New property - meters?

Tsavorite

I took the keys for a new rental property yesterday but won't be moving in for a few weeks yet, but letting agent wants me to switch the bills into my name. I took the electricity and gas meter readings yesterday.

Called EDF to try to change the electricity and they said that they couldn't find my property (it's a house converted into flats, and they can only find the house on the register). The meter box serial number I gave them is for a business account registered to the landlord so I must have the wrong box.

They then told me that my gas meter is with EON but in the process mentioned that although the flats are labelled alphabetically, on the gas register they are numerical.

This got me thinking - how am I going to be sure which meter is for my flat? And what happens if I end up paying the wrong bills if they end up with the wrong one?!

I asked the letting agent who wasn't especially helpful. He "thinks" he knows which box is which but thinks it's down to the utilities companies to locate the right box.

To compound matters I'm not in the flat or the same city right now and won't be for another three weeks so I can't get it sorted yet!

Anybody got any ideas on how I can progress?

Cardew

Put your concerns in writing to the letting agent and tell him in no uncertain terms that it is his responsibility to sort the matter out.

When you have access to the flat it will be easy to check which meter belongs to your flat. Simply put on a very heavy load - heaters etc - and watch the meter respond to that load being switched on and off.

Tsavorite

Thanks Cardew - that's a good idea. I'll tell the agent tomorrow and then do that. It's only two weeks so presumably I will be able to backdate the bill to the date we move in. The only thing on is the fridge, so the gas shouldn't move and I think a tiny fridge by itself can't require that much electric?

Thank you for your help. I don't want to pay the whole building's bills!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi Tsavorite

Just thought I'd give you a heads up. Once you're at the flat and can establish which meter is yours, give our New Connections team a call.

Let them know the gas meter serial number, postal address, date you took over responsibility and the readings you took the other day. Any relevant plot numbers would also be useful.

I suspect the property is presently sitting under a business name. New Connections will close the business account and open a new account for you based on the details you provide.

We sometimes have difficulties with this type of situation when developers/letting agents etc give us either the wrong details or no info at all. Not saying this applies to your agents but, just in case, I'd recommend pre-empting them. Could save you some hassle later on.

Hope this helps and good luck moving in.

Malc

Wywth

Tsavorite wrote: »

I took the keys for a new rental property yesterday but won't be moving in for a few weeks yet, but letting agent wants me to switch the bills into my name. I took the electricity and gas meter readings yesterday.

Called EDF to try to change the electricity and they said that they couldn't find my property (it's a house converted into flats, and they can only find the house on the register). The meter box serial number I gave them is for a business account registered to the landlord so I must have the wrong box.

They then told me that my gas meter is with EON but in the process mentioned that although the flats are labelled alphabetically, on the gas register they are numerical.

This got me thinking - how am I going to be sure which meter is for my flat? And what happens if I end up paying the wrong bills if they end up with the wrong one?!

I asked the letting agent who wasn't especially helpful. He "thinks" he knows which box is which but thinks it's down to the utilities companies to locate the right box.

To compound matters I'm not in the flat or the same city right now and won't be for another three weeks so I can't get it sorted yet!

Anybody got any ideas on how I can progress?

It's quite easy to identify which is your meter once.

Turn everything off, and check the possible meters. Ignore any that are moving as they are not yours.

Now with the stationary ones, see which ones you can get to move and stop by turning things on and off checking the meter inbetween.
Do it a few times to be absolutely sure you've got the right meter.

Btw, is the LL/agent aware you plan to leave the flat empty for so long? Most TA's do not allow this, if for no other reason than the LL's insurance will probably be invalid. They'll allow probably 30 days maximum to allow for vacations, etc. Worth double checking, as worst case scenario could be the LL/agent believes the property abandoned and may seek to terminate the TA on that basis.

Tsavorite

Malc that does help - thank you.

I have called the agent today and spoke to a different person, who was more helpful. She said she had called the energy firms the other week to close the previous tenants' accounts and will sort it all out. I will double check that we have the right meters as soon as I move in.

Wywth - yes, the agents do know. I've told two people from the office, but thanks for mentioning it!

AndyPK

even after 3 weeks it maybe worth taking a note of all the meter readings, you can imagine this could get into a saga.

chanz4

If the supplier is treating it as a new connection, this begs the question who ilegally installed the other meters

molerat

As there seems to be some confusion over the meters when you confirm which meters belong to you write the date of taking the supply, meter serial numbers and readings on a piece of paper and put it somewhere very safe as you will need that information in around a years time when they still have not sorted it out properly

chanz4

does your property have an mpr on the national database, for each flat?