gas/electric help

x_clarey_x

I frequently lurk on these forums, but havent yet posted anywhere, but I'm not sure what to do regarding this...

I moved into a rented house in December, and the letting agent sorted out the water and tv license, and I thought they were doing the gas and electric too, but I've just realised that they haven't, and I haven't been paying for any gas or electric since I moved in.

Now I'm not sure what to do, who to ring, which companies are the best or anything like that. Ive looked at a few places online to get an idea of costs and that, but noone can tell me anything unless I give them details of what I have been paying, something I can't do as my last house was prepayment electric and I didn't have any gas there.

Is it better to get gas and electric from the same company, or from differant ones? What sort of figure am I looking at paying for it? The only meter readings are the ones from 2 weeks before I moved in when the inventory was done, and I can't get new ones as they are in locked boxes in the garden, will that matter? And what will be done about the arrears im bound to have built up, will I have to pay them in one go or will they add them onto my bill?

Any help will be really appreciated

Tupperware_Queen

have a look on this website, find out who you are currently supplied by, you will need to pay them for what you have used so far, before you can think about moving

who supplies my energy?

ring them up and make sure you have current meter readings, and if possible get the readings from when you moved in, to make sure you get an accurate bill.

Tupperware_Queen

sorry, just reread your bit about not being able to read the meter - when you ring up to get the account set up in your name, ask them to send you a key - its usually a plastic thingy which they supply for you

Tupperware_Queen

oh, and since you will only just about be due a bill, if you stay with the current supplier and agree to DD, they will likely let you add the outstanding amount to your monthly DD costs.

x_clarey_x

thanks tupperware, ive just done that and found that both gas and electric are with british gas, so i guess its time to give them a ring

macman

You need to register with BG before you can start switching-since you are already in a deemed account with them.
You have a legal right to access your meters and read them, so enforce that right.
PS: your letting agent applied for a TV licence for you, but didn't bother about the gas and electric accounts-are you serious?
I suggest you check/sort out your own water/council tax reg etc-it's not an agent's job to do these things and they should never be trusted to do so anyway, since ultimately it's you who gets billed.

Tupperware_Queen

macman wrote: »

PS: your letting agent applied for a TV licence for you, but didn't bother about the gas and electric accounts-are you serious?
I suggest you check/sort out your own water/council tax reg etc-it's not an agent's job to do these things and they should never be trusted to do so anyway, since ultimately it's you who gets billed.

I thought that too Macman....sounded a bit odd.....I know some people who rent 'all in' but that is for everything, and to be fair, they are renting from a friend, so its probably different.