Can landlord (agency) sign me up with an electricity company?

7Tdriver

Here is my situation I have moved into an apartment 4 months ago and Ive been putting of to sign up to electricity due to personal issues over the time. Over this period I have received a bill on my name and today a call form the electricity company demanding to pay the bill which is obviously understanding and fair its my own fault not paying it in time. The actual issue for me now is that I highly disbelieve that landlord has the right to sign me up with an electricity company as that is first of all signing under my behalf and giving away my personal data over to a third party. Anyone can shed some light on this please?

The_Morrigan

Did you expect the landlord to pay the electricity on your behalf for the last 4 months?

7Tdriver

The_Morrigan wrote: »

Did you expect the landlord to pay the electricity on your behalf for the last 4 months?

No, that would be extremely unexpected. Please only sensible responses if you have nothign to do and have no knowledge to contribute to the thread please just ignore it thanks. I seek for advise not comedy or comedians. Thanks.

Deenie123

You may have had some claim if you addressed it immediately, but tbh, you accepted the situation without quibble for months and are only objecting now that you're being chased for payment. Did you use electricity in the meantime?

The_Morrigan

7Tdriver wrote: »

No, that would be extremely unexpected. Please only sensible responses if you have nothign to do and have no knowledge to contribute to the thread please just ignore it thanks. I seek for advise not comedy or comedians. Thanks.

Mod:
7Tdriver, watch your tone
This is a public forum and anyone may contribute, unless a moderator, cmod or admin says otherwise.
/Mod


My question was valid - you moved into a new apartment and the the bills would have been transferred into your name by the landlord or the agent. If you wished to change providers you could have done, but just using the utilities and ignoring the bills was not going to end well. What did you expect would happen by not having the bills in your name for those four months while you used the supply?

7Tdriver

Deenie123 wrote: »

You may have had some claim if you addressed it immediately, but tbh, you accepted the situation without quibble for months and are only objecting now that you're being chased for payment. Did you use electricity in the meantime?

Yes I have used it, received two bills. No problem paying etc. It just that I can not believe that my personal information including my mobile number can be passed on to third party and a contract can be signed on my behalf. No real objections to paying the bills etc. at all. Just an issue with data protection to be honest at this point. When I asked the electricity company who signed me up with this particular company I had no response to that quarie.

Deenie123

Anything in your lease about it?

Humour Me

Having just moved and changed the Esb account to my name, I can confirm that all the landlord needed to do was give your name. He wouldn't have signed any documentation, just confirmed the date the last tenant left with a meter reading and the name of the new tenant who took over.

If you wanted to change electricity suppliers, you would need to sign documentation but in this case you have just taken over the existing account.

Caliden

Personally I think you're in the wrong section and seem to be looking for legal advice.

It's a discussion board so unless a moderator advises otherwise you can't expect posters to make replies that only contain what you want to hear.

You used electricity for 4 months without bothering to sign up to an electric company.


When I leave accommodation I notify the company that I've left and sign it back to the landlord so I'm not exactly surprised that the landlord in this case has done the reverse. (more than likely after getting a call asking why the bill has yet to be paid)

Ken.

If the landlord hadn't signed you up 1 of 2 things would have happened.

1. The landlord would have got the bill.
2. You'd be sitting in the dark.

dharma200

7Tdriver wrote: »

Yes I have used it, received two bills. No problem paying etc. It just that I can not believe that my personal information including my mobile number can be passed on to third party and a contract can be signed on my behalf. No real objections to paying the bills etc. at all. Just an issue with data protection to be honest at this point. When I asked the electricity company who signed me up with this particular company I had no response to that quarie.

no contract is signed. The landlord passes details on, it has happened to me.. some landlords insist that they do it to stop people not signing up in time and using the suply (like you have done).

In your situation I would be glad, if i intended on paying for my supply then it means they have saved you the hassel.. also there is a 300 euro charge if you do not pay by direct debit, is that included in the bill?

The_Morrigan

Caliden wrote: »

Personally I think you're in the wrong section and seem to be looking for legal advice.

Mod
Nowhere on boards.ie can you seek legal advice.
/Mod

Greenmachine

Would you be without electricity if the EA/Landlord hadn't signed you up. By the sounds of it you would, if it has taken you 4 months to pay a bill.

7Tdriver

dharma200 wrote: »

no contract is signed. The landlord passes details on, it has happened to me.. some landlords insist that they do it to stop people not signing up in time and using the suply (like you have done).

In your situation I would be glad, if i intended on paying for my supply then it means they have saved you the hassel.. also there is a 300 euro charge if you do not pay by direct debit, is that included in the bill?

Yes deposit charge that is. I am planning to use the means of direct debit so that I do not have to pay such a lump sum which I do not have being a student. I also want to switch providers once I have cleared up this issue and payed the bill too. Just interested in the fact of someone signing for me.

Dial Hard

7Tdriver wrote: »

Just interested in the fact of someone signing for me.

They didn't sign anything for you, just changed the name on the account.

7Tdriver

Humour Me wrote: »

Having just moved and changed the Esb account to my name, I can confirm that all the landlord needed to do was give your name. He wouldn't have signed any documentation, just confirmed the date the last tenant left with a meter reading and the name of the new tenant who took over.

If you wanted to change electricity suppliers, you would need to sign documentation but in this case you have just taken over the existing account.

See this my first time moving out of home I have never been before signed up to any electricity or utility companies in my life. But my rst bill was in the door on my name which I found alarming as I never expected someone to just sign me up always thought you have a choice to choose a provider etc.

7Tdriver

Deenie123 wrote: »

Anything in your lease about it?

Haven't really read through it yet. Must do that but most likely I will just call the letting agency and ask how did this happen without my knowledge.

The_Morrigan

A landlord will always have to have a current provider so that the supply is not turned off between tenancies. Once you moved in the provider would have been given your name. You have the option to switch as you see fit - probably with the exclusion of the prepay options, that will need permission from your landlord as it will require a meter to be installed.

If landlords don't operate this way, there is a delay in getting the service switched back on and hefty charges each time.

Deenie123

7Tdriver wrote: »

Haven't really read through it yet. Must do that but most likely I will just call the letting agency and ask how did this happen without my knowledge.

Right, so you've completely neglected just about all of your obligations other than actually paying rent and moving in.

Go pay your bill. Switch if you want. It's not an issue.

h2005

This is creating an issue for the sake of it. Pay your bill.

7Tdriver

Deenie123 wrote: »

Right, so you've completely neglected just about all of your obligations other than actually paying rent and moving in.

Go pay your bill. Switch if you want. It's not an issue.

The issue is DATA PROTECTION if you are aware of it at all. I did not come to the forum for advise on how to pay bills on time. I came here so see if landlords have the right to sign contracts on behalf of you or pass on information to third party's specially phone numbers.

RossieMan

Is it student apartments you're living in?

Doesn't really have much value, just would like to know more info.

You sound very naive though, how else would you get Electric for 4 months? and not read your lease yet?

I'd just pay the bill and move on.

Edit: they didn't sign you up to anything, they simply gave your name, as you are the tenant.

7Tdriver

RossieMan wrote: »

Is it student apartments you're living in?

Doesn't really have much value, just would like to know more info.

You sound very naive though, how else would you get Electric for 4 months? and not read your lease yet?

I'd just pay the bill and move on.

Edit: they didn't sign you up to anything, they simply gave your name, as you are the tenant.

Its not classed anymore as a student accommodation, just a regular accommodation to be honest an apartment.

Deenie123

7Tdriver wrote: »

The issue is DATA PROTECTION if you are aware of it at all. I did not come to the forum for advise on how to pay bills on time. I came here so see if landlords have the right to sign contracts on behalf of you or pass on information to third party's specially phone numbers.

Yeah and I asked you if you signed a lease that allowed for that. You signed a lease you didn't bother reading.

Time to move on...

Mrs OBumble

7Tdriver wrote: »

Haven't really read through it yet. Must do that but most likely I will just call the letting agency and ask how did this happen without my knowledge.

I'm trying really hard not to be rude or patronising here, but it sounds like that your parents forgot to teach you a few key life skills.

Things you need to learn include:

1) Never sign a contract without reading it first, and keeping a copy.

2) Sometimes other people do act in your best interests. Anyways consider this as an option before complaining about them. In this case, it sounds like the LL or agency gave your name to the electricity company and this saved you from having to pay a reconnection fee, as well as giving you heat and light for the last four months. Quit beefing about "data protection" and get on with it. If you don't like the company they signed you up to, then change companies.

3) If you raise complaints that are technically justified but practically not, eg complaining to the agency about the they did, then you can expect them to be less helpful when you raise other justified complaints in future. Pick your battles.

7Tdriver

Deenie123 wrote: »

Yeah and I asked you if you signed a lease that allowed for that. You signed a lease you didn't bother reading.

Time to move on...

I highly doubt that you would have red 12 pages of small print or found any other agency or landlord that has any different. Did you read all the terms and conditions before you downlaod you apps sign up for facebook, sign up for boards? You must spend a lot for your time reading something that is written in broad terms which is almost impossible to interpret as a straight point as wordings are chosen specifically to mean more than 2 or 3 things in order to mislead the signify party.

7Tdriver

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I'm trying really hard not to be rude or patronising here, but it sounds like that your parents forgot to teach you a few key life skills.

Things you need to learn include:

1) Never sign a contract without reading it first, and keeping a copy.

2) Sometimes other people do act in your best interests. Anyways consider this as an option before complaining about them. In this case, it sounds like the LL or agency gave your name to the electricity company and this saved you from having to pay a reconnection fee, as well as giving you heat and light for the last four months. Quit beefing about "data protection" and get on with it. If you don't like the company they signed you up to, then change companies.

3) If you raise complaints that are technically justified but practically not, eg complaining to the agency about the they did, then you can expect them to be less helpful when you raise other justified complaints in future. Pick your battles.

Sorry the matter of the fact is I have come from humble beginnings and had no parents but thanks. I have no objection to paying any bills but there were persona mitigation factors which had led me to an action where by I had no time to sign up or transfer the provider. I simply wanted to gain understanding as to whether or not landlord agency's have the right to make contracts between me and other providers and also whether they have the right to pass on my personal information.

RossieMan

OP you haven't a leg to stand on here.

You can't even plead ignorance as its pure common sense that bills have to be paid and don't magically go away.

Learn a lesson and stop attacking everyone else when they come back to you with responses you don't want to here.

7Tdriver

Thanks to those you really contributed to the better understanding of my situation. To those whose pass time is being a keyboard worrier or sit in front of the pc without real meaning behind it please find better things to do.

7Tdriver

RossieMan wrote: »

OP you haven't a leg to stand on here.

You can't even plead ignorance as its pure common sense that bills have to be paid and don't magically go away.

Learn a lesson and stop attacking everyone else when they come back to you with responses you don't want to here.

RossieMan I honestly think you have misinterpreted my responses. Thanks thoe for your time your great. Meet me on grinder.

The_Morrigan

7Tdriver - you're done here.

You've already been warned about insulting posters, it will not be tolerated on this forum.

Thread Closed.