Eon Debt

vixenl1984

Hi,

I rented a flat last year and I informed Eon/Powergen when we moved in. For the 4 months we lived in the flat, we never received a bill.
In March 2008 I received a call from Eon regarding an outstanding bill. So I told them we were having difficulty getting the post back from the old flat, so could they send me the bill.
I then received a letter from Utilty Debt Services telling me they might take me to court, so I called them and asked them again to send me a bill. All the times they called they kept asking me to pay something towards it, but with no bill, I wasn't paying a penny.
I then received a bill from them charging from April 2007 (when we moved in) until January 2008 (we moved out in August). So I contacted Eon and told them this was mostly the new tenants costs.
I have contacted my letting agent informing them of this and they have failed to contact me.
So I called Eon but as the bill is in my name they can take me to court. I do understand that some of this is my electricity but I need proof from the letting agent that we moved out.
Surely if the bill is in dispute they can't take me to court?

Please help!!

mute_posting

Did you provide them with readings when you moved out?

Maz

I had a similar problem when I lived in rented. Ask your letting agent to provide you with your moving out date, together with your final meter readings, on their headed paper. Photocopy this and send the original to Eon by recorded post with a covering letter and insist on a recalculation. Also insist that they inform their debt collection agency about the situation.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Dazzieboo

I can't help with your situation, but good luck.

I am with Eon and last winter my bill was £100, this year it is £200, I don't have the heaters on and have economy lightbulbs this year which I didn't have last year and nothing is left on standby. I can't afford that £200 and Eon are being barstewards and not offering me any help or adivce. They have given me 2 options, cut me off or court.

Stand your ground with them, don't let them bully you and fight for what is right and not what they want, as soon as I sort my problem out, I will be changing companies, I suggest you do the same.

vixenl1984

Well the problem is that I have contacted the letting agent many times to let them know but they have ignored me.
I even told Utility Debt Services who are chasing, the letting agent's phone number to see if they can talk to them about it. But they said the bill is in my name so I have to sort it out with the letting agent. So they still want to take me to court.
I am worried that the letting agent will just keep ignoring it and I will have to pay it.
They are never helpful when I call them.

mute_posting

Dazzieboo wrote: »

I am with Eon and last winter my bill was £100, this year it is £200, I don't have the heaters on and have economy lightbulbs this year which I didn't have last year and nothing is left on standby. I can't afford that £200 and Eon are being barstewards and not offering me any help or adivce. They have given me 2 options, cut me off or court.

Is that a month or a 1/4?

Do you recall if last years bills were estimated (and could therefore have been underestimated)?

Is this years bill estimated or an actual reading?

The only real way to compare is with actual usage in Kwh or number of units (this will be shown on your bills) with different unit costs, block units, standing charges and the like, comparing bills based purely on ££'s is setting yourself up for trouble.

HTH

MP

Premier_2

mute_posting wrote: »

Did you provide them with readings when you moved out?

That's a good question Also, was a new address supplied to the utility company so they would know where to send the final bill to?

It appears the OP left this to the letting agent, which complicates matters somewhat. If the OP did leave this to the letting agent, is there any record of this (e.g. outgoing meter readings on a dated inventory, forwarding address, etc) and is there a contract with the letting agent that says they are responsible for advising utlity companies of someone leaving the property? If so, there may be a claim against them if they have failed in their contractual obligations.

As regards the utility company, unfortunately if they were not advised of when the OP left the property, what the meter readings were, and the forwarding address, then the utilty company may well have the right to charge the OP for any recorded usage and/or costs involved in trying to recover any money they feel the OP owes them.

When the OP contacted Eon and first explained the situation, this may be the first the utilty company was aware of any change of occupant and the OP could be charged up to this time (but probably not thereafter). Eon should be able to supply the OP with a copy of the bill now they are aware of the new forwarding address.

As regards taking the OP to court, well if the bill is in dispute then the final option should all else fail is to allow the court to decide who should pay, so the answer is yes, they certainly could take the OP to court for a bill that is in dispute - but I'm sure they would prefer to reach a mutually agreeable resolution rather than take the matter to court.

Dazzieboo

mute_posting wrote: »

Is that a month or a 1/4?

Do you recall if last years bills were estimated (and could therefore have been underestimated)?

Is this years bill estimated or an actual reading?

The only real way to compare is with actual usage in Kwh or number of units (this will be shown on your bills) with different unit costs, block units, standing charges and the like, comparing bills based purely on ££'s is setting yourself up for trouble.

HTH

MP

It is a 1/4, last years were read as were this years. infact, when I got the bill it said "we have read your meter" and I was out that day, I phoned and queried it and was told it had definatly been read and not estimated, I insisted I was out all day, but then realised I had left the garage door open that day for a delivery, so the cheeky meter reader had entered my property without my permission and read it :mad: Eon didn't actually see the harm in that and refused to pursue a complaint. :rolleyes:

As for the useage, I am so stingy and we don't have heaters on, we wrap up warm if we get cold (kids are 10 & 12), everything gets turned off when not used, the tumbler only gets used about once a week, at night and the washing machine about twice a week, again at night, I leave it rinse mode ready for the final spin in the morning, phones get charged at night. Eon did say my meter needed changing as it is now classed as too old, but they don't feel that has anything to do with a high reading. :mad:

mute_posting

Well Dazzieboo, if you're only using £200 on a winter 1/4 I think you're doing well!

I'm assuming you have E7 and therefore probably have electric heating and hot water?

Like I said though, is only really worth comparing units, not prices.

MP