New tenant

ruds46

Looking for some urgent advice please.

Daughter has just moved into her first ever property this weekend, (rented) the landlord has handed her an E.ON electricity key & gas card.

Today the daughter has received two letters from n-power with her name on them and two account numbers, one for gas one for electricity. On phoning n-power they won't deal with her as she doesn't know the answer to the security questions to an account that she has never set up. Apparently the landlord gave her name in when requesting new card and key. :eek:

She has had no contact with any energy supplier, just handed a key & a card from the landlord for E.On.

The problem is, the old tenants have left debts on both accounts and my daughter is fearful that she will be held responsible by n-power / E.On.

N-power told her the reason she has E.On cards is that if you go to the shop to collect an n-power card/key and they have none, you will be given an E.On card / key. Very confusing, I know.

Question, can my daughter use whichever energy company she likes, and if so how does she find the cheapest supplier as filling forms out requires you to fill in the amount you use?

Would appreciate your help and advice on this matter. Thanks in advance.

lemontart

she needs to provide proof of the date her tenancy started and they should zero the debts - she will need to officially register with the current supplier first.

Check the terms and conditions in the contract with regards to whether or not it allows her to switch suppliers.

Wywth

Also sounds like an attempt at identity theft by the LL.
Your daughter should consider informing the police and definitely she should consider getting out asap (legally). If the LL is prepared to commit identity theft even before the tenancy started it leaves you wondering what other offences he may commit in the future. :eek:

Wywth

ruds46 wrote: »

...Question, can my daughter use whichever energy company she likes, and if so how does she find the cheapest supplier as filling forms out requires you to fill in the amount you use?

Would appreciate your help and advice on this matter. Thanks in advance.

Yes (after she has registered with the existing supplier(s))

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

Okydoky25

Has she asked the landlord for the password?
Did she take readings when she moved in?

ruds46

the LL tells us that she didn't use any passwords, and we have taken readings which she tried to give to n-power but they're insisting that my daughter use a password known to the LL. The LL, (a friend of a friend) is adamant that she never set any passwords and that she gave my daughter's name only as being the new tenant.

The LL contacted my daughter today with 2 reference numbers, one for the gas and one for the electricity, which were given to the LL when she contacted n-power.

What I don't understand is, why would n-power then provide my daughter with an E.On prepayment card and key? When I contacted n-power they said this is a normal procedure if they don't have any of their own cards/keys. Yet admit that E.on and n-power are two different energy providers. Very confusing to say the least.

What I didn't like, was how n-power wouldn't converse with my daughter.

Daughter intends phoning tomorrow, she has a two week old baby, 4 wks prem and has her hands full at the moment. Hence, why I tried to convey with n-power on her behalf.

spiro

Tell her to phone N-Power up and say 'I moved into No n, Y Street on dd/mm/yy and I would like to set up an account'. The account will then be set up in her name and they can legally speak to her, its called the Data Protection Act that stops them talking to anyone that cant answer the security questions.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

ruds46 wrote: »

What I don't understand is, why would n-power then provide my daughter with an E.On prepayment card and key? When I contacted n-power they said this is a normal procedure if they don't have any of their own cards/keys. Yet admit that E.on and n-power are two different energy providers. Very confusing to say the least.

Hi ruds46

You're right, npower and e.on are completely different suppliers

However, we've an agreement between us that allows us to use each other's prepayment devices.

Hope this helps explain.

Malc

ruds46

Thanks to everyone who responded, finally today I spoke with a more than helpful npower employee. He didn't want any passwords just walked us through the process of setting up a new account and has removed the debts from both meters.

Thank You to you all. A Great community :T