Final reminder letter - new home

RaspberrySwirl

Hi,

Apologies for what may seem like rambling, but I was hoping someone could offer some advice.

My partner and I got the keys to our first home on Friday (30.5.14).
When we entered our property, we were greeted with final reminder letters for council tax and for gas and electric.

The bills were in my partners name. The previous owner had already moved out of the property a little while before we moved in.
The contracts were only exchanged on the Thursday (29.5.14 - the day before completion.) The bills were dated well before this.

As far as I knew, we only entered into a legal contract to buy the house once contracts were exchanged. If this is the case, then surely we should not be liable for the ~£200 energy bill?

We took meter readings on the day we got the keys (I took photos of all the readings) and passed these on to the energy company explaining the situation.

Today, we have received another final reminder, this time using our updated readings, instead of the estimate we had before.

My question is this:
Are we liable to pay this bill? Or, are the previous owners (who technically still owned the property during the billing period we are being charged for) liable?

Thanks.

TL,DR: moved into house. Being charged for energy we did not use. Previous owners put bill in our name before contracts were even exchanged. Who is liable for the ~£200 bill?

jd87

You are liable for what you have used. The previous owner is liable for what they used. It sounds like the energy company haven't grasped the point that you didn't use the energy they are trying to charge you for. You need to explain all of this to them again, in writing, with the word "Complaint" in big letters at the top.

chanz4

Just send a copy of your completion statement to both, they should resolve it.

matelodave

Write to them, don't phone, text or E-Mail.


Send a letter by recorded delivery ("signed for") with copies of your completion statement, the bill and an explanation of the situation asking them to sort it out within 14 days. (also save the proof of posting slip and check when it gets signed for). It's a pain to have to go to the Post Office but it will give you proof that the letter has been posted and that they've received it
Hopefully it should get resolved without it getting to the complaint stage, however if it hasn't been sorted in within the 14 days, then write again marking the letter complaint and asking for a complaint reference number., That will at least start the clock ticking so you can go to the ombudsman if it doesn't get sorted out
.Keep copies of all the documentation, your letter and any other correspondence for at least a year after the situation is resolved.

Game_Over

RaspberrySwirl wrote: »

Hi,

Apologies for what may seem like rambling, but I was hoping someone could offer some advice.

My partner and I got the keys to our first home on Friday (30.5.14).
When we entered our property, we were greeted with final reminder letters for council tax and for gas and electric.

The bills were in my partners name. The previous owner had already moved out of the property a little while before we moved in.
The contracts were only exchanged on the Thursday (29.5.14 - the day before completion.) The bills were dated well before this.

As far as I knew, we only entered into a legal contract to buy the house once contracts were exchanged. If this is the case, then surely we should not be liable for the ~£200 energy bill?

We took meter readings on the day we got the keys (I took photos of all the readings) and passed these on to the energy company explaining the situation.

Today, we have received another final reminder, this time using our updated readings, instead of the estimate we had before.

My question is this:
Are we liable to pay this bill? Or, are the previous owners (who technically still owned the property during the billing period we are being charged for) liable?

Thanks.

TL,DR: moved into house. Being charged for energy we did not use. Previous owners put bill in our name before contracts were even exchanged. Who is liable for the ~£200 bill?

Something, not quite right here.

Your solicitor was responsible for informing the council regarding your new home. The council normally take a good month or two before getting round to issuing you with a bill. Even if the bill is only addressed to your partner, you should be included on it and you are both responsible for paying it.

Get your solicitor to sort it out. It's what you paid him for!

CIS

Your solicitor was responsible for informing the council regarding your new home. The council normally take a good month or two before getting round to issuing you with a bill.

It's quite unusual for us to get any notification from solicitors on completion of a sale.

Nada666

Game_Over wrote: »

Your solicitor was responsible for informing the council regarding your new home.

Really? One second hand stamp or one letter from a solicitor. Which would be the cheaper option?

Game_Over

Nada666 wrote: »

Really?

Yes, really.

Nada666 wrote: »

One second hand stamp or one letter from a solicitor. Which would be the cheaper option?

Most solicitors make use of modern day electronic communication systems nowdays - it's instant (almost) and much cheaper than even a second class stamp

macman

But they'll still charge you £25+ for writing the letter/email. It usually comes under 'various disbursements'.

Game_Over

macman wrote: »

But they'll still charge you £25+ for writing the letter/email. It usually comes under 'various disbursements'.

No it doesn't, it comes under the standard cost quoted to you for buying or selling a property, at least it always has done when I purchase a property.

Disbursements cover the additional costs the solicitor has to pay out for to someone else (not their own charges) such as search fees etc.