Back-dated electricity demand with no evidence - thoughts please

danthemoneysavingman

Hi all,
don't know if this is the right board, but it relates to electricity payment demand from a commercial space landlord.

Basically my friend has received a demand for electricity backdated to Nov11 quoting what appears to be a made-up monthly demand plus a 50% surcharge on top!
Until a month ago, no reference was made to the electricity supply and no reading was ever requested or taken.

Wondered what opninion of the best way forward would be on this.

The 50% surcharge seems the most outrageous and surely can't be reasonable...

Thnx

rogerblack

Read the lease agreement, as a start.

Cardew

If it is a business premises then the normal rules for commercial transactions apply - most of the safeguards for domestic customers do not apply. So like any commercial debt they can claim back six years.

If the premises are metered, did your friend not read the meter when he occupied the premises? Did he think electricity was included?