Utility Warehouse, No bills & Bailiff Letters

alc54321

Hello there,

If anyone can offer any advice on the following then I would be eternally grateful. I'm not the most savvy when it comes to utilities or bailiffs etc.

So..

I returned home this weekend to find two separate letters from Grosvenor Legal Services, with 'Bailiffs' plastered across the top, stating that they were looking to cover a ~£130 Gas bill and ~£140 electricity bill as requested by Telecom Plus / The Utility Warehouse.

The letter also states that there have been previous letters and a visit, though this is the first contact I have received about anything to do with either that DCA or The Utility Warehouse. The letter is addressed to 'The New Occupant' and the flat number. It has a lovely ending line stating that "you have already incurred significant charges based on debt recovery proceedings".

I was told by the property managers that I would receive correspondence from the Utility company for the flat. I have been in the flat approx 3 1/2 months.

I have received no communications of any kind from the Utility Warehouse and had no prior dealings with them.

I'm very confused to be honest. I have rang around a few people this evening who said I should have started a fresh contract with a supplier of my choosing when I moved into the property. But I presumed that I would receive some form of new occupant registration as per my water and phone etc. At the very least I would've thought The Utility Warehouse would need to make some form of contact with me before passing the matter to a bailiff? I would have no difficulty in paying the bill had I received it.

Any ideas on what I can do in this situation? It seems out fo order that I will be incurring charges from Bailiffs without The Utility Warehouse making any form of contact or even sending a bill to the address?

I apologise if any of the above is naive, I'm not the most shrewd with these matters, but I'm not in any debt and haven't had to deal with this kind of thing before.

Thanks,

Andy

Richie-from-the-Boro

I was told by the property managers that I would receive correspondence from the Utility company for the flat. I have been in the flat approx 3 1/2 months

- some / many private owners like to be with UWDC, your property managers however would not know that
- its almost certain therefor that it was your helpful property managers or property owner that stiffed you
- putting a tenant / owner with UWDC means they have all their accounts [including voids] under 1 roof

I have been in the flat approx 3 1/2 months.

- in that 15 weeks what have you paid by way of telecoms / water / gas / electricity / etc

I have received no communications of any kind from the Utility Warehouse and had no prior dealings with them

- other than billing you, which you dispute, they don't need to contact or contract with you
- they already own your accounts, you are on a 'deemed' contract. Put the word > deemed < into the search on the TRHS of this page

I should have started a fresh contract with a supplier of my choosing

- yes, you should have changes supplier for any / all of your utilities the day you moved in
- you should also have recorded and agreed with a new supplier your meter readings
- otherwise you could end up paying someone else's winter bills, along with your own use

addressed to 'The New Occupant'

The first thing to do is get to the property manager, and ask them what is going on. Then the same for Grosvenor. Then get back here to the group with your findings. It may be the case that you are not involved at all and its the previous tenant / owner who is being sought - find out !

alc54321

Thanks for the fast(and detailed) reply, really appreciated. I will speak to all parties this morning when they open their lines. I do at least have meter readings agreed with the property managers At the start of the tenancy and there are separate meters which I have access to. Water is on direct debit with united utilities and telecoms were left unconnected at this property as it is just a 6 month let and I use mobile with unlimited tethering allowed.

Again, thanks ever so much for the response and will feed back findings later.

Andy

dogshome

The fact that this correspondace is addressed to "The New Occupant" shows that the previous tenant did exactly the right thing by advising Utility Wharehouse they were moving out and gave UW their final Meter Readings.

It seems that whats gone wrong is that the OP failed to advise UW they had moved in and what the meter readings were on that date - Was he/she told by the Management Co. that they would do this ?

The OP needs to contact UW quickly to establish a proper account, and more to the point, get fully detailed bills for the money demanded - Because Grosvenor Debt Collections are involved, it's important the OP keeps a written record of contacts with UW that shows times, dates and the name of the person spoken to

ValHaller

alc54321 wrote: »

I have rang around a few people this evening who said I should have started a fresh contract with a supplier of my choosing when I moved into the property. But I presumed that I would receive some form of new occupant registration as per my water and phone etc.

You have been misadvised.

When you move in, you will be with the previous Occupier's supplier for a minimum of 28 days ("deemed contract"), after which you are free to change supplier. If you do not change supplier - or enter a formal contract with the existing supplier, you will remain on the deemed contract.

The clock for the 28 days starts when you take over the supply - which means phoning the existing supplier with your opening meter reading.

• Do you have your opening readings?
• Are you renting or do you own the flat?
• Do you have access to your meters?

alc54321

Hello there,

Thanks again for the continued help and support. Truly a wake-up call about being a little more switched on when it comes to all this. The joys of being a young person renting and learning via mistakes!

Yes, I am renting the property on a short-term 6 month contract. I have opening gas and electricity meter readings on start of the tenancy and I also have access to both meters.


I presume I am the 'OP' (Occupier??) sorry? If so, then yes, I have not been in contact with The Utility Warehouse at all. It seems like I have been quite short sighted and expected to be billed at the end of the quarter. Clearly I needed to pay a lot more attention to setting up my services.

I will contact them when their lines open and keep a record of times and persons spoken to and ask for appropriate information in writing.

I will also contact TransCo to ensure that the Utility Warehouse are in fact my supplier.

Thank you for the continued support and feedback! I feel less alone in a world I really do not understand!!

Andy

alc54321

Having just phoned the TransCo numbers to confirm my supplier, I have been told that Gas is supplied by N Power and Electricity supplied by Electricity Plus.

I now have meter reference numbers for both. How on earth does this tie in with a letter from a bailiff appointed by The Utility Warehouse??

Deary me. If anyone can shed any light I would again be very grateful indeed.

Thank you,

Andy

dogshome

Get onto n'power & Elec + to confirm that they are indeed your supplier.

UW build their customer base by paying a commission to people to get other people sign
up with UW - It's possible that the Management Co may have switched the supply to UW whilst the flat was between tenants.

alc54321

Yes, I have this page of the lease in front of myself with the readings on there. However, if TransCo have said that UW aren't actually my supplier then I'm not sure where I stand really. Their lines don't open until 9 but I can at least ring the bailiff in a couple of minutes and see what light they may shed.

SwanJon

If I remember correctly Electricity Plus are Utility Warehouse (cf Telecom Plus).
They do have a relationship with npower, but I don't think they'd register the supply as them (I've seen Gas Plus).

ValHaller

alc54321 wrote: »

Hello there,

Thanks again for the continued help and support. Truly a wake-up call about being a little more switched on when it comes to all this. The joys of being a young person renting and learning via mistakes!

Yes, I am renting the property on a short-term 6 month contract. I have opening gas and electricity meter readings on start of the tenancy and I also have access to both meters.


I presume I am the 'OP' (Occupier??) sorry? If so, then yes, I have not been in contact with The Utility Warehouse at all. It seems like I have been quite short sighted and expected to be billed at the end of the quarter. Clearly I needed to pay a lot more attention to setting up my services.

I will contact them when their lines open and keep a record of times and persons spoken to and ask for appropriate information in writing.

I will also contact TransCo to ensure that the Utility Warehouse are in fact my supplier.

Thank you for the continued support and feedback! I feel less alone in a world I really do not understand!!

Andy

OP = Original Poster if it refers to a person - ie you - or Opening Post if it refers to a post - ie your first post on this thread.

As you now have meter reference numbers and access to the meters, take a look, confirm that the serial numbers and take readings with today's date and keep them in a diary. Check that the readings are consistent with the opening readings given to you when you took over - or did you take your own readings? And if there is any room for getting the meters mixed up make some practical tests to confirm that the meters are indeed yours.