Bills addressed to "The Occupier"

jade4939

This may be me being paranoid but I sublet a room in an apartment and my flatmate is trying to get me to pay a bill that is just addressed to "The Occupier". It is from Eon. Surely, the bill should be addressed to her if it is legitimate as she would have an account with them?

She is having money troubles so wondering if she is trying to just get money out of me. Can anyone shed any light?

Thanks in advance for your help.

HappyMJ

Your debt is with the lead tenant not the supplier. She is basing the debt on the energy used but she doesn't have to pay it straight away if she doesn't want to. She could pocket the money herself and eventually get the bill and the backdated charges into her own name then let it go further such as debt collection or collection via prepayment meter but you have to pay her whether she forwards that money on immediately or not. I would be phoning E-on myself to make sure I would never be held responsible for the bill and notifying them who will be responsible for paying the bill.

E.ON_Company_Representative

Hi jade4939,

When a letter or bill is sent in the name of "The Occupier", this means Eon does not know the occupiers names.

What your friend needs to do, is call us to set up an account.

We will need to know, when you moved in, and the start meter reading.
If you don't have the start meter readings, your Landlord should have them.

Then we can open an account in the correct details.

I hope this puts your mind at rest.

Amy:)

jade4939

Well, thats what I am worried about. That she will pocket it herself and then not pay it and then when an even larger bill comes, she will make me pay half of that which would me paying more than I should.

Thanks for your help.

jade4939

Thanks Amy. She claims she has just paid it, is there a way I can find out if she has or not?

Cardew

As soon as anyone occupies a property and uses any gas and electricity they are on a legally binding 'deemed contract' (the is stipulated in the Gas & Elecricity Acts)

Unless told by the Occupier the Utility company have no idea when the property is occupied or who is to be the Account Holder. Therefore they send correspondence(including bills) addressed to 'The Occupier' and that is perfectly legal. Many people don't bother notifying the Utility compay and just carry on paying the bills - but that is a bad idea.

The danger for you paying the bill is that they will find out your name and you will become the account holder and responsible for any problems/debts that occur. Even if you give her the money for the bill you want to ensure that you are not connected with any bills for the property. If there are future problems with gas/electricity/water/telephone/council tax and they don't have a name for the account holder, they will chase any known occupants, even after you have moved, for the money and that could be you!!!

So whilst the bill to the Occupier is no doubt genuine, I wouldn't pay it - and be wary about the whole question of Utility bills.



So

Cardew

jade4939 wrote: »

Thanks Amy. She claims she has just paid it, is there a way I can find out if she has or not?

Eon will not discuss bills with anyone but the account holder. Get your flatmate to register on-line and then you can check the account with her.

jade4939

Thanks Cardew.

jade4939

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Amy wrote: »

Hi jade4939,



We will need to know, when you moved in, and the start meter reading.
If you don't have the start meter readings, your Landlord should have them.

Do eon rely on us to give meter readings then? Im sorry, I dont really know much about this. Just wondering as we have a bill for a set amount.

Well apparantly she has paid it and I asked her if eon asked when we moved and for meter readings and her response was vague and said she had contacted them. I dont understand how she could have paid the bill but not given any information to them as Eon have just said above!!