Just let them know your readings, and put your feet up.

Vestra

When you ring up depending on the amount of debt, they may ask to see your tenancy agreement just to warn you.

ShadyAmigo

thanks again for all your replies. I phoned up npower today and the woman who answered was very helpful.

I havent managed to get a meter reading yet as they are located in a locked cupboard and I dont have the key! I'll speak to my neighbour tonight to try and get it all sorted.

Sirbendy

if it's one of the triangle key things, longnose pliers will get it.

Our new place has a cupboard on the side, with the door ripped off and held on by tape. I'm guessing someone lost the key..!