Buy to let Dual fuel Bill not received.

Androiduser

Hi Forum.
Hope this is in the correct section.
Long story short we bought a Buy To Let property through a Limited Company (Company is registered to our Residential address) completed October 2022 and it Rented January 2023.

From October it was handed over to Letting agent to rent out...sadly no tenants so January we instructed another Letting agent and it rented out two days later, so property was empty from October to January 2023

Yesterday I've received a letter addressed to my limited company and delivered to my home address stating the company owes £4000 in total for a debt from 10/2022 - 01/2023 and the company LCS acting on behalf of 1st Locate bought took over the debt from EDF on My 2025.

We obviously contacted the energy supplier and gave details of who we were with a meter reading and didn't really give it a second thought (95% bills i pay via direct debit) that's until this letter stating we owe £4000.

My question is should we not have been informed sooner. Either directly by EDF or by post to the Buy to Let property, the agent was the only one to have keys and access.

Simply looking for advice on how to reply to the stated £4000 for the three months unoccupied property (its a 2 up 2 down terrace and no before anyone asks not special plants were being grown)...not looking to wriggle out of what i owe, just questioning the amount and how they come to that figure, after all if they say £4000 do they have to justify that amount or simply demand a figure they pluck out of thin air.

Just for Context i believe the current tenants pay about £160 a month for gas and leccy.

Appreciate its my fault for assuming it was dealt with. Not looking at blaming anyone, just how to deal with it moving forward before making contact.

Any advice or thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Woodstok2000

Do you have meter readings from that period? If you don't, do the letting agents or tenants? If not, what are the closest readings you can get either side of the billing period in question? I.e. a reading before October, and one after Jan.

user1977

Androiduser said:

We obviously contacted the energy supplier and gave details of who we were with a meter reading 

So you gave them meter readings on completion of your purchase, and somebody took meter readings at the start of the first tenancy, yes? And you gave them your contact details? And haven't you seen any bills?

Androiduser

Woodstok2000 said:

Do you have meter readings from that period? If you don't, do the letting agents or tenants? If not, what are the closest readings you can get either side of the billing period in question? I.e. a reading before October, and one after Jan.

Sadly I'm not that organised. However that is a good point,im guessing its worth asking the original Letting Agent did they take them, I know they notify the water company as its part of the contract.

The tenants or the New (current) letting agent would have notified the energy supplier when they moved in, so i should have the reading from the start of January at least.

I"ll give the agent a call tomorrow and ask the question. Fingers crossed.

Androiduser

user1977 said:

Androiduser said:

We obviously contacted the energy supplier and gave details of who we were with a meter reading 

So you gave them meter readings on completion of your purchase, and somebody took meter readings at the start of the first tenancy, yes? And you gave them your contact details? And haven't you seen any bills?

Yes when we took ownership we had a very brief walk around with the then letting agent (same firm who sold us the house) took meter readings and notified EDF,i generally give bank details for direct debits that way its taken care of. Or that's the general plan anyway.

But yes as odd as it sounds to answer your question. Hence why I'm rather confused why its taken since October 22 to current time to receive any commination's.

Thinking about it im guessing the blindingly obvious thing is contact the letting agent and ask have we received numerous letters from EDF and if so why haven't they been forwarded or have the tenants just binned them.?

Not that I'm blaming the agent or tenants, as its solely down to me, just confused if the debt is live why taken so long to bring it up and the amount.

user1977

Haven't you seen (or asked for) a bill showing how the amount is calculated? It's possible that your initial reading hasn't got through and it's based on an inaccurate reading (or estimate) from the previous occupiers.

Chelsea_Blue

So when you first took ownership of the property and gave meter readings to EDF did you also inform them that this is now a BTL property and gave them an alternative address i.e. your home address, for any bills to be posted to, until such time it becomes tenanted?
Or did you give them an email address for paperless bills only and it was incorrectly taken by EDF?

If not the case, only your tenant would receive any paper bills and most probably would have been ignored/disposed as they were not in their name, but your Company name.
Sadly, times have changed and people can't be bothered with the hassle of passing stuff on any longer and if not contacted by the landlord/agent to check, it ends up in the bin.

I'm sure any outstanding debt for energy is nowhere near £4k but with finders fees and charges/interest added by the debt collectors over the years, it's no surprise.

I'm sure EDF, like most big organisations, record all calls so your initial contact with them will be on file and should be able to confirm meter readings discussed.

Without seeing an actual bill for the period from EDF it's difficult to see where to start.