Unpaid tenants energy bill

D3xt3r5L4b

Whose name is the eon account under?

andyko

The original account was on tenants name. 

Apparently EON opened new one on my name. 

Petriix

andyko said:

The original account was on tenants name. 

Apparently EON opened new one on my name. 

That's no problem. You need to pay for the week between the different tenants. Make a payment to cover your usage and the standing charges. Tell them they can take you to court for the rest if they don't believe you. A judge can help them figure it out. Assuming that you have meter readings from the appropriate dates. You do have meter readings? 

D3xt3r5L4b

andyko said:

The original account was on tenants name. 

Apparently EON opened new one on my name. 

They can’t without your permission 

[Deleted User]

andyko said:

Thank you everyone for all responses.
I do my business properly. 
Tenants agreement had names of my tenants and was signed for a year. We signed new agreement every year.

Tenants gave me notice approximately 6 month into 1 year letting agreement, so contract would be still active for 5-6 months.

Not sure when tenants told EON that they are moving - most likely they didn’t tell until later, but I don’t know and EON won’t tell me.

Someone was asking how is it possible to move out long after the last rent payment. It’s actually very easy, they told me that they will get their stuff tomorrow and disappear for a week and several times like this. Eventually I had to store their belongings in my garage for few month because I couldn’t  throw it away legally.

Once they moved out we made a mistake to give a call to EON, they obviously took our details. Eon asked for checkout inventory signed by tenants which we couldn’t provide because they didn’t sign it.
 EON simply transferred the debt to my name. We don’t have new address of tenants- they obviously knew what they were doing. 

There several other utility companies and HMRC still chasing them on my property address, but only EON did this trick on me by transferring their debt. 

We sent contract and to EON and all communication and email with their notice.
We also went through the complain process with EON and received Dead-letter.

EON complaint department said it’s my word against theirs and they don’t want to look into evidence - I think they simply can’t contact them and I am always available, I.e much easier target.

I mentioned that I have only 1 property so you get the idea that I don’t deal with this mess on a daily basis. And tenants - married couple with 3 kids so it’s not some kind of thugs we are talking about. 

Looking back I am not sure at what point did I make a mistake- probably telling EON my details

As I said before, 1 property or 100, it makes no difference. Your account of what happened makes no sense.  In one post you make it seem as if the tenants are still moving out the property long after new tenants have moved in and you have witnesses to prove it.  Then in another post it seems the tenants did vacate the property but left some belongings behind which you then stored in your garage.  

As the landlord you are responsible for paying the utilities in the void between one tenancy ending and a new tenancy starting.  In that sense e.on should have created a new account for you using the final meter readings from the check-out report as a starting point.  What e.on should not have done is transfer the previous tenant's debt to you.  Hopefully you supplied e.on with the meter readings from the check-in inventory for the new tenancy that has since started.  Are you doing the inventories yourself or do you get an independent 3rd party to do them?

You have the deadlock letter from e.on and it's with the ombudsman now.  Have you checked your 3 credit files (Experian, Equifax and Trans Union) to see if e.on have reported any late payments or defaults to them?

andyko

Entire situation doesn’t make sense. Their last day in the property by contract was 30th November. By this time they already abandoned the property leaving all their stuff inside. There was food in the fridge, pictures on the walls, some furniture and wardrobes full of clothes.
 I took meter readings on the day and EON has it. 
It took them another week to move their belongings to the garage(comes with a property) - they still had keys from the property and I couldn’t just kick them out. This was the quickest option for me to empty the house, so I had to agree. 

New tenants moved in and for the next 2 month old tenants were still coming and collecting their stuff from the garage.

all speculations aside my question was if EON can damage my credit score without taking me to court. I am not afraid of going to court and I am hopeful of positive response from the Ombudsman, just worried if they can do some damage whilst I am waiting for a decision.

pjread

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm almost certain you do have a deemed contract with the supplier from the moment the tenants moved out.  You therefore will owe e-on something. 

My guess is either meter readings weren't taken or the tenants gave e-on their own reading (and disputing which of the two is right might get messy if they don't match)

In your shoes, I'd take the bill you have and calculate the "right" amount you owe them, and send them a letter explaining 1/ the real reading upon taking possession from tenant, 2/ how you calculated what you owed, 3/ the 'closing' meter reading when your new tenant moved in.  I'd also attach a cheque stating it's in full and final settlement of the account, and take a photocopy in case you find yourself having to go to small claims over it. 

So long as your reasoning is sound, I suspect they will accept and not pursue, and if you do I'd be surprised if you didn't win any action. 

~£400 for a week sounds unlikely unless there was some unusual spike - e.g. a damp issue and someone thought leaving a bunch of electric fan heaters on 24/7 was a good way to dry things out?

maxximus75

You are only liable from the date the meter readings were taken.

Eon cant transfer the debt of another person into your name.

You will have to pay for the electricity use and standing charge from the date you gave the readings.

Eon is correct in opening an account in your name as you own the property but not the transfer of the debt.  Thats for them to find and chase the old tennants as the contract was in their name.

As there will be hardly no energy use, make sure you are on the lowest cost tarrif available.

Remember to notify Eon with a closing meter reading when new tennants move in so you are not liable from that date.

Also, take pictures of any readings so there is no possible disputes.

andyko

Maybe I should’ve just send them a cheque for 1 week, but it’s too late now.
I’ll wait for the resolution with Ombudsman.

I went all the way through EON dispute procedures and until the last moment I thought that common sense will win. 

The problem is that tenants disappeared and EON or number of other companies can’t trace them to a new address, so it’s just me who left. 

D3xt3r5L4b

Why weren't they allowed to use their own provider in their own names?