SP new tenant info demand

davey001

We are moving and so mum rang Scottish Power to get the number for letting them know the final meter readings.

The first lady was fine and wanted to pass mum over to another operator.

That one stated (and wouldn't back down) that scottish power required the name and address of either the landlord or the new tenants details otherwise 'we won't be able to send you the final bill'.

Mum wasn't about to hand over details of third parties that have no connection with the service SP provide and so said no, she wouldn't be giving out that info. The operator tried firmly many times to get mum to divulge the new tenants name etc as it was 'scottish power policy' but mum refused to give that info and said if they want to get paid they had better send the bill. Then she hung up on them.

Surely asking for details of third parties in such a way is asking mum to break the data protection act or at the very least is an improper request?

Scottish_Power

Hi Davey,

Our agent you spoke to was correct, however perhaps they could have explained things more clearly or more pleasantly for you.

In order to prevent a property going unbilled for long periods of time we require the details of whoever takes responsibility for the place after your mother moves out.

Your mother will have either given the keys back to the landlord, or passed these on to the new tennant if she was renting the property. Alternatively she will have given the keys to the person she has sold the property to if it was privately owned.

As ScottishPower already supplies electricity or gas to the property the landlord/new tennant/new owner will enter into a deemed contract of supply with us and we need their details in order to ensure the bills go to the right place.

I'd therefore recommend she contacts us without further delay to ensure her final bill is issued asap.

I hope this helps

Craig @ ScottishPower

Vestra

Craig is correct and this applies for all suppliers, it is to stop you phoning up at any time to say you are moving out and then you get free electric. If you don't give them the details they will continue to bill your mum after she left the property.

DVardysShadow

Vestra wrote: »

Craig is correct and this applies for all suppliers, it is to stop you phoning up at any time to say you are moving out and then you get free electric. If you don't give them the details they will continue to bill your mum after she left the property.

So is this a matter of law or a matter of company policy.

As far as I can see, if you have come to the end of a tenancy and you provide a reading, you are taking responsibility to that point. If SP won't provide a final bill, it is their problem. All that would ever stand up is a bill to the final reading. Even if they bill after she has left the property, they have no right or basis in law.

As for proving anything, I suppose that the tenant could be expected to demonstrate the end of the tenancy somehow [different from the issue of proving that they are not the previous tenant at the outset in another thread], but many times, it is difficult to prove the end of a tenancy

Vestra

DVardysShadow wrote: »

So is this a matter of law or a matter of company policy.

As far as I can see, if you have come to the end of a tenancy and you provide a reading, you are taking responsibility to that point. If SP won't provide a final bill, it is their problem. All that would ever stand up is a bill to the final reading. Even if they bill after she has left the property, they have no right or basis in law.

As for proving anything, I suppose that the tenant could be expected to demonstrate the end of the tenancy somehow [different from the issue of proving that they are not the previous tenant at the outset in another thread], but many times, it is difficult to prove the end of a tenancy

Most likely company policy and may be in the t&c's. If they don't provide the information required the company just won't close the account and it will just cause more hassle for the consumer, doesn't take to long to say who they keys are being handed over to as everyone who is moving out will know this.