Help please? Landlord related!

fairyninja

Hi everyone,I need some advice as I'm not sure who to ask,or what to do! It's a long story,so please bare with me!

We rent a property,and at the back of it the landlord owns a shop. It's technically on another street,but in our garden. She currently runs her electricity off our metre. When Swalec called to read her metre they told her off for running a business on a domestic tariff,and said that a new metre in the shop would cost quite a bit. She rang round and Eon offered to fit a free metre for her,and leave our domestic account with Swalec. But...they then switched the house supply too,and when landlord asked they said that they'd decided to just switch the entire supply to a business tariff,and that she's chosen a 3 year deal so we were all locked in with them.

I'm not happy with this. First because I don't know whether a business tariff is more expensive or not. Secondly,because I can't see a way of correctly splitting bills. She leaves display lights and a heater on 24/7,but only gave us £40 towards the last quarter. According to Swalec,you use one unit every 4 hours,at 13.4p each...which works out as £30 a month for 24/7 use in the shop I think? I can't see how this can be accurately worked out while we share a metre.

Can anyone advise me? Is this legal?! And what can I do about it? Any help appreciated!

K

Premier_2

Was the account for energy originally in your name?

If so, contact your supplier (swalec) and tell them to get you back under the erroneous transfer customer charter.

If the account was always in the landlady's name, then the landlady is able to choose whatever supplier she wants ... and as she seems to have agreed to a 3 year business tariff with Eon, she's kinda stuck with it.

t0rt0ise

But then if the account is in the landlady's name then she should pay the bill and the OP should pay her something towards it so should renegotiate terms.

fairyninja

Thanks,yes,the original Swalec supply was in my name. So should I speak to them? I emailed the Consumer Focus people as told by Ofgem,but no reply!

dogshome

Hi fairyninja - So Eon now have your landlady's shop and your flat being supplied thro a single meter on a business contract.

PROBLEM No. 1 Business pemises pay 17.5% VAT, (soon to be 20% ), on their power bills, whereas you as a domestic customer pay 5%
PROBLEM No. 2 Business supply contacts are an absolute minefield, and unless your L/lady is really up to speed when dealing with them, which from your post I don't think she is, the costs during the contracted period can escalate beyond belief.

With the account haveing been originally in your name, Complain, Complain, Complain to Eon until they split the supply and give you your own meter

Premier_2

fairyninja wrote: »

Thanks,yes,the original Swalec supply was in my name. So should I speak to them? I emailed the Consumer Focus people as told by Ofgem,but no reply!

Yes. I would suggest speaking with Swalec

Whilst you can actualy complain to either supplier, human nature suggests that a supplier that is going to gain themselves by putting in a bit of effort (Swalec will get your custom returned) is more likely to do so than expecting a supplier to put in a bit of effort to ensure they don't receive any more money.