E.ON sent me a debt letter for electricity/gas I didn't use

streetlovin

Hi all,

I just bought a property and moved in on 5th May. We took gas and electricity meter readings so from that point onwards I would be responsible for the bill.

I switched to Greenstar Energy who will switched on 25th May, I submitted meter reading that I took from 5th May so they could backdate to when I moved in.

E.on sent me a letter saying they visited me today and I owe them £448.80 + £55 fee for the unsuccesful visit. And another letter to say they are sorry I am leaving and I don't need to submit a final reading to them because the new supplier will let them know and they will send me final bill.

The problem is...I was not ever with E.on, it was the previous tenant (the house was rented before I bought) or the housing association I bought it from. So they shouldn't be sending me any final bill because I was not using the electriciy/gas before 5th May.

What do I need to do? Can they keep chasing me for the money that I don't owe to them?

Thank you

molerat

The moment you flicked a switch you were on a deemed contract with the existing supplier of the property, E.On. You should have contacted them, given them opening readings from the date you owned the property, not from when you moved in, and then initiated a switch to the supplier of your choice. By not following the rules you have opened yourself up to a whole lot of complications.

Weewdy

I agree with previous poster. Your contract was with eon up until 25th may when your contract started with your new supplier, you should have gave your new supplier the reading from 25th May. You owe eon usage from you moved in until the 25th.

antrobus

streetlovin wrote: »

...What do I need to do? Can they keep chasing me for the money that I don't owe to them?...

But you do owe E.on money. Whether it as much as £448.80 + a £55 fee, I do not know. It seems rather a lot for just 20 days.

What you need to do is;

1. Take some meter readings now, it is the 25th May and you are on supply with Greenstar Energy

2. Submit your 5th May reading to E.on

E.on can then calculate a bill for the period 5-25 May.

streetlovin

antrobus wrote: »

But you do owe E.on money. Whether it as much as £448.80 + a £55 fee, I do not know. It seems rather a lot for just 20 days.

What you need to do is;

1. Take some meter readings now, it is the 25th May and you are on supply with Greenstar Energy

2. Submit your 5th May reading to E.on

E.on can then calculate a bill for the period 5-25 May.

But I already submitted the meter reading for 5th May to Greenstar Energy.

At the time that I did it, I didn't even know who the suppliers were. The housing association literally just told me to go and speak to the new supplier I wanted to use and give them the meter reading. I rang the number that allowed me to find out who my current supplier is and they said at the time it didn't belong to anyone and it was 'independent'. That's why I didn't ring anyeon...because I couldn't.

I received E.ON letter today and that's when I found out it is E.ON. The meter reading I gave to greenstar energy is from the date that I moved in...So I am guessing I gave them the wrong number.

Will go take new meter reading now and give to Greenstar energy.

Cardew

I suspect that you are getting billed for the previous occupant's unpaid gas/electricity. That is why there is a £55 fee. Your solicitor should have sorted this out with the Housing Association.

As said above, you were(albeit unwittingly) in a deemed contract with E-on from 5th May.

I also suspect that you are NOT in a contract with Greenstar Energy from 05 May or 25 May. This is because Eon can refuse to allow a switch when a customer owes money.

You need to sort out with Eon exactly how much you owe them. Fortunately we have 2 excellent Eon reps(Malc & Helena) who contribute to this forum and they may help you sort out the mess.

streetlovin

Thank you so much. I can't find the electricity keys so I orderred a new one which will be delivered tomorrow. Will ring Greenstar Energy and give them meter reading as of 25th May and will ring E.on to let them know of the meter readin gthat I took on 5th May so they can calculate.

Not sure what they will do with the bill before that, though and the visit fee.... ugh. The more you learn!

dogshome

The reading you reported to Greenstar on May 5th when you moved in should have been reported to Eon, but never mind as it establishes the Meter read on the day you moved in.

It would appear the the previous occupants fled the property owing Eon a lot of money, but their debt is nothing to do with you, you only owe Eon for energy you have used since you moved in

System

Just to add to the excellent advice above. As the property owner, you are responsible for energy costs (usage AND standing charges) from the date of legal completion on the property) - not from when you moved in. E.oN may reasonably ask you for a copy of the Completion of Sale document so that they can re-calculate your liability. You might also wish to provide E.oN with the seller's contact details. Was the property empty for some weeks prior to the sale: if so, the Housing Assn is next in line for a bill.

matelodave

dogshome wrote: »

The reading you reported to Greenstar on May 5th when you moved in should have been reported to Eon, but never mind as it establishes the Meter read on the day you moved in.

It would appear the the previous occupants fled the property owing Eon a lot of money, but their debt is nothing to do with you, you only owe Eon for energy you have used since you moved in

Not strictly true - you became liable for the bill from the date you became the legal owner, not necessarily the day you moved in if that was several days or even weeks later. That's why the meter should be read on the day of completion, not the day of moving in.

footyguy

streetlovin wrote: »

Hi all,

I just bought a property and moved in on 5th May. We took gas and electricity meter readings so from that point onwards I would be responsible for the bill.

I switched to Greenstar Energy who will switched on 25th May, I submitted meter reading that I took from 5th May so they could backdate to when I moved in.

E.on sent me a letter saying they visited me today and I owe them £448.80 + £55 fee for the unsuccesful visit. And another letter to say they are sorry I am leaving and I don't need to submit a final reading to them because the new supplier will let them know and they will send me final bill.

The problem is...I was not ever with E.on, it was the previous tenant (the house was rented before I bought) or the housing association I bought it from. So they shouldn't be sending me any final bill because I was not using the electriciy/gas before 5th May.

What do I need to do? Can they keep chasing me for the money that I don't owe to them?

Thank you

Was the letter addressed to you i.e have your name on it?

Something doesn't make sense here (and we all know what Judge Judy says about that :cool:)

If it did have your name on, where did they get your name from, do you think??? :huh:
If not, why are you opening mail addressed to others? (presumably the former tenant)
(A debt simply addressed to 'The Occupier' is unenforcible)

As I understand it, you bought a property on 05-May-2017

Despite what you then claim you did or didn't do, it really would be most unusual for any energy supplier, let alone E.On to have sent you a bill, then a reminder and then made a personal visit incurring fees within just 21 days.

It just doesn't make sense.

I suggest you call E.On and sort this out.

Good luck!