Previous tenant PPM debt I've been paying

Ace1Zhigh

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone can shed any light on how SSE calculate debts owed on PPM. Quite an odd situation but my partner has been paying a previous tenants debt for a period of 5 years as she continued using the previous occupants pre pay electric key when she moved into her flat... While I know and understand this is her fault as she didn't notify the electric company of the move, I can't ignore the fact she has been paying off someone else's debt for the past 5 years, I've noticed flicking through the screens on the electric meter the debt is still £1500+ and on the next screen it says debt charge £5 per week, so am I correct in thinking she could be owed 260x£5? Obviously she'd provide proof via tenancy agreement and council tax she has lived at the address for the last 5 years,

Any help appreciated,

Neil_Jones

The first thing you should have done (and if you haven't done so already do this) is tell them you've moved in. You would not have been liable for the previous tenant's debt and if you'd told them and they'd sent you a new key that debt would have been wiped off the meter.

debts on Pre Payment Meters are normally racked up by previously having had a credit meter and then not paying bills, and as an alternative to cutting the previous tenant off, installing a PPM means the debt gets cleared gradually with every top off, though with a debt of £1500 means there must have been serious arrears. It can also be through Emergency Credit as well.

Easiest solution is contact SSE and see what they can do for you. Note that the payments already made are also to cover the use of the electricity and standing charges not just the debt payments.