Backdated electricity bill from landlord

cora33

Hi, I've handed in my notice at my rented flat and received a backdated electricity bill from the landlord (Mine is one of a number of flats in the building and the electricity is in the landlord's name, they receive the bill and pass it on to us split between the flats - I've always paid these bills. It's not a good arrangement, but it's too late to change it now.)

The backdated bill is for the last two years and my share is a high three figure sum. It's calculated from a meter reading done by another tenant at the request of the landlord and the reason for the huge difference is because EDF apparently only had estimated readings for that two year period.  I understood that energy companies could not backdate bills for more than 12 months. If the account was in my name, I would challenge it - but it's not. What can I do? Other than asking my landlord to do so - but I don't understand why they haven't already. Any advice appreciated. 

MWT

This example would seem to apply to your landlord...

"If a customer has been receiving bills based on estimated energy usage and a supplier takes a meter reading which details more than 12 months of under-estimation, the back-bill can only bill a customer for the 12 months and not the time prior to that."

I would point out to your landlord that EDF cannot charge him for more than the last 12 months so you are only willing to pay the proportion of the back bill that covers that period.

See how that goes...

You'd have to look in your tenancy agreement for the specific wording around the payment of the electricity if he isn't agreeable to that offer.

Cardew

MWT said:

This example would seem to apply to your landlord...

"If a customer has been receiving bills based on estimated energy usage and a supplier takes a meter reading which details more than 12 months of under-estimation, the back-bill can only bill a customer for the 12 months and not the time prior to that."

I would point out to your landlord that EDF cannot charge him for more than the last 12 months so you are only willing to pay the proportion of the back bill that covers that period.

See how that goes...

You'd have to look in your tenancy agreement for the specific wording around the payment of the electricity if he isn't agreeable to that offer.

However with a number of flats in the building is the landlord a domestic customer or a business? If the latter he is not treated under the same regulations as a domestic customer.

MWT

Cardew said:

However with a number of flats in the building is the landlord a domestic customer or a business? If the latter he is not treated under the same regulations as a domestic customer.

Very true, but I'll be surprised if this is anything other than a poorly converted house split into 'flats' with a single domestic account running the whole lot...

Hard to imagine he is on a business account with only one meter for the building.

It is a valid concern though I agree.