southern electric no bill for 2 years.

sandraroffey

help please. my son has moved into a flat and he moved into it in september last year. after he had been in the flat for only a week,in fact he was stillmoving in, he got a letter from scottish power, who were the electric providers, saying that they hadnt sent the address a bill for the previous 2 years (!) because of a misallignment on their records and there was a bill there for £1200.

he phoned immediately and told them he had just moved in and gave them a new reading and set up a new account.

they are now wanting lots of information about the previous tenant.

the previous tenant was a polish chap who disappeared back to poland owing the landlady a lot of money. no one has a forwarding address for him.

can they insist the landlady pays. or worse, my son??

Pink_fluff

Is it Scottish Power or Southern Electric - 2 totally seperate companies. They cannot make your son pay a bill that is not his.

*when he moved in, did he inform the supplier and give meter reads*

If he did, then i can't see why the supplier would be telling you or your son about the previous tenants billing situation.

Has your son not received a bill in his name yet?

sandraroffey

sorry, was rushing. its scottish power.

yes he gave meter readings and had a pre payment meter put in so he hasnt had any bills as yet.

the first letter that came, saying about not sending a bill for two years, was addressed to the occupier, as was the bill for £1200. this letter came during the week that my son was stillmoving in.

now they are trying to find the previous occupier who, as i said, has gone back to poland. my landlady is worried they will have her pay it. are they likely to do that??

there is a large polish community where he lives and debt collectors and bailiffs are continually trying to find polish people who have hopped back home leaving large bills and unpaid debts.

Pink_fluff

The landlady could contact Scottish Power and could advise them of the previous person's name. Then Scottish Power could attempt to trace the prev person. Your son will not have to pay for anything, he didn't live there when the bill was run up, so tell him not to worry. And if there is any discrepancy, or Scottish Power need to prove when old person left. etc. Then they would ask for a copy of tenancy agreement just to prove the dates that your son took over.

sandraroffey

all of thats easily proved. the landlady was particularly worried though. thanks for putting all of our minds at rest. xxxx