Removing bills from my name when leaving

dee_f

Hi

I know I should just ring ESB and Bord Gais tomoro - but just to get an idea - i moved into my rented accommodation at the end of Aug, two others were living in the 3 room apt at the time - both have since moved out and i put the bills in my name. My landlord, whom I never met until a 2 weeks ago has just come along and asked if I would sign a lease for the entire property of €800 a month and could charge what i wanted for the other two rooms, once he got his €800 a month (we had paid €300 a room). he also offered to sell me the place, and suggested he actually didnt know if I ever paid rent cos he has so many properties he cant keep track of them.

I thought about it and the following day I decided to move out - he had asked me to deal with his property people, so I called them. They told me text him and let him know I was moving out. I decided i would leave when my rent was finished - nov 25. He or his property people have not responded to me regarding the bills which I moved into my name. They have however, advertised the place as available immediately, since Monday.

I changed the gas into my name and there is a €400 security deposit due - which I cant afford. So i paid my bill, but now im wondering if i cancel my account does the security deposit follow me?

Also, I signed nothing when I moved in, but did hand over a deposit in cash. The previous tenants just didnt pay their last months rent. Since there is no record of my deposit - what can I do?

I have found another place to live - theres a glut of rental accommodation available thankfully

convert

Most companies require that you give a set period of notice re changing names, normally about 30 days, so I'd contact them immediately and see what the story is.

dee_f

I just checked esb website and its easy to do - just have to put it in the landlords name it seems - the landlord seems like a cowboy so im not sure Im gonna get my deposit back - i dont know if people are coming to view since i think I have all the keys - and he never checked the place after the other tenants left so i dont want to be blamed for problems!

Fnergg

You can cancel your account with ESB Customer Supply at any time - just phone 1850372372 and have your final meter reading. Make sure also you have the landlord's name and telephone number - they will close your account and contact the landlord to get him to take over the account as from the date you left. The main thing is that your liability for the electricity will be terminated and you will get a final bill.

I'd imagine the same applies also to Bord Gais and if you close your account the deposit will not follow you (unless you open an account with them again) - the deposit only applies if you are a current customer.

Regards,

Fnergg

Max Power1

Fnergg wrote: »

You can cancel your account with ESB Customer Supply at any time - just phone 1850372372 and have your final meter reading. Make sure also you have the landlord's name and telephone number - they will close your account and contact the landlord to get him to take over the account as from the date you left. The main thing is that your liability for the electricity will be terminated and you will get a final bill.

I'd imagine the same applies also to Bord Gais and if you close your account the deposit will not follow you (unless you open an account with them again) - the deposit only applies if you are a current customer.

Regards,

Fnergg

Same proc for Bord Gais as Fnergg has quoted above. They will put the a/c backt to the landlords name once his name has been registered on the GPRN before. You will have to request your deposit back (or ask to transfer it to you new address if you have gas there too)

baldyrazor

I'm having awful trouble with Bord Gais at the moment. I moved out of a local authority house 2 months ago through a mutual transfer and rang Bord gais and gave my final reading. They said they would have to put the account into the landlords name so I gave them the town councils name. I also gave them the name of the new tenant. Last week I received a bill for the past two months to my new address. I rang them to see why I was been billed for somebody elses heating. They informed me that it could not be put in the Councils name unless the Council themselves or the new tenant contacted them and that I was liable to pay any bills until that happened. I rang the town council and they informed me that they don't get "involved" in bills. I rang back Bord gais and was told very smartly that its my problem not theirs. I told them since its still in my name I wanted it cut off but they refused to do that because there is a new tenant in the house!!!!! I told them that I wouldn't be paying the bill and they told me to go up to the new tenant and make him ring them in front of me. I told them that I'm not going to force anyone to make a phonecall and why is it up to me to do it, could they not send a letter to "the occupant". I then rang the commission of regulators and they rang bord gais. Bord Gais told him that I never gave them the name of the new tenant and that the complaints department would ring me to resolve it with me. I am still waiting for that phonecall.

So be very wary of Bord Gais!!!

Fnergg

baldyrazor wrote: »

I'm having awful trouble with Bord Gais at the moment. I moved out of a local authority house 2 months ago through a mutual transfer and rang Bord gais and gave my final reading. They said they would have to put the account into the landlords name so I gave them the town councils name. I also gave them the name of the new tenant. Last week I received a bill for the past two months to my new address. I rang them to see why I was been billed for somebody elses heating. They informed me that it could not be put in the Councils name unless the Council themselves or the new tenant contacted them and that I was liable to pay any bills until that happened. I rang the town council and they informed me that they don't get "involved" in bills. I rang back Bord gais and was told very smartly that its my problem not theirs. I told them since its still in my name I wanted it cut off but they refused to do that because there is a new tenant in the house!!!!! I told them that I wouldn't be paying the bill and they told me to go up to the new tenant and make him ring them in front of me. I told them that I'm not going to force anyone to make a phonecall and why is it up to me to do it, could they not send a letter to "the occupant". I then rang the commission of regulators and they rang bord gais. Bord Gais told him that I never gave them the name of the new tenant and that the complaints department would ring me to resolve it with me. I am still waiting for that phonecall.

So be very wary of Bord Gais!!!

This is a very high handed approach by Bord Gais and almost certainly without any legal standing.

You were the customer and you contacted them with your final reading when you wanted your account closed. You provided them with the name of the owner.

How could you possibly be expected to know the name of the new tenant and the ludicrous suggestion that you call to the tenant and get him/her to phone them in your presence beggars belief.

Bord Gais are obliged to terminate your contract without further ado. I would write an email to the CER (energycustomers@cer.ie) with a copy to Bord Gais insisting that they do so.

A friend of mine had a very similar experience with BG when moving house - he's not one to take no for an answer and he eventually got BG to back down when he insisted on speaking to a senior manager.

Regards,

Fnergg

baldyrazor

Fnergg wrote: »

This is a very high handed approach by Bord Gais and almost certainly without any legal standing.

You were the customer and you contacted them with your final reading when you wanted your account closed. You provided them with the name of the owner.

How could you possibly be expected to know the name of the new tenant and the ludicrous suggestion that you call to the tenant and get him/her to phone them in your presence beggars belief.

Bord Gais are obliged to terminate your contract without further ado. I would write an email to the CER (energycustomers@cer.ie) with a copy to Bord Gais insisting that they do so.

A friend of mine had a very similar experience with BG when moving house - he's not one to take no for an answer and he eventually got BG to back down when he insisted on speaking to a senior manager.

Regards,

Fnergg

Phoned Bord Gais again today and hit the same concrete wall even though they told the rep of Commission of Regulators that all I had to do was give the details of the new tenant. I insisted that they go out to the premises and lock the meter and was told they would do that but if the new tenant refused them access that I would incur a call out fee!! I read her out the back of the bill that states the protocol of closing an account which I followed to the letter and asked her to explain to me why they have that on the back of the bill if its not followed by them. I told them that I was getting back in touch with the Commissions of Regulators and would be in contact again in due course. The rep in COR couldn't believe that I had the same crap from them and rang them again on my behalf. I got a phonecall from a senior customer service rep within minutes who took the details of the local authority that own the house. I asked her what would happen then. She told me that if the housing Officer gave the details of the new tenant they would issue me a final bill from my final reading, but if they were not furnished with the details I would continue to be charged until they got access to lock the meter. She was meant to ring me back and let me know either way but I wont hold my breath on that!!!!

If Bord Gais want a fight thats exactly what they'll get coz I can assure you that I haven't got doormat wrote on my forehead!!! I'll keep you up to date on events. Thanks for your info.

Regards
Baldyrazor

Fnergg

baldyrazor wrote: »

Phoned Bord Gais again today and hit the same concrete wall even though they told the rep of Commission of Regulators that all I had to do was give the details of the new tenant. I insisted that they go out to the premises and lock the meter and was told they would do that but if the new tenant refused them access that I would incur a call out fee!! I read her out the back of the bill that states the protocol of closing an account which I followed to the letter and asked her to explain to me why they have that on the back of the bill if its not followed by them. I told them that I was getting back in touch with the Commissions of Regulators and would be in contact again in due course. The rep in COR couldn't believe that I had the same crap from them and rang them again on my behalf. I got a phonecall from a senior customer service rep within minutes who took the details of the local authority that own the house. I asked her what would happen then. She told me that if the housing Officer gave the details of the new tenant they would issue me a final bill from my final reading, but if they were not furnished with the details I would continue to be charged until they got access to lock the meter. She was meant to ring me back and let me know either way but I wont hold my breath on that!!!!

If Bord Gais want a fight thats exactly what they'll get coz I can assure you that I haven't got doormat wrote on my forehead!!! I'll keep you up to date on events. Thanks for your info.

Regards
Baldyrazor

Breathtaking arrogance by Bord Gais.

Make sure you retain all your correspondence and take notes of times and dates of telephone conversations.

I would try to calculate what you owe up to the reading you took when you left and pay that. Email them when you do so and copy CER.

If they still try to pursue you for charges that are not your responsibility make a formal complaint to the CER.

Best of luck.

Regards,

Fnergg

Max Power1

Just to state, BGS should have taken the final reading and transferred the account at the premises into the landlord's name. Then the neww tenant can sign up and the landlord will get a bill for zero.

The company procedure and policy is actually not to allow change over of names from tenant to tenant, so I would mention this if you call again!

baldyrazor

Fnergg wrote: »

Breathtaking arrogance by Bord Gais.

Make sure you retain all your correspondence and take notes of times and dates of telephone conversations.

I would try to calculate what you owe up to the reading you took when you left and pay that. Email them when you do so and copy CER.

If they still try to pursue you for charges that are not your responsibility make a formal complaint to the CER.

Best of luck.

Regards,

Fnergg

Hi there wrote a 3 page letter of complaint and faxed it in to Bord Gais yesterday, and gave them 5 working days to contact me before I sought future legal advice.
To my surprise I got a phonecall back within half an hour. Very apologetic etc. She said she had tried to ring town council and wasnt able to get through to the housing officer at all and she had been told that the housing officer wasnt available til monday. She also said thet she was deferring the meter lock until fri 11th Dec to give her a chance to get in contact with the housing officer. It was made out that this was all doing me a huge favour by sorting it out so I would only have to actually pay what I owe!!!
I received a phonecall later that day saying she had got in contact with the housing Officer (the same one that wouldnt be in the office til monday!) Everything was sorted because the housing officer had verified the new tenant. All I have to pay is the 26 units that I used.

The letter definitely put the skids under them. I dont think they realised I had so much information on them until they read my letter. It just proves the point that they were completely in the wrong in the 1st place.

Hopefully the bill will be a nice little xmas present for the new tenant!!!

Regards
Baldyrazor