New home, energy bill

forever.insane

Hello,

I've recently moved into a new flat with my partner, it's our first time living on our own, not with parents. Our parents are rather useless when it comes to this and so are of no use.

We have now officially set up an energy deal in our name with extra energy but we used a lot of electricity and gas before doing so. We so far haven't paid a penny for this and I know Damn well that the previous company won't let us have it for free. The electricity and gas was turned on when we moved in.

How do we go about paying this? We have received a lot of the previous occupants post but put it back in the postbox saying not at this address anymore and crossing out the address (postman originally posted it back here). We received one from edf energy a few days ago and so put it back in a post box but today we have received a new one.

How would we be billed for the energy we consumed? Obviously I can't open this letter as it isn't intended for me.

Thank you.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

How much is a lot?

modsandmockers

The rule is that a new occupier is first required to sign up with the company which was previously supplying the energy. Until you have completed your initial registration with the existing supplier, it should be impossible to initiate a switch to your preferred supplier. What did you say to Extra Energy when they asked you to name your existing supplier? The landlord (or the previous owner’s solicitor) should have given you the necessary information, and I would suggest that you ask for it now. If you have reason to believe that the previous occupant was using power supplied by EDF, then ring EDF’s sales line and ask them to investigate. You also need to find out what the meter readings were when you took possession. When the existing/previous supplier learns of your existence, they will back bill you from the date of your taking possession.

forever.insane

I phoned extra energy when joining and told them that I didn't know who I was with. They accepted that. I've since had an email to confirm that they are now my supplier (since 10th August). The letting agents (we rent and we only deal with them and pay rent to them, they deal with the landlord) haven't told us who the last occupier was with.

modsandmockers

So far as I know, it is not possible for any supplier to begin supplying energy without completing some fairly detailed procedures involving the previous supplier.

From now on, you need to keep a precise record of your monthly meter readings, and submit them to Extra Energy either on their website, or by email. Extra Energy have no doubt supplied you with a copy of the Tariff Information Label (which gives precise details of the prices which you have agreed to pay). If not, then call them and ask them why. When you receive a bill, then check very carefully that the charges match the prices on the Tariff Information Label, and are based on your actual meter readings, and not their estimated ones. If EE have used estimated readings, then query the bill and ask them to recalculate it using up-to-date actual readings.

I suggest you ask the letting agent to find out which supplier the previous tenant was using - it’s an essential piece of information for any new occupier, and the letting agent should have included it as part of the ‘service’ (haha!). Try to work out the cost of the energy which you have already used, and prepare yourself for the arrival of the bill.

forever.insane

The letting agents are pretty useless, Ask them something and they don't know the answer. I will email them now, but I'm pretty sure they wont know who it was beforehand.

Thank you for the information. EE are definitely the new supplier, according to the email anyway.



Yes I have received the Tariff Information Label. If I get an answer from the letting agent, I shall call the company, otherwise would it be worth calling EDF myself and seeing what they say?

keith1950

If you didn't read the meters the day you moved in and didn't contact the existing supplier to register and record these readings you could end up paying for some of the previous occupants usage.

By ringing the the day you move in you are giving the existing supplier the chance ( if they so wish ) to send a meter reader round the same day to verify those readings. As it stands they haven't a clue who has used what.

As above, whatever they tell you the procedure is that you switch supplier , not just start an account without switching. Virtually the only people who can just sign up without switching are developers of new build houses, so when you buy a new house you switch from the builders supplier.

You have gone about this in totally the wrong way....... Good luck!

macman

Ask your current supplier who the previous supplier was? As above, the problem is that if you didn't take opening reads on day one, then your previous usage will have to be estimated.
It's your job as tenants to sign up with the utility suppliers (water as well as electricity and gas) at the time you occupy. Nothing to do with the LL or letting agent.
Supplies are never disconnected on change of occupant, and haven't been since privatisation: the deemed contract system has been in place for around 30 years now. So I am equally baffled as to how your switch can have gone through: it should have been blocked.

footyguy

forever.insane wrote: »

Hello,

I've recently moved into a new flat with my partner, it's our first time living on our own, not with parents. Our parents are rather useless when it comes to this and so are of no use.

We have now officially set up an energy deal in our name with extra energy but we used a lot of electricity and gas before doing so. We so far haven't paid a penny for this and I know Damn well that the previous company won't let us have it for free. The electricity and gas was turned on when we moved in.

How do we go about paying this? We have received a lot of the previous occupants post but put it back in the postbox saying not at this address anymore and crossing out the address (postman originally posted it back here). We received one from edf energy a few days ago and so put it back in a post box but today we have received a new one.

How would we be billed for the energy we consumed? Obviously I can't open this letter as it isn't intended for me.

Thank you.

You are usually billed based on the usage as recorded by the meter and in accordnace the tariff you have elected.

Where meter readings are not available, then they will be estimated. In your case, they will probably use the outgoing meter reading of previous occupant (lets hope they didn't provide a low reading) and the start reading you provided to your new supplier.

Where no other agreement has been entered into with a supplier, they will charge you at their deemed tariff rate, which is usually their expensive standard variable tariff paid on receipt of bill.