Utility bill for empty house

Bark01

The latest view from Ofgem is referenced in this paper, its from 2104. As long as you have never consumed on that meter you should be fine.

The Ofgem view is non binding, but no supplier would want to challenge this view in court.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/88276/openletter-treatmentoflowandzeroconsumersofgas.pdf

see paragraph 2 and also annex 2


Gas Act 1986 and the Electricity Act 1989 state you can not be placed onto a deemed contract until consumption starts.

If you've used a single unit then this won't be of any help.

[Deleted User]

Malc appears to be saying anyone on Standard Variable Eon Energy Plan tariff ( from the start ) or prepay meters can have the DSC waived if its proved that zero energy is used for periods when property is empty. I dont think it refers to Ofgems deemed contract rule for new occupiers. If thats the case then all suppliers should be using the same system.
Could do with Malc or Helena or maybe the Npower rep or Joyful for BG clarifying if this is how it works
"Pixiecat " was a new occupier in a way as she was inheriting her late fathers house so maybe it is just for new occupiers and the deemed contract/no energy use rule comes in.

footyguy

Bark01 wrote: »

The latest view from Ofgem is referenced in this paper, its from 2104. As long as you have never consumed on that meter you should be fine.....

Am I missing something here?

The OP said:

elfrider wrote:

I vacated my property in July, and moved into a rented property, but continued to own the property, until tomorrow when the sale completes. I informed the utility company the day I moved out and paid the final bill...

Apart from the mistake that the OP thought they had been provided with a final bill, despite their ongoing ownership of the property (and it wasn't let so no other authorised occupant would be liable), then I would suggest the OP has consumed on that meter at some time. The fact they paid what they refer incorrectly to as a final bill would probably further support this assumption.

modsandmockers

Footy - the bit you seem to have missed is that the supplier appears to have closed the OP's account at the address in question, and is writing to 'The Occupier' because they have not been notified of any new details. That's why they have added an estimated usage figure to the standing charge. If the OP starts talking to a call centre jockey about paying for just a part of a bill which is not addressed to him/her, and which is probably not linked to any particular account number, then I think he/she is just wading unnecessarily into a minefield from which it will be difficult to escape. If and when the supplier begins to write to the OP by name, then that will be the time to start talking to them.

Bark01

My reading of the issue is that the OP has gone through a move out procedure so their account has been closed and a Deemed account has been set up. Therefore the Electricity and Gas acts treatment of Deemed customers is relevant. The Ofgem paper takes this further by talking about applying it to low using or vulnerable customers but there is no legislation to back this up.

The OP is still the owner of the property so is liable for any charges until the ownership of the property has changed. If no usage has occurred then there will be no charges for them to be liable for.

footyguy

Bark01 wrote: »

My reading of the issue is that the OP has gone through a move out procedure so their account has been closed and a Deemed account has been set up. Therefore the Electricity and Gas acts treatment of Deemed customers is relevant. The Ofgem paper takes this further by talking about applying it to low using or vulnerable customers but there is no legislation to back this up.

The OP is still the owner of the property so is liable for any charges until the ownership of the property has changed. If no usage has occurred then there will be no charges for them to be liable for.

It would appear to me that any premature closure of the OP's account was a mistake, probably as a result of mis-information (or at least unclear information) provided by the OP to to the supplier in question.

Hence presumably the reason Skools_Out posed the question to the OP they did in post#21 of this thread.

This will all become obvious to the supplier when (a) the new owner does not accept responsibilty for the bills at the property until they take ownership (as supported by a completion statement if necessary) and (b) the OP cannot provide any evidence that they should not be liable for the ongoing bills for the property they owned at the time. (e.g. a tenancy agreement for any tenant placed in the property)

In regards to not using any energy = no ongoing charges, well I am sure yoiu are aware that sadly is no longer the case for the majority of suppliers & tariffs.

Of course, there was nothing preventing the OP conmsulting a comparison site knowing the energy usage was about to reduce signficantly (probably to zero, if there was no security lighting, heating, electrically operated fire/smoke alarms, etc left in operation during the period the property was to be left unoccupied) and choosing the best tariff for them.

I hope the OP also informed their insurer of this period the property has been left empty.
Most insurers of empty/unoccupied properties often require security measures to be left in operation (obviously not heating in the middle of summer, but it's getting nippy this time of year)

I wonder what the OP did with other bills such as council tax??? :huh:

naedanger

Skools_Out wrote: »

Who do you think should pay the bills for your property if not you? :huh:

The OP's question was whether or not there was any bill to pay in his circumstances.

This seemed a reasonable question to me.

modsandmockers

footyguy wrote: »

It would appear to me that any premature closure of the OP's account was a mistake, probably as a result of mis-information (or at least unclear information) provided by the OP to to the supplier in question

No - the OP followed procedure - the unclear/misleading information etc came, as usual, from the supplier.

SwanJon

In this circumstance, it's probably worth acting out what the computer thinks is happening

Account 1 - Elfrider - billed & paid
Account 2 - Current occupier account
Account 3 - future owner.

All you need to do is phone up/go online with readings from the day of the sale and the account numbers from the Occupier bills.

If the readings are the same and the supplier chooses to waive standing charges all is good.
If energy has been used a final bill for the occupier account will be sent out, which I assume the new owners will be quite happy to forward.

re-opening old accounts is only going to add the possibility of something going wrong.