moving house with gas and electric arrears

mummy_jonno

Hi guys, wondering if someone could give me some advice.

We moved into our house in late 2011 and the supplier was scottish power. When we moved in and got our first bill we realized they had added some of the previous tenants bills to ours.

I refused point blank to pay the bills until the issue was resolved as we didn't know if we were paying ours or theirs! (We did however put some money away every month that this was going on to cover it)

Anyhow they finally sorted it out and we went to pay the arrears and realized we hadn't put enough away leaving us £900 (at the time) in arrears. It's now 2013 and it's £600 in arrears. However we've just been told we are moving!!

How do I cancel our account with arrears still being there? I'll happily set up a payment plan with them to sort the arrears out however with the trouble we've had with them since moving here we will not be going with them again.

Also how will it work for the next people who move in? Will they automatically have gas and electric billed to them from the time they call and register their account or will it be off completely?

Sorry I keep adding to this! I keep missing things out. Does anyone also know how they will calculate a payment plan for the arrears? Currently our DD is £216 this is to cover the current month and the rest goes to arrears (I believe about £50 goes to arrears) but considering we will have a monthly bill with another supplier how will they work this out

My husband is in the Army hence the move. No choice in the move and can't afford to pay the arrears outright before the move.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks

flowerpower1234

I am having the exact same issue with npower now. I owe them 600 on top of the DD I pay every month and we are moving in a month. Obviously can't afford to pay them all the arrears before we go so don't know what to do!

Own_My_Own

I was in arrears with them when I moved to this house. We came to an agreement that I would change this houses supply to them and bring the debt with me. It worked fine.

mummy_jonno

That's the only issue I have really. I certainly don't want to take them with me and I am pretty sure they can't force someone to do that.

I guess now it's morning I'll just call them and see what happens.

Flowerpower I will let you know what I find out. x

Wywth

flowerpower1234 wrote: »

I am having the exact same issue with npower now. I owe them 600 on top of the DD I pay every month and we are moving in a month. Obviously can't afford to pay them all the arrears before we go so don't know what to do!

Really?

You didn't make any mention of having previous tenants names on your bill in either of the two threads you created yesterday over your issue:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4709533

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4709549

Wywth

mummy_jonno wrote: »

Hi guys, wondering if someone could give me some advice.

We moved into our house in late 2011 and the supplier was scottish power. When we moved in and got our first bill we realized they had added some of the previous tenants bills to ours.

I refused point blank to pay the bills until the issue was resolved as we didn't know if we were paying ours or theirs! (We did however put some money away every month that this was going on to cover it)

Anyhow they finally sorted it out and we went to pay the arrears and realized we hadn't put enough away leaving us £900 (at the time) in arrears. It's now 2013 and it's £600 in arrears. However we've just been told we are moving!!

How do I cancel our account with arrears still being there? I'll happily set up a payment plan with them to sort the arrears out however with the trouble we've had with them since moving here we will not be going with them again.

Also how will it work for the next people who move in? Will they automatically have gas and electric billed to them from the time they call and register their account or will it be off completely?

Sorry I keep adding to this! I keep missing things out. Does anyone also know how they will calculate a payment plan for the arrears? Currently our DD is £216 this is to cover the current month and the rest goes to arrears (I believe about £50 goes to arrears) but considering we will have a monthly bill with another supplier how will they work this out

My husband is in the Army hence the move. No choice in the move and can't afford to pay the arrears outright before the move.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks

When your TA started, did you advise the supplier and provide meter readings?

If so, these should have been used as your start reading on the bill. You therefore would have used all the energy from that date.

When you move out, again advise the supplier with meter readings and they will provide you a final bill. Don't forget to also provide a forwarding address so the supplier knows where to send you your final bill.

SwanJon

On the day you move out, phone up with readings and they will give you a final bill based on that - it will be due immediately - you will need to negotiate an arrangement to clear it over a longer period, but at £50 a month it would take a year.
When you move in, take readings and phone your new suppliers (you shoudl get these from the agency/landlord) to open a new account and stop the same thing happening.
Suppliers will usually give you longer to pay if you are their customer, so be prepared for something closer to 3 months

mummy_jonno

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have emailed them explaining about the move and needing to set up a payment plan to pay off the arrears. I'll only deal with them via email these days as they have a habit of making things up and then denying them later.

I won't be going back with them no chance, and paying within 3 months is not possible. I am sure they'll have someway of dealing with it though... hopefully lol

I did call the next day and set the account up on move in with on the day meter readings. Quite how they added their bills to mine I will never know but I will be double and triple checking in future now.

spiro

mummy_jonno wrote: »

I won't be going back with them no chance, and paying within 3 months is not possible. I am sure they'll have someway of dealing with it though... hopefully lol

If they are already the supplier at the new property you will be stuck with them.

SwanJon

spiro wrote: »

If they are already the supplier at the new property you will be stuck with them.

Technically as the debt is for a different address they won't be able to object under the Utilities Act 2000.
Whether that nuance is simple enough for their computer system is another thing entirely.

mummy_jonno

There is a very simple way around that one. Just register it in my husband's name. The only reason it's registered in my name right now is because I called them and not him! LOL