large bill for empty property (EON)

shaggy

Hi all

Property has been empty since November. Today I got a bill for £142.55 from EON for the electricity. I checked with them the meter readings and only 90 odd units have been used up since November to now. Their explanation for the high bill is 'because i am not in a contract, the standing charge is quite high, so the standing charge alone makes around £90 - £100 of the bill'

To cut the standing charge down, apparently they want me to sign on to a 12 month contract (but they will not backdate the bill). This is all news to me, as an empty property should have a bill lot less than this.

Also, it was not my decision to use EON as the electricityt supplier for this property - i simply inherited it from the previous tenant. I tried arguing with them about this but they arent having any of it.

Do i just put my hands up and pay the bill or is there any way I can fight it?

KimYeovil

If you are using a property in an unusual fashion then, yes, it is your responsibility to choose an appropriate tariff. Domestic tariffs are designed for households that are using domestic quantities of energy. There are lower and upper bounds in the small print. There are compromises in place so that low users do not have too high standing charge components - but that does not apply to nearly-zero consumption. And, unfortunately, E-on are notorious for their very high standing charge component.

And new deemed contracts always default to the most expensive standard contracts - it is up to you to be proactive and choose something more suitable.

shaggy

looks like i'll have to hold my hands up and pay this bill, and move to another supplier. Idiots.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi shaggy

Is this a business account? It certainly sounds like it.

Most of our non-prepayment domestic tariffs don't have Standing Charges or fixed term contracts. However, business accounts do.

I am not an expert on business accounts :sad: but I have done a bit of research and can advise a few points.

Given the usage info posted you will be classed as a small user (customers using under 20,000 kWh per year).

For small users there is a choice of tariff. A Fixed Term Contract or a No Tie In tariff.

Fixed Term Contracts agree a price for electricity and guarantee this will not change for the period of the contract. Businesses on these arrangements are tied in for the length of the contract. Normally between one and three years.

No Tie In tariffs are not protected against price increases but customers can leave whenever they wish.

When responsibility for a property changes the existing energy supplier continues to provide energy. This is under the deemed contract arrangement that applies throughout the industry.

From your post I would guess you are on a No Tie In arrangement. This will have a daily standing charge which applies whether electricity is being used or not.

When you took over responsibility for the property did you contact us to tell us and discuss the options available with our business teams?

If not, your account will automatically have been put on the No Tie In tariff.

Hope this helps sheds a bit of light on your bill.

Malc

Fire_Fox

shaggy wrote: »

looks like i'll have to hold my hands up and pay this bill, and move to another supplier. Idiots.

Why are Eon idiots? You have been placed on a deemed contract on the standard tariff, the way that every energy company works with a new supply. You should have received a 'welcome' letter - you are the one who knew the property was empty.