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Huge electricity bill because we could not access our meter

tryingtosurvive101
Posts: 4 Newbie

in Energy
Hi all,
I'm new on here so please bear with me.
At the end of May, my housemate and I moved into a new flat. We were shown where the meter was and told that all of our utilities were done through Ginger Energy. We promptly took meter readings and set up our account.
Fast forward two months later, and our estate agents forwarded us and electricity bill from Octopus. It turns our Ginger Energy only supplied our energy and heat, and Octopus our electricity. After inquiring where the electricity meter was, the estate agents provided us with a code and location. It turns out the electricity meter was outside in the car park.
The bill we received from Octopus was estimated, so I submitted an accurate meter reading. We have now been charged a whopping £215. I contacted octopus and they suggested getting in touch with the estate agents and asking if they took a meter reading when we moved in to see if we can get the amount reduced (my flatmate and I were sceptical about this because the electricity meter on the inventory was not filled in...).
The estate agents have replied to us saying that they do not have a reading because readings need to be requested by the site manager (which seems suspicious, as they were able to supply us with the code and the location, albeit 2 months later).
Anyway, I'm in a real pickle as to what to do. We have clearly been lumbered with the previous tenant/landlord's electricity bill. Myself and my flatmate haven't even had an oven (estate agents again) for the past two months and have been on holiday so our electricity consumption has been fairly low as it is. However I don't know what we can do here. It feels like we have been screwed over by the incompetency of our estate agents, but legally, I don't know if we have a leg to stand on?
If anyone could provide advice or insight I would be very grateful.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I'm new on here so please bear with me.
At the end of May, my housemate and I moved into a new flat. We were shown where the meter was and told that all of our utilities were done through Ginger Energy. We promptly took meter readings and set up our account.
Fast forward two months later, and our estate agents forwarded us and electricity bill from Octopus. It turns our Ginger Energy only supplied our energy and heat, and Octopus our electricity. After inquiring where the electricity meter was, the estate agents provided us with a code and location. It turns out the electricity meter was outside in the car park.
The bill we received from Octopus was estimated, so I submitted an accurate meter reading. We have now been charged a whopping £215. I contacted octopus and they suggested getting in touch with the estate agents and asking if they took a meter reading when we moved in to see if we can get the amount reduced (my flatmate and I were sceptical about this because the electricity meter on the inventory was not filled in...).
The estate agents have replied to us saying that they do not have a reading because readings need to be requested by the site manager (which seems suspicious, as they were able to supply us with the code and the location, albeit 2 months later).
Anyway, I'm in a real pickle as to what to do. We have clearly been lumbered with the previous tenant/landlord's electricity bill. Myself and my flatmate haven't even had an oven (estate agents again) for the past two months and have been on holiday so our electricity consumption has been fairly low as it is. However I don't know what we can do here. It feels like we have been screwed over by the incompetency of our estate agents, but legally, I don't know if we have a leg to stand on?
If anyone could provide advice or insight I would be very grateful.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
1
Comments
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If you took readings when you moved in, how do they compare with the start readings on the bill?1
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tim_p said:If you took readings when you moved in, how do they compare with the start readings on the bill?0
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I suggest that you call the Consumer Helpline provided by Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.
The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.1 -
Is your meter a smart meter?0
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MattMattMattUK said:Is your meter a smart meter?0
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What does the letting contract say about utilities if you were advised only of heating and HW meter location is the electricity paid by someone else or are all utilities due to the tenant?
And perhaps more importantly why have the letting agents, given that they knew about the location of the meter, not recorded the meter readings on the takeover?
What about departure of previous tenant?
Was the property void until you moved in?
Be very critical to assess what you might have used, no cooker, DHW and CH via another source what devices and equipment could have used more power than you expect.
Have you checked the meter is correct for the property, use something like a hairdryer to see the boost in power consumed and check for corresponding spike on the meter. Also confirm the meter number is the one listed on the bill.
I would submit a start reading based upon the meter access you recently had and advise Octopus that previous consumption is due to previous tenant or LL and see where that goes.
Also a complain to the letting agent and advise that they need to assist in resolving this.1 -
BikingBud said:
I would submit a start reading based upon the meter access you recently had and advise Octopus that previous consumption is due to previous tenant or LL and see where that goes.
Interesting thing to recommend.0 -
I didn't say commit fraud, I said give an accurate reading and start there.
We don't know if there was a void, a previous tenant or if the landlord was living there.
Apparently the OP provided a reading but this was not the true start reading from their tenancy commencement date.
How did Octopus determine that start reading for the issued bill for £215? The date of billing period and number of days for the SC should be clear? Who was the bill addressed to, the OP or the "occupier" or even the LL? If the bill start date predates the commencement of tenancy by 120 days or so, clearly the OP is not liable for the SC for those days, irrespective of who the bill his addressed to and also not liable for some portion of the power used.
If the agent the tenancy agreement is unclear or the LL (agent) has been negligent and not taken a reading at check in then there will need to be some estimation, the reading the OP now has bookends that and there will need to be some discussion around splitting the kWh consumption but the start date and SC should be clear, perhaps kWh per day over the period pro rata may be appropriate.
No fraud required just a reasonable route to best estimate for liability of power and services consumed.
ETA I would argue that failure of the EA to request readings from the site manager is clearly delinquent, what other obligations might they have failed to perform?0 -
BikingBud said:I didn't say commit fraud, I said give an accurate reading and start there.
1. Give a start reading that you know is not accurate.
and
2. Tell the supplier that you were not responsible for usage that you know at least 2 months' worth was actually yours.
Both are fraudulent.4 -
OP, can you post details of the Octopus bill. What date is on the opening reading, and how does that compare to your entry date? And does it say it is an actual reading or an estimate.
If it does match your entry date, and is an actual reading, I'd suggest the previous occupants (or LL) submitted a closing reading for the previous occupants and the bill is correct.
If the date is earlier than your entry date, at the very least you should be able to provide your tenancy agreement to Octopus to show your entry date and get the bill reduced pro-rata to only include usage after that date, with the remainder for Octopus to pick up with the LL and/or previous occupant.0
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