Bought a house that was empty - unpaid utility bills

pinkteapot

lees80 said:

Are you trying to open an account with the same provider? If so, don't.

OP needs to open an account with the existing provider. Even if they phone a new supplier and start the switching process, they're responsible for bills from the old supplier for the period from when they took ownership of the property to the date the supply switches to the new supplier. 

davidmcn

pinkteapot said:

lees80 said:

Are you trying to open an account with the same provider? If so, don't.

OP needs to open an account with the existing provider. Even if they phone a new supplier and start the switching process, they're responsible for bills from the old supplier for the period from when they took ownership of the property to the date the supply switches to the new supplier. 

Last time I moved, the new provider sorted it out without me having to speak to the existing provider directly.

lees80

pinkteapot said:

lees80 said:

Are you trying to open an account with the same provider? If so, don't.

OP needs to open an account with the existing provider. Even if they phone a new supplier and start the switching process, they're responsible for bills from the old supplier for the period from when they took ownership of the property to the date the supply switches to the new supplier. 

They don't need to open an account for that purpose. 
The new supplier will deal with any changeover and arrange the billing. The OP just needs to choose their new supplier and provide meter readings, they will arrange everything else. 

Goldust

Thanks all.  Lots of questions so will try to answer and keep the thread up to date in case it helps someone in the future.

• It is Green Network Energy.  Don't know why I didn't mention earlier as it wasn't intentionally kept secret!
• I didn't realise I could switch away without opening an account (as others have said I thought you had to start off at least with the incumbent supplier so that's what I have done)
• I already contacted the ombudsman yesterday and have a case with them set up though they say I have to wait for 8 weeks in total before they can progress.  I've told the supplier this is what I've done so hopefully they will spring to life now

Will keep updating as I go - thanks for the advice everyone!

Smodlet

Goldust said:

Thanks all.  Lots of questions so will try to answer and keep the thread up to date in case it helps someone in the future.

• It is Green Network Energy.  Don't know why I didn't mention earlier as it wasn't intentionally kept secret!
• I didn't realise I could switch away without opening an account (as others have said I thought you had to start off at least with the incumbent supplier so that's what I have done)
• I already contacted the ombudsman yesterday and have a case with them set up though they say I have to wait for 8 weeks in total before they can progress.  I've told the supplier this is what I've done so hopefully they will spring to life now

Will keep updating as I go - thanks for the advice everyone!

Hi.  Did you raise a complaint with Green Energy before approaching the ombudsman?  I believe you can go to the ombudsman only after you have already gone through the supplier's complaints process and they have failed to resolve it within eight weeks.

To reiterate, the debt is not on the property, it is on whoever was responsible for paying the bills before you bought it.  Unless a bill is addressed to you personally, rather than to "The Occupier", it is not your responsibility to pay it.  You are, of course, liable for any usage from the date you moved in.  Since you can prove when this was in writing, you complain to GE.  If they offer to raise a complaint, point out you have already "expressed dissatisfaction" on x, y and z dates which should be in their notes and ask why a complaint was not raised on the first of these occasions; tell them this is not good enough and demand to speak to their manager.  Do not be fobbed off with promises of a phone call at some nebulous later date, tell them you want to escalate now and that if they hang up on you, you will raise a complaint about them personally; make sure you note their name and have pen and paper in front of you before you call.

You have to be like a dog with a bone in these situations, I'm afraid.  If you find this difficult, deanna's suggestion of going to the CAB might be better.

Good luck and please let us know what the outcome; as you say, it could help someone else.

sal_III

davidmcn said:

Goldust wrote: »

I am thinking I should ring the debt collection agency and quote their reference and give them the details of the property developer. Or ask the energy supplier to handle it. Or is talking to those type of people at all a bad idea?

Not necessarily a "bad" idea, but probably a waste of time. They shouldn't talk to you anyway about somebody else's debt.

They'll be used to debtors being long gone, and possibly never having resided at the property. So I doubt they'll waste their time making a personal visit, unless for some reason they believe the debtor will actually be at home.

It might be needed in this specific case, but not in general. You can settle the outstanding balance with the old supplier without opening an account, solely based on bills addressed "to the occupier". I have done it twice.

The important bit is to "start clean" by opening a new account with a new provider of your choice, give them the reading and manage your bills going forward. Ideally this should have been done on day 1 of completion, but that ship has sailed.

Then provide the old supplier with the meter readings on completion day and ask them to split the existing bill, so you can pay the bit you are liable for and let them find whom to chase for the outstanding balance - not your problem. They do this regularly and are familiar with the situation. It's just a matter of time to sort it out on their end, can take several months. 

Smodlet

Whilst not all of the debt is Goldust's, if the account is in dispute GNE can and probably will block any attempt to switch away from them.  This is why I recommend going through the complaints procedure:  It starts the clock ticking and puts GNE on the spot so they have an incentive to resolve the situation quickly.  As it is, they can drag their heels indefinitely.

As an aside, I think this thread might receive more help were it moved to the Energy board.

lees80

The account isn't in dispute. The OP can prove when they became liable for the supply to the property.

None of the debt belongs to the OP. The OP will owe them for the supply used since they moved in, which is not a debt but a utility bill. 

Smodlet

lees80 said:

The account isn't in dispute. The OP can prove when they became liable for the supply to the property.

None of the debt belongs to the OP. The OP will owe them for the supply used since they moved in, which is not a debt but a utility bill. 

According to the OP, the account is in dispute, according to GNE.  He/she can either listen to the conflicting advice on here or bite the bullet and jump through the hoops to get out of this contract and into one with a supplier of his/her choosing.  In my experience, shortcuts never work when dealing with a utility supplier and, if you take control of a situation, you have at least some measure of control over it.