Is my landlord allowed to do this?

1316Baggies

BobQ wrote: »

Can we be clear. Your tenancy ran from Date A to Date B. Does the EDF bill relate to the same period or is it from Date B to Date C after you left the home?

Yes the EDF Bill relates to the same period I was there. But this is only because these are the dates the landlord provided to them along with my forwarding address. They've also provided the dates of the previous tenant before me and their new contact details.

45002

45002 wrote:

1316Baggies

When Gas and Electric where privatizes all them years ago

It was guaranteed by law that a tenant just like a home owner can choose there only Utilities supplier.

1316Baggies

Have a read of this

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/landlords-cant-stop-tenants-switching-energy-suppliers

Find your own Utilities suppliers ...

pyueck

A) Are the meter numbers on the new bill the same as on your bills from british gas? If they are should simply be a case of telling then you have paid this meter with british gas and that they should sort it. If they are not ask the landlord to confirm which meter relates to the property you rented. If you were billed for the wrong meter then you may need to try to obtain a refund for the one you wrongfully paid for and pay for the one you should have.

is this bill for exactly the period you rented?

C) why has it taken so long to bill them. My understanding is that if it is the energy companies fault you are only liable for usage in the past year. I am assuming you haven't ignored previous letters.

1316Baggies

pyueck wrote: »

A) Are the meter numbers on the new bill the same as on your bills from british gas? If they are should simply be a case of telling then you have paid this meter with british gas and that they should sort it. If they are not ask the landlord to confirm which meter relates to the property you rented. If you were billed for the wrong meter then you may need to try to obtain a refund for the one you wrongfully paid for and pay for the one you should have.

is this bill for exactly the period you rented?

C) why has it taken so long to bill them. My understanding is that if it is the energy companies fault you are only liable for usage in the past year. I am assuming you haven't ignored previous letters.

Thanks for your reply. In short..

a) YES. But I believe when this building was split from a house into flats the metres were hooked up and labelled incorrectly.

b) YES. But this is only because when EDF came out of the woodwork my landlord/estate agent simply gave them my details and the details of the tenant before me and the dates we lived there.

c) I have no idea. I can only assume they have just discovered the point a) and their mistake.

But either way, £2.5k for 2 years electricity for myself only is absurd, no??? Why am I being thrown under the bus here

45002

You may be able to check who has been the suppliers over a certain time period by calling

http://www.ukpower.co.uk/who-supplies-my-gas-and-electricity

Back billing codes are practice are hear

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/files/docs/Factsheets%20and%20guides/back_billing_consumer_guide.pdf

pyueck

As it is for the same meter and you paid british gas just tell them this and you have no liability. Put in a complaint with edf. Whatever you do don't give them your bank details.

If it is their fault you will be only liable for any usage in last 12 months anyway.

The amount of the bill is not relevant if they are billing you correctly base on meter readings. 2500 in two years seems high but not unbelievable.

Nobody is throwing you under the bus. There is clearly some mix up at edf, ring them up and try to sort it. Often energy bills are sent out by automated systems and can throw out all sort of oddities that the second a human eye sees what is going on will be corrected.

Don't worry, this will get sorted unless you haven't actually paid for what you have said you have.

kinger101

1316Baggies wrote: »

But either way, £2.5k for 2 years electricity for myself only is absurd, no??? (

It depends how many cannabis plants you were growing :rotfl:.

Seriously though, if it's the same meter number on the BG and EDF bills, then one of the utility companies is mistaken.

45002

1316Baggies

Why are you running 3 threads on same subject

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5176770

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5176766

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5176771

Pixie5740

You might be able to find out who was supplying the gas and electricity to your home using the following numbers:

Who is my gas supplier
To find out who your gas supplier is, call the M Number Enquiry Helpline on 0870 608 1524, this is a service provided by xoserve Ltd. They will tell you who your gas supplier is and can also give you your MPRN number which you may sometimes need when switching to a cheaper gas tariff.

Who is my electricity supplier
You can find out who your electricity supplier is by calling the local distribution company.

They should confirm the registered supplier and provide you with a contact number for the electricity provider by checking your address details and meter serial number (normally located on a sticker attached to the meter) on their records. It is useful to take a note of your properties Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) for future reference.

The phone numbers for the distribution companies are below and are usually open normal 'office hours'.

Region & Distributor Telephone number
Eastern England EDF Energy 0845 601 5467
East and West Midlands Central Networks 0845 603 0618
London EDF Energy 0845 600 0102
North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire Sp Power Systems and North Shropshire 0845 270 9101
North East England and CE Electric UK 0845 601 3268
North West United Utilities 0870 751 0093
North Scotland SSE Power Distribution 0845 026 2554
South Scotland SP Power Systems 0845 270 9101
South East England (Kent & EDF Energy parts of Sussex and Surrey) 0845 601 5467
Southern England SSE Power Distribution 0845 026 2554
South Wales Western Power Distribution 0845 601 5972
South West England Western Power Distribution 0845 601 5972

Do not call the 0845 numbers though, use Say No to 0870 to find cheaper, or better still free, alternative phone numbers.

eddddy

Pixie5740 wrote: »

You might be able to find out who was supplying the gas and electricity to your home using the following numbers:

<snip>

I think the problem may be bigger than this. I'm guessing the background is something like this:

There are 3 electric meters (meters A,B,C) in a communal cupboard supplying 3 flats (Flats 1,2,3). Meter A supplies Flat 1, Meter B supplies Flat 2, Meter C supplies Flat 3.


But one of the following two problems has occurred:

1) When the flats were converted, the developer told the supply company the wrong information. (i.e. Meter C supplies Flat 1, Meter B supplies Flat 2, Meter A supplies Flat 3.)

Or

2) The supply companies have the correct info, but the landlord gave the tenants the wrong information. (i.e. Landord said Meter C supplies Flat 1, Meter B supplies Flat 2, Meter A supplies Flat 3.)


I suspect that option 2 is more likely. If so, the OP was was being supplied by British Gas, but providing readings from the wrong meter.


@1316Baggies - I would just do the following. Write a letter to EDF saying:

I was living at <address> between <date> and <date>. I paid British Gas for electricity under account number xxxx. If you believe that I should have been paying you instead, please explain why.