Still paying for gas + electricity after moving out (forgotten direct debit)

Humphrey10

Person A moves out of a house, but forgets in all the hassle of moving house & job & relationship issues to cancel the direct debit to the utility company. Person B moves into the house, does not know which company supplies house, waits for new customer letter which never comes due to person A paying.

How does person A get their money back? Does person B owe them the money, or does the utility company owe them? How long does person B have to pay for the energy they used?

DVardysShadow

Person B owes the utility. The utility owes person A.

Person B should take the initiative and establish who the supplier is.

jalexa

Humphrey10 wrote: »

How does person A get their money back? Does person B owe them the money, or does the utility company owe them?

The fact that the Direct Debit is still active is irrelevant. Person A needs to give (2 days) notice of a house move and provide a closing reading. Until that is done person A continues to be liable until the production of person A's final account. That may indicate either a credit or a debit balance.

anniecave

2 days notice would be difficult if they've already moved out.

In this instance person A needs to contact the supplier and explain the situation. The supplier is probably within their right to ask for evidence that they moved out, unless person B also contacts the supplier and offers to take over the supply from the date A moved out.

macman

Does person B imagine that the supplier has some sort of magic 'new occupant detector'?

jalexa

anniecave wrote: »

2 days notice would be difficult if they've already moved out.

I was aware of that. The reference was to what should have happened (and that until the supplier is informed, person A remains liable).

You are right that evidence may be requested.

Humphrey10

What happens in these circumstances:
1. Person A says to the utility company 'hey I moved out on X date, give me my money back', but person B says 'oh I just moved in today, I'll only pay from now on'? Presumably the utility company could ask the estate agent or landlord for proof of when person B moved in, then person B would be liable from that date?
2. Person B says to the utility company 'hey I moved in on X date, I owe you money', and person A is uncontainable / won't talk to the utility company.
3. A third party, maybe the landlord, contacts the utility company and says 'person A moved out on X date, person B moved in on Y date'.
4. No-one contacts the utility company

macman

It's not for the utility company to 'ask' anything. It's up to person A to prove their date of exit and request an adjusted final billing.
Person B wil similarly need to prove their entry date in order to get an accurate bill.

Terrylw1

Humphrey10 wrote: »

What happens in these circumstances:
1. Person A says to the utility company 'hey I moved out on X date, give me my money back', but person B says 'oh I just moved in today, I'll only pay from now on'? Presumably the utility company could ask the estate agent or landlord for proof of when person B moved in, then person B would be liable from that date?
2. Person B says to the utility company 'hey I moved in on X date, I owe you money', and person A is uncontainable / won't talk to the utility company.
3. A third party, maybe the landlord, contacts the utility company and says 'person A moved out on X date, person B moved in on Y date'.
4. No-one contacts the utility company

1. They won't ask the landlord unless they are chasing disputed debts and need clarification because the tenants are not helping. If there is a dispute thy will ask for proof, which is th tenancy agreement and anything showing you have left from your landlord. That gets your account resolved and they will pay back your funds normally to your bank account. If they know of person B, they will set them up for the next day after your correct closing date so the are liable and await a dispute and proofs from person B.
2. If person B is accepting liability for an account, they will raise a new account to his/her reading or estimate if not. The person account gets closed to this reading as well which can mean overcharging if there was a gap and the landlord used any. Gaps should be in the landlord name.
3. They will ask for proof since it won't be in the landlords name and anyone could be ringing up. Agencies know well how this works and just write in.
4. They just keep billing who they have an account for until they receive information to change it.