Gas Arrears, can you still move home???

sonic25

Ive got arrears with gas, elec and water, which im paying off slowly but surely. i live in a rented flat and want to move in a couple of months, can i move and keep paying my arrears??? im scared im gunna be stuck??? any help would be great

maddipops

Yep you can move, of course you can! you will have to take your old supplier with you if you want the most flexible repayment scheme on your debt though. Otherwise they will likely demand Payment in full or spread over 3-4 months. where as if you take supplier with you, they are normally happy to spread o/s balance over 12 months.

sonic25

thanks!! i just thought i would tell them im moving and they would say i have to pay all at once. i need to move to make outgoings cheaper!

maddipops

they will expect payment in full, so at the time of calling them to home move you will have to ask for payment plan, which will be much more flexible if you're prepared to transfer to them at new address.

sonic25

well im already in payment plans to pay off what i owe plus ongoing usage, i would be more than happy to keep same suppliers at new flat if it means i can carry on paying in bits! are you defo sure they will let me do it??? ta

undaunted

When you move to a new property it will have a supplier, this will not necessarily be the one you use now. You do not have to use the same supplier & arguably would be better off not doing so (they can't fit a pre payment meter or cut you off even if they wanted to for a property they don't supply!)

You will of course need to pay off your old supplier but they can't force you to pay them immediately if you don't have the money. They are supposed to consider affordability & there is no reason you should not be able to continue with the arrangements you already have in place as far as I can see.

maddipops

I agree with undaunted, however I was suggesting you will get more flexibility and better terms if you take your old supplier with you to the new address. They will accept payment by instalments, however I work for an energy company and once an account is closed they will setup a payment plan for a few months, but if the customer cant agree to clear o/s balance within 6 months we would often refer it to a debt recovery agency to collect the debt on a closed account if we cant recoup our balance fairly quickly.

if the OP is happy to pay by DD at the new property the company that I work for in particular are happy to spread the debt to 12 months, sometimes beyond, depending on circumstances.

But yes you run the risk of giving your supplier more power to enforce a PPM if you fail to keep up with the payment plan.