still waiting for a bill

ajm1984_2

I moved into a flat in Scotland back in feburary, and (amongst multiply problems) had diffculties establishing who supplied gas to the flat. Speaking to my neighbours (all of whom were with the same letting agent) , they advised no one paid for gas, because tjey didn't know who supplied them. Not wanting to be hit with a massive bill, I kept trying to figure out who supplied me gas. After multiple calls to my letting agent, lots of gas companies and even the gas board (who siad my flat didn't exist on their records!) I gave up!

But when I moved out of the flat this summer, the letting agent advised they had recieved a massive bill for the whole building, and I would have to contribute to this. But they didn't know what gas meters corresponded with what flat, and I had never been able to get accurate readings when moving in (as it took me four months to find where the buildings meters were kept!)

Anyway, I moved out months ago, and despite asking for a bill, I've still not been supplied with one. So I have two questions:
If I'm supplied with a bill, how do I know its a fair bill for my usage with only knowing meter readings fr my last 2 months in the flat?
And, is there a time limit that would mean if they don't supply me with a bill by a certain time I don't have to pay it?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Premier_2

ajm1984 wrote: »

...Anyway, I moved out months ago, and despite asking for a bill, I've still not been supplied with one. So I have two questions:
If I'm supplied with a bill, how do I know its a fair bill for my usage with only knowing meter readings fr my last 2 months in the flat?
And, is there a time limit that would mean if they don't supply me with a bill by a certain time I don't have to pay it?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Who were you asking for a bill if you didn't know who was supplying you with gas ... and you gave up trying to find out?

Now the agent has a bill, they will know who your supplier was, so call them. The supplier will send you a copy of the bill on request ... and you provide them with a current address.

The bill will have start and end meter readings on. You should compare these with the readings that you took when you enetered and left the rental property and ensured they were included and agreed on the inventorty/satement of condition reports.

Oh, you didn't bother doing that either?... oh well... how are you going to know if it's fair?

Time limits? 6 years in England and Wales, 5 in Scotland... but it sounds like a bill now exists :cool:

victor2

Don't know the legal situation, but as you have moved out and have presumably settled all other costs, I don't see how the landlord can chase you with a bill that may or may not be for the flat you rented. If you are presented with a bill, it has to be for the dates you were there and has to be for the meter to the flat you rented. As well as the readings for the last 2 months you were there, do you have the meter number? This should appear on the bill. If you don't know the meter number, can you still get access to the meter and find out what it is - it's probably printed on the meter and is like a serial number.

The landlord may already know he's got little chance of getting paid, but is trying it on anyway. Think you might need legal advice on that side though.

spiro

The landlord should be able to determine which meter relates to which flat by switvhing off the Emergency Control Value one by one and seeing which flats stops getting gas. The meters can then be clearly labelled. As a rented property the landlord should have recorded your meter reading when you moved in and when you moved out. If he did not do this it will be very hard for him to prove what you used and are therefore liable for.

Joyful

If the landlord has received a huge bill it will either be for only 1 meter or it will have the different meters on it. This supposes that either the property was originally one and split up and the new meters not registered or as a new build all the meters were left under the builders.

If you have 2 months of reads you could always ask the supplier to use this to give an approximate amount of gas that you may have used during the 6 months you stayed at the property.

The first thing I would do is ask for a copy of the bill.

ajm1984_2

Premier wrote: »

Oh, you didn't bother doing that either?... oh well... how are you going to know if it's fair?

Had you bothered reading this fully before jumping on your little soap box, you would have realised that 1 - it took us months to locate the meters as they were not in or near the building, 2 - there was no indication on these, once located, as to what flat they each corresponded to and 3 we had the most inept letting agent in the world! While I appreaciate your advice, I fail to see why it was necessary to serve it with an attitiude!!

Premier_2

ajm1984 wrote: »

...While I appreaciate your advice, I fail to see why it was necessary to serve it with an attitiude!!

Oh the irony!

It was you that decided to accept the property offered.
If you were not 100% happy with it or the LL/agent, walk away, there are plenty more out there to choose from.