Utilities charged for a property I don't live in!

ard_2_da_bone

Hi guys & girls

I woould like some advice and wondered if any of you lovely people can help.

My partner moved out of a house in Nov '12, contacted the utilities company Dec '12 to be removed from bill. She saw a bank statement recently that showed the utilities company removed bills for December and January even though she had paid all up and should have been no longer linked to the house or account. The account is linked with a current tenant, but the utilities company are refusing to reimburse her money and say they can not as they can not retrive the money from the occupier even though she has not had anything to do with the account or house.

What is her legal stand point, I think she is within her right to be reimbursed and the company should chase the current tenant but the utilities company says they will not reimburse her even thought they have removed her from the account.

Anyone know of her legal stand point with the utilities company?

Kind regards

Wywth

ard_2_da_bone wrote: »

Hi guys & girls

I woould like some advice and wondered if any of you lovely people can help.

My partner moved out of a house in Nov '12, contacted the utilities company Dec '12 to be removed from bill. She saw a bank statement recently that showed the utilities company removed bills for December and January even though she had paid all up and should have been no longer linked to the house or account. The account is linked with a current tenant, but the utilities company are refusing to reimburse her money and say they can not as they can not retrive the money from the occupier even though she has not had anything to do with the account or house.

What is her legal stand point, I think she is within her right to be reimbursed and the company should chase the current tenant but the utilities company says they will not reimburse her even thought they have removed her from the account.

Anyone know of her legal stand point with the utilities company?

Kind regards

Based on what you say, it sounds like the utility company owe your partner a refund.

How did the utility company obtain your partner's money?

Cardew

Did she contact them in writing?(email/snail mail). Did she give a final meter reading?

By 'the utilities company removed bills for December and January' do you mean they took direct debits from her account?

If so contact the bank and get those refunded under the Direct Debit guarantee.

Then she can sort out the matter with the Utility company.

Meadows

Did you give a final reading to the utility company/s on exit, they do not charge you beyond the final reading if you inform them.

If you only said we are no longer at the property how do they know who is there and who is not.
Also you should have cancelled you DD and paid the final bill sent to your new address by cheque or payment over the phone.

wealdroam

Oh dear, there is a duplicate thread on the Consumer Rights board...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4447077

ard_2_da_bone

The company confirmed by phone and not writing, would the DD guarantee still stand?

What exactly is a Direct Debit guarantee?

Meadows

wealdroam wrote: »

Oh dear, there is a duplicate thread on the Consumer Rights board...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4447077

Well if at first you don't succeed post, post, post elsewhere

wealdroam

ard_2_da_bone wrote: »

What exactly is a Direct Debit guarantee?

Click here

macman

ard_2_da_bone wrote: »

The company confirmed by phone and not writing, would the DD guarantee still stand?

What exactly is a Direct Debit guarantee?

Did she not cancel the DD's once the 'final bill' was received? That can only be done by her, not by the payee.

ard_2_da_bone

Tried very hard with the tenants but they dont want to know, just wanted to know if she had a legal stand point as leverage

undaunted

Contact the bank ask them to refund her under the Direct debit guarantee and cancel the direct debit instruction.

Whether they can get the money from the tenants or not is not her problem - it does not make her liable for a house she no longer lives in / consumers energy at.

Who is the supplier & do they have a rep on here?