switching supplier but bill in my grandads name?

minnie123

Hi I moved into my Grandads bungalow in Dec as he has gone into a home. I rang e-on the elec & gas supplier and gave them meeting readings for the day I moved in and told them I was living here now.

I received a bill today for the period 18th December to 12th March (still in my grandads name) and it was for £682.75!!!! I am really shocked. Firstly I think my Grandad was on some rubbish tariff as it doesn't seem to name any particular plan name on the bill so I assume it's a standard crap one. I was with e-on at my old address stupid me assumed they would have just transferred my account to my new address but obviously not.

I want to change my supplier and have done a comparison through 3 diff websites and EDF Online Saver 6 is coming up as the cheapest on all of them.

Can I just go ahead with the switch even though the bill is still in my grandads name or do I need to ring E-on to tell them again that I now live here before I can switch.

I feel sick my old house was a small 2 bed semi and was cheap to run - this place is about 3 times the size and always cold no matter how long I heat it for - nightmare.

jd87

You will need to settle the account at your old place separately. Eon should have opened a new account at your new address in your name. Your grandad's account will be a completely separate thing and that will need to be settled separately. His final bill is probably high due to estimated meter readings in the past. Check with Eon that there is now a new account in your name at your new address, if that's all done then you should be able to go ahead and switch.

minnie123

I have already settled the account at my old house - when I rang E-on on the 15th December I gave them them meter readings for the Bungalow so we could settle my grandads last bill and I could take over from that date - they said they would transfer my account from my old house for me - but they obviously didn't. So the bill is accurate because it is taken from the meter reading I gave them when I moved in up to last week when someone came and read the meter!

Premier_2

The bill addressed to your grandad was sent to the supply property as your grandad presumably hasn't told the supplier his new address, he has moved out of the supply property and wants a final bill.

You'll need to contact the supplier and find out why they didn't close the account and set up a new one in your name as you requested. The supplier may want proof you are now responsible for the property e.g. a tenancy agreement or proof of purchase.

You won't normally be able to switch supplier until the account is in your name (assuming you don't have power of attorney over your grandads financial affairs)

kjsmith7

Premier wrote: »

You won't normally be able to switch supplier until the account is in your name (assuming you don't have power of attorney over your grandads financial affairs)

You'll also have to settle the balance.

E.ON_Company_Representative

Hi minnie123,

When you contacted us in December a new account should have been opened in your name. Just like if you were moving into any new property. If this was done correctly you should have received welcome letters addressed to you.

The bill you’ve received addressed to your Grandfather may well be the final bill for the last quarter up to the date you took over the property in December, did the bill say final on the front page?

The high final bill could be the result of a number of things, as jd87 says previous estimated bills for your grandfather is the most likely of these. Its worth calling us to see why the bill is high and to make sure its accurate.

If the new account has been set up in your name and the £682.75 is on your grandfather’s account, then transferring your supply shouldn’t be an issue.

Brian

minnie123

Cheers I rang E.ON and they said they had a record of me ringing and it was their mistake so they are going to send me a revised bill in my name and change it's so it's on the cheaper tariff I was on so the bill should be a lot cheaper.

Fire_Fox

Get the insulation sorted this year (loft and cavity wall are both fairly cheap) and probably the boiler/ central heating serviced too and you should be much warmer next winter.