SWALEC tried to bill me for a property I don't live in.

kitrat

I'm asking mainly out of curiosity as I believe the situation to be resolved now.

I live in one of 5 flats in a converted house. I, and I believe every other set of tenants in the other flats, have gas and elec accounts with SWALEC.

There is a flat in the building which is unoccupied and has been for about 2 years. Several months ago I received a letter from SWALEC threatening bailiffs if I didn't pay the ~£200 outstanding bill for this unoccupied flat (I assume they didn't know it was unoccupied and has been charging some sort of base rate). They had assigned my name and my partners name (we live together) to a new account number at this unoccupied flats address. I also believe that every other tenant in this building may have also recieved the same letter and been signed up to this new account though I'm not 100% sure on that.

I personally believe they knew full well none of us live there and are not responsible for the bill (as they know we all pay bills at other addresses) and were just trying to scare anyone into paying.

My question is were SWALEC allowed to set up accounts in our names assigned to addresses they know we don't live at? The problem was resolved when I phoned up and was told it wouldnt affect my credit rating as it wasn't my address but the lady who I spoke to seemed so ready with this response it seemed like they do this as standard. Also when I accused them of making this 'mistake' knowingly she didn't deny it and just told me how it wouldn't affect my credit rating which again just makes me feel it happens all the time.

I'm guessing it's probably completely legal but it doesn't mean I wasn't totally p****d off.

MK55

They won't know you live there unless someone tells them. They record names from landlord / letting agents / previous tenants and will apply ur name to the account from this info.

kitrat

What I don't understand is that none of that info would lead them to believe that I live at that address, because I don't and nor does anyone else who was sent that bill, it's not information which could have been obtained from anywhere because it's false.

Terrylw1

So, it could mean the liable person gave your name under false pretences to get them off your back.

In a dispute over tenancy, its about proving who is there based on tenancy agreements, council tax other utility bills, voting, address/name tracing sources, etc.

Who is responsible? Someone always owns it and is the named bill payer until it changes even if its vacant. If they don't know its vacant they will charge estimates but after a few readings showing no movement, they will follow the industry vacant sites process to prevent further billing until further proof of consumption is detected.

dogshome

Something is awry - When a rental is untenanted the Utility Bills are the responsibility of the Landlord or Management company, and even with no power or gas being consumed, there are Service Charges.

With 5 individually metered flats in one house there will be lighting over stairs & hallways - Are these seperately metered and billed to tenants in the rent, or is this a case of them being hooked up to just one of the flats, which happens to be empty ?

kitrat

dogshome wrote: »

Something is awry - When a rental is untenanted the Utility Bills are the responsibility of the Landlord or Management company, and even with no power or gas being consumed, there are Service Charges.

With 5 individually metered flats in one house there will be lighting over stairs & hallways - Are these seperately metered and billed to tenants in the rent, or is this a case of them being hooked up to just one of the flats, which happens to be empty ?

I'm not sure, I'd always assumed the hallway lighting was separately metered but I've not checked, I guess it could be split. I assumed the bill was just an accumulation of service charges over the years.

Obviously the landlord is responsible, I told SWALEC it was unoccupied but they didn't seem particularly interested, perhaps happy to pursue all the other names that they assigned to this account first?

Just have no clue why they'd apply my name to this flat when they know perfectly well I don't live there.

dogshome

With SWALEC approaching every tenant in the building, it certainly looks as though they are a fishing expedition looking for someone liable for the unpaid bills on the empty flat

However getting a bill from Swalec, and then just accepting an assurance in a phone conversation with their Customer Service Desk that is was billed to you in error, is no guarantee the problem has gone away

I know it's a pain in the b*tt, but you really must WRITE to Swalec confirming
your responsibility for just your own meter - Quote it's number - and giving them the Name & Address of the buildings Landlord and/or Manageing Agents - and keep a copy safely on file

jalexa

kitrat wrote: »

when they know perfectly well I don't live there.

Based on they "know you live somewhere else" is wrong headed thinking because the issue is not where somebody lives but the ownership, tenancy or management liability.

So the answer you should require of SWALEC under pain of Complaint is why they think you are liable and what proof they had to support that assertion. Your residency is irrelevant.