Never been billed for electricity

TheSnook

Hi guys,

I haven't been billed for my electricity for over 2 years, what are my rights here?

If I decide to leave the flat and rent it out what are my best options for telling a potential tenant?

Cheers,

Butterfree_

Ofgem's backbilling rules specifically say that you can't be billed for consumption more than 12 months old.



So they can bill you for up to 12 months of the 2 years worth of consumption, but not the whole lot. Note though that if they have billed you but you haven't paid, this isn't the same thing. If they have billed you at any point and the bill is accurate then you are liable to pay for the consumption that was billed, even if it was over 12 months ago.


When you rent the flat out, you as a landlord you have two options.

1. Include utilities in the rental agreement. In such a scenario you remain responsible for paying for the energy and are liable for any debt that there may be should you be unable to pay. You will get the money back that you paid through the rent that you collect.

2. Only include rent in the rental agreement. Your tenant is responsible for paying for the energy that they use and are liable for any debt should they be unable to pay. Note that their responsibility starts from the day that the rental agreement starts and they are only responsible for charges during their tenancy, not any existing debit on the account, so your 12 months of unbilled energy is still your responsibility to pay should you get a bill.

Option 2 is more common. It also introduces another scenario which is a change of tenancy. So say you rent your flat out for 12 months then your tenant chooses not to renew their lease. You need to find a new one. There is potentially a gap between tenants. You are responsible for paying for consumption between tenants (which should be very low, maybe a fridge is turned on and you have lights on a timer and that is it).

Essentially whoever has a right to live in the property at the time (either you as the landlord without an active tenancy agreement, or your tenant with an active tenancy agreement) is responsible to pay for the energy consumed during that time.

thorganby

TheSnook wrote: »

Hi guys,

I haven't been billed for my electricity for over 2 years, what are my rights here?

If I decide to leave the flat and rent it out what are my best options for telling a potential tenant?

Cheers,

Did you contact the supplier when you moved in to register with them and provide meter reading?

Why have you not sorted out this sooner?

You must realise that you are responsible to pay for the energy that you have used, which is likely to be on the suppliers most expensive variable rate tariff.

ajbell

Surprised no one has asked but here goes...do you have an electricity supply?.

TheSnook

When I purchased the flat the previous owner had a pay as you go stick that I promptly had replaced by contacting the energy supplier and asking for them to put in a direct debit meter.

After the meter had been changed (around 3 months later) I contacted them to say that I had not received any bills or arranged set-up of direct debit. I was told on the phone that there was a delay and that I should get something soon.

Up until now I totally forgot - not even sure if I want to remind them considering they can only charge 12 months in arrears, unless they aren't at fault?

Cardew

TheSnook wrote: »

unless they aren't at fault?

That is the crux of the matter.

Customer’s responsibilities
Customers should pay for energy used and the Code is not intended as a means
for avoiding payments. Customers have an obligation to assist suppliers and can
expect to pay for all energy consumed if they:
–
Have been using the supply but have made no attempt to contact the supplier
to make or arrange payment, including moving into a property and making no
attempt to let a supplier know they are the new tenant.
–
Have wilfully avoided payment.
–
Have not co-operated with attempts to obtain meter readings or resolve queries
requested by the supplier, including allowing access to the premise or failing to
respond to requests for meter details or meter readings.
In the event of billing problems, customers should be encouraged to pay a
reasonable estimate of their consumption with the understanding that once an
accurate bill is produced, suppliers will use payments or credits to offset any
additional charges or allowances.
In the event of a customer paying one supplier for their energy and it later
transpires that their supply should have been with another supplier, any payments
refunded to the customer as part of the process of correcting the error, may
be required to be paid to the other supplier for the energy used. Suppliers will
contact customers on an individual basis to agree payment arrangements.

macman

You have to have made an effort to get billed. I doubt that one phone call 3m after the meter change qualifies, and presumably you haven't submitted meter reads either in the last year.?
Any incoming tenant will need to register for an account as usual, and then switch if they wish to.
You will be final billed until the date of change of occupancy on Standard Variable Tariff (the most expensive).

sevenhills

TheSnook wrote: »

Up until now I totally forgot - not even sure if I want to remind them considering they can only charge 12 months in arrears, unless they aren't at fault?

You are now making a conscious decision not to contact them, so you are also at fault.