Dodgy EON bill received....

hells_2

...and they don't even supply our house!

Yesterday, in the post, arrived a bill from EON for the gas to our property. It was addressed to our landlord and we opened this in error.

Since we moved in the property some 4.5 months ago, we have always had our old supplier, Southern Electric, and had simply transferred over our old account with our landlord's consent, as there wasn't actually a supplier to the house previously (the house was unoccupied for 18 months as it was being renovated back from 2 flats into one dwelling)

I've telephone EON to tell them they are clearly making a mistake and they definitely don't supply the property. They tell me the 'account' was opened on 20 May (some 3 weeks after we moved in). I've told them it's highly unlikely their bill is going to be paid as a) they don't supply the property b) it's obvious they have accessed the meter cupboard which is in our porch (we have put a lock on it as well!) to obtain a dodgy meter reading and c) they really don't think our landlord is going to pay their bill when he doesn't live there, and doesn't supply the gas on our behalf!

I've sent the bill to our LA today to explain, and of course that it's nothing to do with us.

Just a warning... I've read about similar 'sharp practice' from other energy suppliers out there before! Don't be intimidated into paying a bill from anyone other than your usual supplier!

Vestra

It's not necessarily a sharp practice and the bill could be correct. There will be a previous supplier (and if E-on were the previous supplier the moment you used the gas you enter a deemed contract) unless the supply was disconnect and southern have put a new meter in which it doesn't sound like this has happened.

Check the meter number for your property, check the meter number on your gas bill from E-on and check the meter number for the bill from Southern Electric.

hells_2

EON weren't the previous supplier as I said in my original post.
The property was uninhabited for 18 months and in fact, there was no gas meter installed until 4 days before we moved in; the landlord had it removed so he wouldn't have to pay the standing charge on the gas while he was renovating the property. I don't know who installed the meter but can check I suppose, there will be a sticker on it.
I had given the meter barcode to my supplier in any case.
And the 'account' was opened, in my landlord's name, 3 weeks after we moved in.
We have it in writing that we will be using Southern for the supply.

Either way, I'm not paying 2 gas suppliers for one supply and I don't suppose anyone else will!

AndysDad

I didn't think it was allowed to put a lock on your meter box and even if it is ok then I think you raise suspicion about why its locked.

E.ON_Company_Representative

Hi hells,

I think Vestra is right, there could be a number of reasons for mix ups like this, I know bills out of the blue can be concerning but I’m sure this isn’t anything illegal, but a legitimate billing issue.

It’s important to establish what has happened and why, if you feel that E.ON have been unhelpful so far, use the complaints procedure on the reverse of the bill, or you can find it on the website.

As Vestra states, document your meter details and readings, the serial number is important. Does the meter serial number match that on the E.ON bill? Or is it different, if so are Southern Electric billing the correct serial number?

Are there any address discrepancies on either of the documents you’ve received from E.ON or Southern?

You can check the registered gas supplier for a property back contacting the National Grid on 0870 608 1524, they hold the records for almost every property in the UK.

The more information you put together the easier this complaint will be to investigate.

Again there are numerous issues and scenarios that may have occurred, a full investigation will be required, and using the complaints process would be the best place to go with a complex issue such as this.

Brian

Vestra

hells wrote: »

EON weren't the previous supplier as I said in my original post.
The property was uninhabited for 18 months and in fact, there was no gas meter installed until 4 days before we moved in; the landlord had it removed so he wouldn't have to pay the standing charge on the gas while he was renovating the property. I don't know who installed the meter but can check I suppose, there will be a sticker on it.
I had given the meter barcode to my supplier in any case.
And the 'account' was opened, in my landlord's name, 3 weeks after we moved in.
We have it in writing that we will be using Southern for the supply.

Either way, I'm not paying 2 gas suppliers for one supply and I don't suppose anyone else will!

Don't worry you will not have to pay two suppliers for the same gas but you may have to pay two supplier for different times as there may have been a period where Eon were supplying the gas before you moved in and it may also be that southern electric still have not taken over the gas (or even they may have taken over the wrong supply such as your neighbour!)

I would strongly advise checking your meter number, then checking the meter number's that Eon and Southern hold for your address. If the meter was installed before you moved in and Southern did not install this then there will be a previous supplier.

freesha

Although if your name is not on the bill, why will the OP have to pay it? The account is in the landlord's name.

hells_2

In answer to the above
a) there is a lock on our meter cupboard (not a padlock, just a bolt) because it is always flying open. Simples

b) I have now established, via the helpful people at Southern, that the meter was installed by Transco, but, their data collection is so far behind, that whichever gas company supplies the property, no data has been sent about the meter by Transco and they usually take up to 6 months to rectify this.

c) it's still unclear as to why EON have billed the house but they may, in the far and distant past have been a supplier to the house (although we've even had bills for £0.00 from British Gas addressed to "the occupier" who appear to have been the last supplier) and are billing thinking they are the supplier, when they're not, due to (b) above.

d) nobody will have to pay the bill, because Southern are the suppliers, and they get paid by me, by monthly DD, and the landlord does not supply utilities and so he's not liable for it, either. The bill appears to be for gas supplied for the last quarter, i.e. whilst we have been resident, and paying Southern for the supply in any case.

Sorted.