Who has to pay for the gas and electricity that I didn't use?

rummy

I just moved into a new flat for the first time and there is a meter in there which I think is pay and go system. (I opened the previous tenants BG bill :o and it said something about an annual pre-pay and that the amount will be debited automatically so nothing to worry about even though there is no gas electricity connection).

When I moved in a month ago, I checked the meter and it read approximately £25 in debt. I left it like that as I wasn't living there and my flat needs fixing and since I wouldn't do that until now (needed to save the money to decorate), I wasn't too fussed at having any sort of gas/electricity connection since I wouldn't be making use of it and thought I'd set it up this month when I actually move in and will need the electricity/gas.

I've come back a month later (it's been empty all this time, there is no gas/electricity connection) so I can now properly move my stuff in and live there only to find this meter reading has changed and now says £40 on it. :eek:

I have absolutely no idea how the meter reading changed when it has been empty for well over four months and has no connection of any kind (I got the keys a month ago but I viewed it three months before that when it was empty and it was having work done on it by the landlord hence I didn't move in straight away).

I was just wondering if anyone knew or had any experience as to how this meter reading changed when there is no gas/electricity connection and also if I will be expected to pay for this even though there is no connection and so in effect I've not used anything?

I contacted British Gas who supplied the previous tenant but am yet to hear back from them.

notbritishgas

It could be the previous tenant was on a tariff that had a daily standing charge, so that has been building up since they left.

You should have contacted BG when you took possession to set up your account with them. Even so if you had done that then the daily standing charge would still apply.

It is important that you give them the start date of your tenancy and the meter reading and ensure that the previous tenants debt is written off.

Edit, just thought does the standing charge move the meter reading, perhaps not, all it does is reduce the credit or add more debt? so what I have said could be a load of nonsense.

macman

Almost certainly standing charges, which you are resoonsible for from the date of your tenancy commencing. You are supposed to register and obtain your own key/card when taking over the occupancy of a property with a PPM..
You do have a gas or electricity connection (which meter is it?), you just haven't used it yet.

hamsmith

Not just standing charges. But if they previous tenant was previously on a credit meter and struggled to pay the bills. Then they can have a pre-pay meter put in( voluntarily or compulsory) and the weekly arranged repayments comes off the credit loaded into the meter. Best you let them know so they can send a new card in your name and ensure you are only paying what you owe.

DVardysShadow

You may find yourself stuck with some of the debt. When you moved in, you should have contacted the supplier and given readings [of consumption, not ££££] and started a new account. having left it for some time, you are ina very weak position to claim that some of the consumption registered by the meter is not yours.

rummy

Thanks so much for your help, really grateful.

I know now I should have done it (parent's scolded me already) but at that point, I thought that if there is no electricity/gas being used then I wouldn't have to pay for anything.

I assumed this as I thought it works like mobile phone bills where you start paying when you join up and then pay a monthly flat fee plus anything you use. I take care of my parents gas/electricity bill (although they set it up before I was born) and it's always just been a case telling us what we used and then I paid for it.

Just out of curiosity - how can I be using any gas/electricity in my property? Sorry if it sounds stupid but I don't understand these prepay systems. If I switch my lights on, nothing comes on and my landlord told me I'd have to call an engineer to set up my hot water but can only do that when I set up an account with gas. I don't have a cooker yet and my flat is in a highrise building that I've not needed to put any central heating on (plus I have no idea how to use the systems in my house anyway).

Also, in relation to the other persons account - if they cancelled their connection then shouldn't the meter have stayed still and just sat at the amount it was on? Why would the meter increase in ££ and there be a daily standing charge as British Gas should know that nobody is living there and therefore even if a new tenant moves in, they could go with absolutely any new energy supplier?

@macman - how do I know what meter it is? It just says London Electricity on the meter. I only think it's with BG as I opened a letter from BG that belonged to the previous tenant and it looked like some annual statement.

Man_Overboard_2

rummy wrote: »

I contacted British Gas who supplied the previous tenant but am yet to hear back from them.

I think you should continue to speak directly with British Gas, but keep detailed records of meter readings etc.

You might be pleasantly surprised by British Gas's eventual response!

TIMMY85

If you have to pay a daily standing charge then you would incur a bill each day whether you use any energy or not. This may not seem fair but it is likely that all suppliers will be reverting back to this way of charging rather than having multiple tier charges.

It is completely possible to use some energy without realising as the supply is not dis-connected at a change of tenancy although on a PPM this will be minimal until any credit runs out.

While BG may have been told that the previous tenant has moved out you inherit the incumbent supplier. BG's computers are not told that no energy is used and if on a daily standing charge tariff this would not prevent a new tenant/landlord having to pay this.

If the change on the meter is for standing charges only then this can be adjusted if the dates are wrong (eg you took over responsibility 3 weeks after the previous tenant moved out then you are only liable after this date).