ESB Connection fee

househero

Just bought a repossessed house...

Its probably disconnected from ESB, is there a reconnect ion fee?

I don't have to pay the old bill do I?..

Luckysasha

No you won't have to pay the old bill it goes with the previous owners. Reconnection is free as long as your putting the bill in your own name. Be careful though some suppliers insist you have an amount of credit built up on your first bill. Think of it as a deposit incase you stop paying your bill.

Davy

Depends how long it has been disconnected, but standard reconnection is €70 + vat for less than 6 months.

For longer:> http://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/domestic-customers/restoring_a_connection.jsp

You are only liable from now, take not of the meter reading and give to the supplier you choose.

leeroybrown

Reconnection is a formality if the house has been disconnected less than six months and relatively easy until 24 months. After that it becomes a costly new connection process. A repossession should be well below that limit though.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Reconnection is a formality if the house has been disconnected less than six months and relatively easy until 24 months. After that it becomes a costly new connection process. A repossession should be well below that limit though.

I think its been empty for at least a year.

Any idea of the fee 6 months +?

Citizenpain

Mine was greater than 6 months , less than 2 years . Cannot remember how expensive it was so it can't have been too bad - had to get an electrician to certify it 100 /150 prob

Edit , just checked .. Electrician was 80 +. Vat for 2 callouts

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

I think its been empty for at least a year.

Any idea of the fee 6 months +?

Not off the top of my head. You need to get an inspection done by a registered electrical contractor but it should only be a modest fee. If there's any chance it's near the 24 month mark get on it straight away because you're looking at real money to get it sorted then.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Not off the top of my head. You need to get an inspection done by a registered electrical contractor but it should only be a modest fee. If there's any chance it's near the 24 month mark get on it straight away because you're looking at real money to get it sorted then.

Yea I was just looking at the requirements which are f retarded. Digging up the live feed. What's the time empty got to do with the cost involved!

Any idea of a 2 year + connection fee??? It may well be 27 months now

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

Yea I was just looking at the requirements which are f retarded. Digging up the live feed. What's the time empty got to do with the cost involved!

Any idea of a 2 year + connection fee??? It may well be 27 months now

Get a cup of tea and sit down. You'll still need to get the registered electrical contractor to do the same inspection but then you'll have to go through the new connection process with planning permission documents, ordinance survey maps, site plans, a site check by ESB networks and possibly remedial works. Your electrical contractor will be able to get a quote but potentially in the €1000-2000 range and two to three weeks to get it all sorted.

I'm only familiar with the process through dealing with building works. Someone who does the work might be able to give more exact detail.

gctest50

€1800

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057227398

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Get a cup of tea and sit down. You'll still need to get the registered electrical contractor to do the same inspection but then you'll have to go through the new connection process with planning permission documents, ordinance survey maps, site plans, a site check by ESB networks and possibly remedial works. Your electrical contractor will be able to get a quote but potentially in the €1000-2000 range and two to three weeks to get it all sorted.

I'm only familiar with the process through dealing with building works. Someone who does the work might be able to give more exact detail.

Found the fees list €1800 for ESB alone! There not doing anything!!! Poles there, consumer unit connected. What could have happened in 2 years that couldn't have happened in 6 months? Sickened.

http://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/commercial-downloads/ESB-networks-ltd-statement-of-charges.pdf

leeroybrown

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Quite a lot of people seem to be getting caught out by this with vacant/repossessed/unfinished houses and no one else involved in the sale wants to mention the elephant in the room.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Quite a lot of people seem to be getting caught out by this with vacant/repossessed/unfinished houses and no one else involved in the sale wants to mention the elephant in the room.

That's OK, really appreciate the info Lee Roy, better to know now I guess.

Really surprised that it costs the same to reconnect a house 2 years + disconnected house with no extra esb work... or install 3 poles and run the wire to a brand new house. That must be some kind of consumer con,

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Quite a lot of people seem to be getting caught out by this with vacant/repossessed/unfinished houses and no one else involved in the sale wants to mention the elephant in the room.

Any idea about water reconnect ion??? I hope I don't have to do this, but just in case GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL LAZIO!

Haha sorry distracted there

leeroybrown

Actually, having the electricians and equipment to install those poles, do the wiring and having to deal with all the bureaucracy around it is expensive business, and one being provided by an organisation that's hardly known for keeping it's costs down. People reconnecting houses where almost no additional work is needed are really seeing the bad side of the averaged costs.

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

Any idea about water reconnect ion??? I hope I don't have to do this, but just in case GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL LAZIO!

Haha sorry distracted there

Water should be fine. The original connection fees (and development contributions if applicable) should stand and so long as water flows once the stop cock is opened then you shouldn't have any extra costs there.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Actually, having the electricians and equipment to install those poles, do the wiring and having to deal with all the bureaucracy around it is expensive business, and one being provided by an organisation that's hardly known for keeping it's costs down. People reconnecting houses where almost no additional work is needed are really seeing the bad side of the averaged costs.

If im being charged for up to 3 poles, thats what i expect... Might chop the old poles down as fire wood. Get my monies worth hahaha.

The house has been empty for 27 months, I'm still hoping it wasn't disconnected straight away ... can I just call ESB and check?

Citizenpain

If you ring any of the electricity providers with the mprn they should tell you

leeroybrown

Yeah. Just get the MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) from the house and ring a supplier about connecting. They'll tell you what your situation is. Fingers crossed.

househero

Citizenpain wrote: »

If you ring any of the electricity providers with the mprn they should tell you

I don't have the MPRN. Its repossessed... in fact it doesn't have radiators, boiler, tank or doors hahaha.

Citizenpain

househero wrote: »

I don't have the MPRN. Its repossessed... in fact it doesn't have radiators, boiler, tank or doors hahaha.

Open the meter box . Prob written inside it,,, or using the address might work .

househero

Thanks. This looks like a nightmare in waiting.

I know the old owners name, as its a country house, the address is vague...

House
In a field
opposite another field
no postcode
Ireland

Citizenpain

househero wrote: »

Thanks. This looks like a nightmare in waiting.

I know the old owners name, as its a country house, the address is vague...

House
In a field
opposite another field
no postcode
Ireland

Mine was similar ... And a bank sale too ,, but it was written down inside the meter box ... Mind you ; I checked all this before buying. !!! And it was still a nightmare !!

househero

Citizenpain wrote: »

Mine was similar ... And a bank sale too ,, but it was written down inside the meter box ... Mind you ; I checked all this before buying. !!! And it was still a nightmare !!

Haha. Filling me full of confidence :-)

Thanks for the help Citizen. We haven't exchanged contracts yet (next week) I'm trying to do a full costings... lots of unexpected hidden costs on this 'bargain'

Citizenpain

househero wrote: »

Haha. Filling me full of confidence :-)

Thanks for the help Citizen. We haven't exchanged contracts yet (next week) I'm trying to do a full costings... lots of unexpected hidden costs on this 'bargain'

Get a decent engineer to survey it ..

Check that sewer pipes don't have lots of rod marks

Make sure council contribution was paid

Make sure it's built according to the plans approved. .. Planing apps are usually available online

Maybe pay a visit to the construction forum


You'll be grand !

househero

Citizenpain wrote: »

Get a decent engineer to survey it ..

Check that sewer pipes don't have lots of rod marks

Make sure council contribution was paid

Make sure it's built according to the plans approved. .. Planing apps are usually available online

Maybe pay a visit to the construction forum


You'll be grand !

Haha more like it. Thanks.

Bloke living in it only lasted a few months before living somewhere with err less freedom. House next door is identical, looks spot in, nice neighbors, no problems. One of the few not repo'd from a developer. What council contribution???

Citizenpain

when granting a planning permission there are usually conditions requiring the payment of a contribution.
This contribution is for public infrastructure and facilities in the area of the planning authority

you should be able to see if it was paid online in the co co planning website

househero

Citizenpain wrote: »

when granting a planning permission there are usually conditions requiring the payment of a contribution.
This contribution is for public infrastructure and facilities in the area of the planning authority

you should be able to see if it was paid online in the co co planning website

I reckon that one will be all right, as its already been sold to a private individual before me...unless he had a muppet of a solicitor.

househero

Citizenpain wrote: »

when granting a planning permission there are usually conditions requiring the payment of a contribution.
This contribution is for public infrastructure and facilities in the area of the planning authority

you should be able to see if it was paid online in the co co planning website

Nearly 10,000 unpaid (sickened)

Does that mean I'm supposed to pay?

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

Nearly 10,000 unpaid (sickened)

Does that mean I'm supposed to pay?

There's a lot of ongoing issues with this due to bankrupt developers who never paid the levies before selling the houses. The outstanding total is over €500m nationally. I'm not going to claim any expertise in the area but I will say that County Councils have been trying to take actions against homeowners but that the transferability of the levies as part of a house sale may still be untested legally. The development levies will have been a condition of planning condition so the Council may argue that your house has no planning if they haven't been paid (regardless of who should have paid them) and subject you to an enforcement notice. Get some good legal advice fast.

Citizenpain

househero wrote: »

Nearly 10,000 unpaid (sickened)

Does that mean I'm supposed to pay?

You havnt signed contracts ? Go talk to your solicitor ! Try and renotiate

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

Haha. Filling me full of confidence :-)

Thanks for the help Citizen. We haven't exchanged contracts yet (next week) I'm trying to do a full costings... lots of unexpected hidden costs on this 'bargain'

I just saw this. This is your main bargaining chip. Unless you're actually getting a bargain you may need to stall it as "sale agreed", drop your offer and be willing to walk away unconditionally if they don't deal. Never be afraid to lose a small sum to walk away if you're not satisfied.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

The development levies will have been a condition of planning condition so the Council may argue that your house has no planning if they haven't been paid (regardless of who should have paid them) and subject you to an enforcement notice..

That's exactly what they are saying.

After wx council didn't get the funds for 5 years from the original developer (it was HIS bill first, right???) Then the first owner didn't pay up and the council didn't get the money out of him for the last 4 years.... now I'm supposed to pay???

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

That's exactly what they are saying.

After wx council didn't get the funds for 5 years from the original developer (it was HIS bill first, right???) Then the first owner didn't pay up and the council didn't get the money out of him for the last 4 years.... now I'm supposed to pay???

Pretty much. The problem from my viewpoint is that even if the courts were to decide you don't owe the money you still have a mire of planning problems with the legally liable party bankrupt along the way. The Councils have all been squeezed for funds by the economic situation and one of the big elephants in the room was unpaid development levies. They've been told by Government to go collect that €500m+ if they need money. It's a mess.

Personally, I'd be looking at really good deal to sort this out or else I'd walk. You've probably heard this loads of times but once you've decided on suitability the financial side of buying a house has to be the most unemotional thing you do.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

Pretty much. The problem from my viewpoint is that even if the courts were to decide you don't owe the money you still have a mire of planning problems with the legally liable party bankrupt along the way. The Councils have all been squeezed for funds by the economic situation and one of the big elephants in the room was unpaid development levies. They've been told by Government to go collect that €500m+ if they need money. It's a mess.

Personally, I'd be looking at really good deal to sort this out or else I'd walk. You've probably heard this loads of times but once you've decided on suitability the financial side of buying a house has to be the most unemotional thing you do.

Done some reading...

With the new 2013 planning rules that came in to place with lower fees, if the house was built today. The planning contributions would be half of the amount owed.

The house was built together with another house, 2 detached houses. 2 identical houses On the one planning application.

I assume, as the fees for the planning permission are unpaid that this also renders the other house as planning permission 'non complicant' too?

leeroybrown

househero wrote: »

I assume, as the fees for the planning permission are unpaid that this also renders the other house as planning permission 'non complicant' too?

The levies are supposed to be paid prior to development commencing so I think it'll fall into a grey area but if the other owner paid then the Council will likely be pretty quick to declare them compliant with planning once they produce a receipt. If the council were to decide to pursue it aggressively you'd find yourself in a situation where the potential legal costs could far outweigh the levy itself. You'll have to get your solicitor to look at it in detail if you do decide to continue with the purchase.

padraig.od

Is Lionel Hutz your solicitor? How did you miss all of this?

househero

padraig.od wrote: »

Is Lionel Hutz your solicitor? How did you miss all of this?

Miss what exactly. We havnt signed anything yet. We did pay a lot of money to find these things out though. Things that would normally not be an issue with a private sale, as it would be the sellers responsibility.

househero

leeroybrown wrote: »

I think it'll fall into a grey area but if the other owner (neighbour on the same planning application) paid then the Council will likely be pretty quick to declare them compliant with planning once they produce a receipt.

Haha sounds about right, forget the law.

We're going to the Sol to try and get the bank to accept paying the outstanding sum as a condition of sale.

Found out how much the bank was owed, our offer is enough to cover the outstanding debt of the original owner, the household charge, property tax and planning contributions. If they wont accept that, were not buying.

Im not happy about paying 2 other peoples Tax bill.