Moved house and energy company demanding payment

tdsmithj

I moved to a property and moved my energy provider npower over on the same day. After a month a got a gas and electric bill from Scottish power to the current occupier saying we owe them money on dates before we moved in.

I talked to Scottish power and said that I did not need to pay as it is not applicable to me.

I followed their procedure sending the bills back stating I do not have to pay. But keep getting demands and now it's passed to collections. I have already spoke to them twice about it.

It's stressing me out. What can I do about it?

ASavvyBuyer

When you moved in you were on a "Deemed Contract" with the current supplier.

Did you contact them to provide meter readings on the day you moved in?

If not, you have made an error by not contacting them and could end up paying for some of the previous occupiers energy.

When you switch providers it usually takes between 17 & 35 days for the actual switch to take place.

For that time, you will need to pay for any energy & standing charges you have used to the "Deemed Supplier".

The alternative would be that when you moved in, all supplies would be cut off and you would have to wait for a company to reconnect you.

bazzyb

tdsmithj wrote: »

What can I do about it?

Pay them for what you have used (did you take meter readings when you moved in?) and then they will stop chasing you.

D_M_E

Anything used BEFORE you moved in is not your responsibility.

What you should have done is read the meter(s) on the day you moved in then notify the existing supplier(s) that you ere responsible for the energy consumed from that day onwards.

They should have set you up with an account, at which time you would be free to move to a supplier of your choice.

You cannot be expected to pay someone else's bills for energy used before you took possession of the property.

Stay off the phone and WRITE to them a letter headed COMPLAINT in big bold size 18 font letters detailing the day you moved in and the meter reading(s) you took when you moved in - better still if you can include photos if you took them - and tell them you are only responsible for usage from X date.

Your probable cause of grief is that you switched too quickly and did not inform SP of your occupation to start with.

tdsmithj

I didn't switch supplier. I brought my other supplier to the new property and told them in advance. Never been with Scottish power and no idea what the previous provider was. I will write a letter.

ASavvyBuyer

tdsmithj wrote: »

I didn't switch supplier. I brought my other supplier to the new property and told them in advance. Never been with Scottish power and no idea what the previous provider was. I will write a letter.

Unfortunately, it looks like you did not understand the process when you take over the supplies at a new property.

You were on a "Deemed Contract" with the current supplier/s to that property when you started using any power. So you should have found out who they were and provided meter readings on the day of moving in.

Then you would have been OK to switch to the provider you had at your old property, or any other provider.

Unfortunately, you do owe the previous supplier for any energy you used before the contract switched to your preferred provider.

bazzyb

tdsmithj wrote: »

I didn't switch supplier.

Yes you did. On the date you took legal possession of the property, the energy was provided by Scottish Power. You switched providers to nPower. You need to pay Scottish Power for the energy you used before the switch was completed.

tdsmithj

bazzyb wrote: »

Yes you did. On the date you took legal possession of the property, the energy was provided by Scottish Power. You switched providers to nPower. You need to pay Scottish Power for the energy you used before the switch was completed.

As I said the bill was for the dates before we took possession over the property.

We exchanged on the 8th December the bill is for the 1st to the 7th December. You are all saying during that time it is my responsibility to pay for the power the previous occupiers were using?

System

tdsmithj wrote: »

As I said the bill was for the dates before we took possession over the property.

We exchanged on the 8th December the bill is for the 1st to the 7th December. You are all saying during that time it is my responsibility to pay for the power the previous occupiers were using?

Provide the Deemed Supplier with a copy of any legal document showing when you became responsible for the property. Ask them to estimate a start meter reading for that date. They will then bill you for the period 8th December until the switch to your present supplier went through (17 to 35 days). They are entitled to this money as you were on a legal binding contract even though you made no contact with them.

bazzyb

tdsmithj wrote: »

As I said the bill was for the dates before we took possession over the property.

We exchanged on the 8th December the bill is for the 1st to the 7th December. You are all saying during that time it is my responsibility to pay for the power the previous occupiers were using?

You should have taken a meter reading on the day you completed your purchase, and another reading when you switched to nPower (2-3 weeks after this at the earliest). You need to pay Scottish Power for the difference between the two.

J_B

tdsmithj wrote: »

As I said the bill was for the dates before we took possession over the property.

We exchanged on the 8th December the bill is for the 1st to the 7th December. You are all saying during that time it is my responsibility to pay for the power the previous occupiers were using?

Hmm, you are obviously not liable for the 1st to 7th but I *think* what folks are saying, is that it will still take nPower a while (10/20 days??) to take on the account, so you will be liable for that time.