Eon billing dispute

buttercup_2

I purchased a property for rental end of August 2011. Small amount of refurb and property was tenanted first week of Feb. Early May, I received a bill for £140. I assumed this was the tenant pulling a fast one and took the bill down to the property management company who had set up the tenancy. They phoned Eon telling them bill was incorrect as property had been empty prior to Feb. I then get yet another bill for same amount

The bills are quite incomprehensible eg

Account balance from your previous bill on 30 Mar 2012 £230.07 (Never seen any bill from March)
18 Apr 12 Transfer - Customer Request £467.59 (which customer was that then coz it sure wasn't me)

Various credits and adjustments which don't make any sense.

Total electricity charges to 5 Feb 12 - £20.53
Total gas charges to 5 Feb 12 - £28.01

which suggests a total of £48.54. Even with VAT I can't make it up to £140.38.

And the property was empty! Once again, PMC contacted them to tell them it wasn't possible. The response - a threatening letter from UDS. It states Eon was not contacted about the account so I face Impending Court Action.

PMC again contacted Eon and I get another letter from UDS threatening personal visits to my home with additional costs.

I have never been to court in my life but wonder if it would be simpler to let a County Court sort it out. The stress is making me quite ill.

jalexa

buttercup wrote: »

I purchased a property for rental end of August 2011. Small amount of refurb and property was tenanted first week of Feb.

I can't make out exactly what is going on but in arguing your case you need to understand one thing. Whether the property was empty or not is not that relevant! You are liable by virtue of a deemed contact from August 2011 until the earlier of Feb 2012 or the date (if any) that the PMC became responsible under the agreement to let.

Accurate billing does depend on each liable party ensuring that account opening and closing reads are provided. It is not clear that liable parties have taken such action which really complicates the outcome.

You mention "dispute". You need to ensure that a formal complaint is raised which should stay the debt recovery action. You are however bound to pay any undisputed amounts.

Beware the conduct of the PMC here. They are either liable or they are not. If they accept liability they are not making that clear enough to E.ON.

buttercup_2

I understand that I would be liable for anything used but don't understand how power could be used to that extent in an empty property. The same builders who did that refurb have done two previously and one since without running up a bill. Similar works - remove and refit kitchen, decorate and carpet. In fact, more extensive work was carried out on the firat and last properties and still no bill.

Secondly the bill is gobbledegook. If total elec and total gas were as stated in the bill up to the tenancy start date, how the blazes do they reach a total of £140.

Terrylw1

To understand this with the dates, you need to post reading data really. If its been empty, are they estimates or actual, is the opening reading a lot lower causing a large advance in the 1st bill, but then its lower advances from there (which suggests a "skew", possibly its an opening reading estimation or missing tenant debt issue), etc.

The debt transfer is also a worry. You need to ask what account number that has come from. Someone has asked for that or the supplier found its your debt and transferred it to the current account so you can pay it with your current bills.

Currently, this doesn't stack up...which suggests possible issues with account dates, names and readings.

buttercup_2

The first bill I received is dated 27 April and commences with
Total to pay on your last bill on 30 Mar 2012 £230.07
Payments and adjustments £522.59
(£55.00 Adjustment 6 Apr, £467.59 Transfer Customer request 18 Apr 2012.

Then there are a whole bunch of cr entries before getting to
Electricity revised
Up to 13 Sep 11
9 kWh @22.85 = £2.06
After price change on 13 Sep 11
75 kWh @24.62 = £18.47

Gas revised up to 5 Feb 12
343 kWh @8.165 =£28.01

The closing readings they are using were taken on 3 Feb. I can't find my original readings at the moment but using their figures I can't see where they get their total. All the fuel they claim was used up to the tenant moving in totals less than £50.

I have no previous debt with them; I have never resided at that address; I have been at my current address for over 15 years, have a different energy provider and no debt with them either.

Eon say they have had no response so UDS take over but apart from the phonecalls, I have copies of email communications between the Property Management Company and EOn regarding the account. In fact, one from Eon dated 18 June (in response to one sent 22 May) begins with 'Firstly I'd like to apologise as I don't know why I haven't got back to your previous email' Perhaps he was too busy telling UDS we weren't replying and passing over to them.

dogshome

Forget useing the Managing Agents as an intermedery - It is your name that is on the bills and it's you Eon are claiming money from.

WRITE to Eon setting the out refurbishment/tenant billing history dates, and it's vital that you quote that meter reading on Feb 3, the meter reading on the date you took over the property, and the reading when the first tenants moved in

jalexa

buttercup wrote: »

wonder if it would be simpler to let a County Court sort it out.

Where do you think you are going to get legal advice capable of lucidly explaining all this to a possibly doddery judge all for £140?

The meters, unless successfully challenged for inaccuracy (and I'm not suggesting there are grounds for that) are proof positive of consumption. There are easy legal documents to prove the house purchase and a tenancy agreement to prove the let. In between these dates you are liable.

This is meant to be helpful but my advice is instead of a gut feeling that "the £140 is wrong because the property was empty", start thinking it just may be right. Or demonstrate your figure from the documentation.

Anyway you are bound to pay on account the undisputed element of the £140. And given this is a "business" I cannot exclude being prepared to settle as sensible advice if you cannot prove or understand the relevant readings.

buttercup_2

The £140 is disputed. Theirown figures show consumption totalling less than £50. Where does the rest come from?

DVardysShadow

buttercup wrote: »

The £140 is disputed. Theirown figures show consumption totalling less than £50. Where does the rest come from?

This is quite simple. What is the start reading and date which you believe should apply for when you came into ownership and what is the reading and the date used by the supplier? And similarly for the end readings when the tenant moved in.

Essentially, you must resolve this down to a dispute over simple facts and show that the supplier is wrong in theirs. I have to say that your explanation of the problem is so wishy washy that you will almost certainly lose in court unless you up your game considerably in terms of explaining.

buttercup_2

Thank you to those trying to advise me. I emailed Eon, 4th July, with Subject - complaint regarding disputed bill Ac No .....

Same day received reply that my email had been forwarded and heard nothing since. Is this normal? I expected a swifter response.

Looksguywalker

buttercup wrote: »

Thank you to those trying to advise me. I emailed Eon, 4th July, with Subject - complaint regarding disputed bill Ac No .....

Same day received reply that my email had been forwarded and heard nothing since. Is this normal? I expected a swifter response.

It's less than a week...give them a chance!