esb issue freaking me out

Koran

Sup guys, hoping i could get some advice/experience.
Basically over a year ago i was living with a mate o mine for while and he screwed me over pretty bad, moved out, left me with rent i couldent handle, pretty sucky.

Anyways i am about to move outta home again where i have been living since that horrid experience and he turns round and tells me he had the esb in my name and there might be arrears! i told my new future landlord i never had an account with them before!

Will the esb know im the same guy? All i gave my landlord was my name and Date of birth he said its all he would need to make the switch and the bank details were up too me. Its just i am worried because the landlord is making the switch, what will he think if he rings up the esb to find i may have arrears? will the esb tell him, will they know its me? It's just i have no intention of paying for something that was in my name and i had no idea unless its absolutely necessary.
Cheers lads.

Head The Wall

Koran wrote: »

Sup guys, hoping i could get some advice/experience.
Basically over a year ago i was living with a mate o mine for while and he screwed me over pretty bad, moved out, left me with rent i couldent handle, pretty sucky.

Anyways i am about to move outta home again where i have been living since that horrid experience and he turns round and tells me he had the esb in my name and there might be arrears! i told my new future landlord i never had an account with them before!

Will the esb know im the same guy? All i gave my landlord was my name and Date of birth he said its all he would need to make the switch and the bank details were up too me. Its just i am worried because the landlord is making the switch, what will he think if he rings up the esb to find i may have arrears? will the esb tell him, will they know its me? It's just i have no intention of paying for something that was in my name and i had no idea unless its absolutely necessary.
Cheers lads.

There shouldn't be an issue but why not go woith Airtricity or Bord Gais. They are both cheaper

Koran

well my landlord is the one putting my name on the account and the idea of switching provider did occur too me aswell but if he wants too handle it i will let him of course and perhaps switch at a later date.

My main point of concern would be if the esb told my future land lord that i was somehow untrustworthy despite the fact it wasn't my fault. But as i said in the previous post, all they have is my name and D.o.B so would that possibly be an issue or?

Thanks for the reply much appreciated.
Koran.

Thoie

Koran wrote: »

My main point of concern would be if the esb told my future land lord that i was somehow untrustworthy

The ESB would not be at liberty to discuss your personal details or account information with anyone other than you. If they link you with the other bill, they could hit you with the arrears as soon as they have your new address, but that would be between you and them, and nothing to do with the landlord.

FunnyStuff

Also your 'friend' sounds like a dick, if ESB pins huge arrears bill on you, glue his head to the carpet and kick him till he stops moving.

the_syco

FunnyStuff wrote: »

Also your 'friend' sounds like a dick, if ESB pins huge arrears bill on you, glue his head to the carpet and kick him till he stops moving.

More or less agree. As said, ESB will probably have you on their file, and thus need you to pay a big deposit up front, to ensure you don't do it again. I'd het legal advise if I were you regarding the tard, as this may bite you in the ass in the future.

Koran

Hey guys, thanks for the replies, advice is much appreciated when i get stressed :P.

But ya meeting the landlord later today so if there were any problems with the switch I am sure he will let me know and give me the chance to explain but as you said my account isn't accesible to him so thats a load off and i won't come off as a scumbag.

In relation to this "friend" of mine i have told him if i do get arrears in my name he will be the one coughing up either money or his insides to cover it. I just don't appreciate being used by useless people as a bloody scapegoat, really freaked my out for a bit and now more so angry. I honestly thought i was gonna lose a really nice place cus of him and my seeking legal advice about this isn't a bad idea.

Will see how it goes sure and thanks again lads.
Later

dudara

FunnyStuff wrote: »

Also your 'friend' sounds like a dick, if ESB pins huge arrears bill on you, glue his head to the carpet and kick him till he stops moving.

Infracted - please do not advocate violent behaviour. It simply isn't funny.

dudara

foggy_lad

dont mention your previous address to the esb at all and if they ask for a previous address dont give your home address as they will most likely have this on file for the account with the arrears, give some address of a flat or bedsit. but just remember if the esb do link you to the account in the future you may well be forced to pay all the arrears.

Del2005

foggy_lad wrote: »

dont mention your previous address to the esb at all and if they ask for a previous address dont give your home address as they will most likely have this on file for the account with the arrears, give some address of a flat or bedsit. but just remember if the esb do link you to the account in the future you may well be forced to pay all the arrears.

Can the OP not just play dumb and say it wasn't me? I doubt their "friend" had access to their bank account details, for DD payments, so unless they have a totally unique name how will the ESB be able to prove that the OP had the account?

the_syco

Del2005 wrote: »

Can the OP not just play dumb and say it wasn't me? I doubt their "friend" had access to their bank account details, for DD payments, so unless they have a totally unique name how will the ESB be able to prove that the OP had the account?

Name and address. It's more of a case of the OP proving it wasn't him, than the ESB proving it was. I'm sure the courts have often heard "it was my friend"... heck, the OP would have to proof his mate ever lived in the place. Did his mate get any bills that didn't have the OP's name on it?

Profiler

Koran wrote: »

he turns round and tells me he had the esb in my name and there might be arrears!

I could be wrong here but to put an ESB account anyone's name there would have to be a contract signed.

From what you've said there your "mate" has committed fraud in setting up the ESB account.

If I were you and if you need to I would try and get a copy of what was signed and prove that it wasn't you who signed the contract.

Del2005

the_syco wrote: »

Name and address. It's more of a case of the OP proving it wasn't him, than the ESB proving it was. I'm sure the courts have often heard "it was my friend"... heck, the OP would have to proof his mate ever lived in the place. Did his mate get any bills that didn't have the OP's name on it?

If my name is John Doe and I'm moving into 123 Sea Road, Dublin 4 I'd have to prove I wasn't John Doe from 5 Somewhere, Dublin 12 that owes the ESB money The ESB can't lump someone else's debt onto anyone they please.

The OP claims that the account was set up without their consent, it's the ESB's fault that they allow people to set up accounts without proper ID checks, they can't then pick someone with a similar name and just say you owe us €x amount of money and you don't get electricity till you prove beyond doubt that you don't.

the_syco

Profiler wrote: »

From what you've said there your "mate" has committed fraud in setting up the ESB account.

If I were you and if you need to I would try and get a copy of what was signed and prove that it wasn't you who signed the contract.

Agreed.

Del2005 wrote: »

If my name is John Doe and I'm moving into 123 Sea Road, Dublin 4 I'd have to prove I wasn't John Doe from 5 Somewhere, Dublin 12 that owes the ESB money The ESB can't lump someone else's debt onto anyone they please.

If John Doe lived at 123 Sea Road, Dublin 14, and his mate put his name down for the ESB bills whilst John Doe lived there, unless John Doe has proof that his mate lived there, I'd be tempted to say "pull the other one" to John Doe, when he says it wasn't him who didn't pay the bills.