I'm being billed for gas i didn't use, false reading

owen101 · 12 October 2009 at 5:50PM

Hi there,

I moved in to a one bed flat on the 4th June 09 and finished the tenancy on the 4th October.
Unfortunately I did not take a gas meter reading (stupid of me I know) but, I relied upon the letting agency to take a reading.
For that four months the final bill came to £545.(447units) ahhhhhhhhhhhh
After a lot of detective work I found that the previous reading to my starter reading was only a difference of 218 units in a period of 18 months, this was the period of occupancy for the previous tenant.

JAN '08 READING 5625 to MAY 24th '09 READING 5843
218 UNITS IN 18 MONTHS

MAY 24th '09 READING 5843 to OCT 4TH '09 READING 6290
447 UNITS IN 4 MONTHS

The only conclusion I can draw from this is that the inventory clerk of the letting agency, took a wrong reading or mixed up the readings or the most logical would be that the previous tenants gave a false reading to the letting agency.
It is physically impossible to use 447 units in four months.
Please help someone, I don't know what to do????

molerat · 12 October 2009 at 7:07PM

Did you take a reading when you took over the flat ? You could check the reading now by speaking to the current tennant / letting agent. That level of usage is not impossible but unlikely. What were you using the gas for ? If you did not check the reading when you took over and the current reading reading is about right then you are up !!!! creek without a paddle. (over that period I used 295 m units in a 3 bed det)

owen101 · 13 October 2009 at 9:45AM

but, is it not the professional and legal obligation for the letting agent to take an accurate first had reading. They have got it wrong.
I could have just as easily lied to the letting agent and the gas company myself and they wouldn't be any the wiser.

bryanb · 13 October 2009 at 9:49AM

The person most interested in accurate readings is yourself, difficult to prove anything without an accurate check at beginning and end of tenancy. Might be worth trying to contact the tenant before you, but don't hold your breath.

molerat · 13 October 2009 at 11:34AM

owen101 wrote: »

but, is it not the professional and legal obligation for the letting agent to take an accurate first had reading. They have got it wrong.

Prove it. If you did not take a reading then how can you prove it. The previous tennant may genuinely not have used much gas. The person with the most responsibility / interest to ensure accurate readings is the bill payer because if they don't bother they end up in excactly this situation.

I'm being billed for gas i didn't use, false reading

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