Unable to get a utility bill (renting)

DuckChild

Hello,

I'm pre-empting what's likely to happen in an attempt to be able to make an informed decision when we eventually get our utility bill. I’ve already tried contacting various organizations (Citizen Advice, Ofgem etc. etc.) prior to this and basically, they say they are unable to help so any words of wisdom are welcome.

Here is the scenario:

We have not received a utility bill for over a year now. We have contacted the provider four times in this period to ask for a bill. Various reasons are given for not providing a bill all of them are nothing to do with us. 

The utility company are a third party employed by the management agent to distribute and bill for utilities to each flat in the building in which we rent a property. So, we have no dealings direct to a typical energy provider for example the likes of eDF or eon and we have no choice in the matter. The third party provide billing for water, the heat network and electricity use.

If we had a direct relationship with an energy provider, we have some comfort the law will ensure we should not be billed for utilities used over a year ago. Do we have any recourse to do the same in this situation?

Secondary, when the bill finally does arrive, I think there will be charges for services not received for example meter reading. What is the best way to get this removed from the bill?

Any tips, advice welcome.

Netexporter

Presumably the energy arrangements were set out in the rental contract that you signed, so probably not much of a leg to stand on. Are you putting money aside to pay the bill, when it eventually arrives?

I'm not sure what the law is about late billing. Although there is some protection on back-billing with suppliers regulated by Ofgem, I don't think that applies in this case. You are in a similar situation to park home dwellers, who have a spur off a single commercial supply to the park. The park owner cannot make a mark-up on the energy provided but they are entitles to charge for billing/metering. Also the energy will be at commercial rates, rather than regulated domestic rates, which again I suspect is the case in your situation.

What did CAB advise?

Robin9

Have you been in contact with your neighbours , who I assume are in the same situation ?  

Knock on a few doors and invite them around for tea and cake .

DuckChild

Unfortunately, every effort so far has come to nothing.

The rental contract just says to pay a utility bill when requested to do so, nothing more. Our management agent was just keen to ensure the landlord for the place we live is not libel for the bill in any way and doesn’t want to get involved. Obviously, we know our utility use is not free so we are putting money aside for it but, how much it will be and at what tariff remains unknown.

All the other neighbours both renting and owners are in a similar situation. One of the neighbours report the landlord of the building has paid the utility bill using the buildings slush fund. If that is true, I guest a resolution will not be quick while there is still money in the slush fund.

MP1995

DuckChild said:

Unfortunately, every effort so far has come to nothing.

The rental contract just says to pay a utility bill when requested to do so, nothing more. Our management agent was just keen to ensure the landlord for the place we live is not libel for the bill in any way and doesn’t want to get involved. Obviously, we know our utility use is not free so we are putting money aside for it but, how much it will be and at what tariff remains unknown.

All the other neighbours both renting and owners are in a similar situation. One of the neighbours report the landlord of the building has paid the utility bill using the buildings slush fund. If that is true, I guest a resolution will not be quick while there is still money in the slush fund.

Probably a business tariff and get prepared for it not to be cheap. Best guess I would stash away £2000 and keep everything crossed 

DuckChild

Hum… Yes, I think you are right. I have a hard time excepting that this is classed as acceptable behaviour. The landlord of the building has not broken any rules and our utility bill will come when it will come. As a consumer there is nothing, I can do about it or the likes of Ofgem, CAB or Energy Ombudsman.