prepay coin meter. landloard con. please help.

jettblack

I lived in a property for 4 yrs, 2yrs ago. I had a problem when i left, the landloard told me i owed £3,000 to EDF as i was the account holder. I wrote a letter to EDF supplying the following info:

I pay pound coins into coin meter.

The property concerned was divided into 2 flats, i only rented1.

I rang southern electric when i first moved in, and they took my details and changed the account into my name without my permission. I then rang them and asked them to change it back into my landloards name, giving them my lettings agent as a contact. The bills were then sent to my agent, and they came and emptyed the meter, i had no knowledge that my name was still on the account.

The landloard told me he had known all of this (the agent had informed him) and had let it stay in my name as i would then be responsible.

I imagined after telling EDF this, that the matter was resolved,but last month i was sent a letter from roxburgh debt collection agency, stating that i had 72hrs to pay EDF. i have written them all this info, but they rang me and left a message telling me to ring them urgently,a nd when i did asked me for the money again.I have told them i wouldnt pay,and that the matter would have to be settled in court(where the landloard/agent can be forced to give evidence).


Does anyone know what the legal position/precedent is in the case of a pre pay meter, and an outstanding electricity account? and if i can be held liable?? even for half of the money, as i am thinking i may need to get some legal help.

thanks.

dogshome

Hi jettblack - If the your post is correct in all details, unknown to you EDF had you registered as the customer for a main meter that supplied 2 Flats, whilst at the same time you were feeding a Landlord installed coin-operated sub-meter to pay for the power you consumed in your flat

The big question is, why with a Landlords coin operated meter in your flat did you register with South. Elec as a customer when you moved in - were you told to do so by the landlord or Agent?

Basically, this problem would appear to have been caused by what is possibly a fraudulant operation by the landlord, the Agent, or both acting in collusion, but although you have been left holding the baby, it has nothing to do with EDF and what makes matters worse is that you will not have reciepts for money fed into a coin meter.

There is one chink of light on the horizon - At sometime during your tenancy, the supplier was Switched from South Elec to EDF, and if you did not do it, someone else did.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME with Emails or the Phone. WRITE to EDF setting out the history and demand copies of all the bills they issued from the time they took over, and copies of all the documentation relating to the Switch from South Elec. to them - Someone would have had to sign for this

If EDF are at fault it will only be in a minor capacity, and the major problem is with your Landlord/Agent - so go to your Citizens Advice Bureau.

spiro

The main issue you have is that by contacting Southern they put the account into your name as the tenant. The only person that could then change it to the landlords name would be the landlord which he obviously did not do.

Now as you were the registered customer and you did not pay the bills it will be you they go after in court. It will then be up to you to take the landlord/agent to court for the money they took from the meter. At this point this is a civil not criminal matter so I am not sure anyone can be forced to appear in court.