Incorrect meter reading bill dispute...who's responsible??

Domross

Hi, I recently bought a new build one bedroom flat for rental purposes. The previous owner had owned the flat for 5 months, but had never rented it, lived in it and eventually sold it as surplus to requirements.
During this 5 months the gas boiler (35kw) had been left on frost setting with the water pre-heat meaning it would cycle on every hour or so for 20-30seconds.
Now, my question...the previous owner gave Eon a meter reading saying he had used 3 gas units over that 5 month period, I was unable to get to the flat for 4 weeks due to work and family commitments but when I did (the flat having remained empty with the boiler on as previously...no frost as September) I took a meter reading...this showed 158 gas units used since the previous meter reading....hmmmmm.
So who's responsible?? Obviously the previous guy has given an incorrect reading....it is physically impossible for the boiler to only have used 3 units over the period he owned it, and equally as difficult for me to have used 158 units in the ensuing 28 days. Eon want me to pay...even though they say the logical explanation is my explanation and the ombudsman is worse than bloody useless...they actually commented that people have work done in empty property and don't realise the energy the tradesmen use :rotfl: no work carried out as new property and I'm not entirely sure what tradesman uses gas and no electricity...
It isn't so much the money as the principle...but I hope someone can help advise me on this

Domross

Sorry, forgot to mention, my tenant used 17 gas units in the first 20 days of her tenancy before leaving Eon. They have this on record.

Browntoa

it was your responsibility to provide a reading when you completed

Robin9

Write it off to experience and move on - not worth bothering about.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Good morning Domross and welcome to the forum.

We do rely on customers providing their meter reads and information when they move in and out of properties.

I understand you couldn't get to the property for a bit of time to take a start read, therefore, we'd have to go on the reading that we were provided with.

If no one had provided a read we'd have used an estimate.

I think the best thing to do is to ensure you take regular reads going forward and pop these on your online account and keep the account billed to these reads.

I'm sorry I can't offer much more.

Helena

matelodave

As said above, it was your responsibility to provide the reading when you took possession, not when you moved in. Had you done so then you would have noticed the anomaly.

The fact that you didn't or couldn't make time to do it is nothing to do with the Energy Company - put it down to experience and move on.

Hopefully you've checked the water meter as well to make sure that you won't get a big bill for that.