€800 Bill from ESB for an apartment!!!

Xandra · 07-05-2010 09:50AM #1

We are 2 people living in 2-bedroom-apartment. We've just move in 28th Jan 2010. There's a change in management company during the period we moved in, so the bills hadn't been changed to our names once we moved in. We didn't realize about this until we still received bills in the old tenants' names in March.

Therefore, I gave those bills, from BordGas and ESB, to management office to sort them out as the bills had charged back since October, 2009 for the gas bill, and since December, 2009 for electric bill. It seems when the old tenants moved out, no one pay the bills ever since. Even though this electric bills are in Direct Debit, but I don't think the old tenants still pay them.

For the gas bill, we've received the letter to pay deposit in the middle of April. However, it seems our management company forgot to sort out ESB bill for us. Yesterday I've received this shocking amount of bill in the old tenant's name. I think this number is impossible. The old ESB bill that I gave to management in March was only about 100 euro and something.

When I found the bill yesterday, it was too late to call ESB. I went to management office this morning. They said they will sort out about the bill isn't in my name, but they are not sure if they can do anything with the €889.74 in the bill since 24 Feb- 27 Apr we already in the house.

Now, what should I do? Is it possible that since no one pay the bill, the previous meter reading is back 6 months ago? Anyone experienced this before? We are happy to pay the bill for all the period that we live in the house, but not €800!!!

wyndham · 07-05-2010 09:54AM

Do you have a meter reading from when you moved in? Looks like the meter hadn't been read in a long time.

D3PO · 07-05-2010 09:55AM

i see the last bill was estimated. Surely you took a meter reading when moving in and rang it through to the ESB ???

Elliee · 07-05-2010 09:56AM

That bill is estimated also OP

Jarren · 07-05-2010 09:57AM

The bill is not in your name...so what is the problem?

https://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/residential/your_account/mimo/existing_a.jsp

Xandra · 07-05-2010 10:01AM

Sorry, I don't have the meter reading

. We've just relocated to Ireland in January, 2010. It's our first time in this Republic. I have no idea about meter reading. Yesterday, I found online about meter reading. However, I can't find where is my meter. I live in big building apartment complex, more than 8 floors with underground parking. I try to find the meter inside my room and in the area in front of my room, still no idea where is the meter.

Xandra · 07-05-2010 10:06AM

It is quite a problem because I move in since 28 Jan 2010. I am not sure if ESB will charge the management company this amount of bill, and the management company will charge us this money too. I tried filling in the form online too, but I can't finish since I can't find the meter.

For the gas bill, that management company sorted out for us with €17.xx charged for the period that we are in.

ZYX · 07-05-2010 10:21AM

Don't worry too much. The bill is not your problem as it is not in your name. The management company should have taken meter readings and sent them to ESB. They did not do that by the looks of it. You will have to pay your share of it but that will have to be estimated. You know your meter reading from bill date ie 21447. In a months time you can take another meter reading and use this to estimate your liability for last 2 months.

The main thing is this is not your problem. You will need to be reasonable about it but it is for management company to sort out. Do not let them bully you.

pooch90 · 07-05-2010 10:56AM

Xandra wrote: »

Sorry, I don't have the meter reading . We've just relocated to Ireland in January, 2010. It's our first time in this Republic. I have no idea about meter reading. Yesterday, I found online about meter reading. However, I can't find where is my meter. I live in big building apartment complex, more than 8 floors with underground parking. I try to find the meter inside my room and in the area in front of my room, still no idea where is the meter.

All the meters are probably in a central room to which I'd doubt you have access. Check with the management company if you like but that horse has bolted - though it would be worth your while reading your meter once a week for the next few weeks so that if push comes to shove you may be able to guesstimate your own usage if it comes to that.

As long as the bill is in the previous tenants name though get onto the landlord and let him pay it as your only responsible for the power you have used. If they get sticky then try the residential tenancies board for proper advice as I'm sure your position isn't unique.

bladebrew · 07-05-2010 04:51PM

that is crazy!!

for my last bill in a one bed apartment we used 438 units, your bill is showing usage of 5447:eek: it must be a mistake,

unless the previous tenant was up to something and was running up bills that size every month,

ted1 · 10-05-2010 06:15PM

it shouldn't really involve the mangment company... ring the esb and explain the situation. tell them you 'll pay en estimated bill from the date you moved in based on similar aprtments in the complex.

Ste.phen · 10-05-2010 06:43PM

bladebrew wrote: »

that is crazy!!

for my last bill in a one bed apartment we used 438 units, your bill is showing usage of 5447:eek: it must be a mistake,

unless the previous tenant was up to something and was running up bills that size every month,

It's much more likely the previous tenant was paying estimated bills the entire time they were there and only recently has the ESB been given access to read the meters

ilovesleep · 10-05-2010 08:18PM

Op thats awful. i hope you get it sorted out soon.

Im in my apartment about two weeks now and i am dreading my first esb bill. same story as yourself really. i didnt check my meter when i first moved in because i didnt know i'd have to and dont know how to do it either. luckily for me the estate agent sorted it for me and i am hoping to god she sent an up to date meter reading.

Ste.phen wrote: »

It's much more likely the previous tenant was paying estimated bills the entire time they were there and only recently has the ESB been given access to read the meters

thats dreadful! surely thats not the op's responsibility - paying for somebody elses electricity usage.

astrofool · 10-05-2010 08:34PM

Your meter is probably in the basement. Ask the caretaker/concierge to take you down to it for a reading.

Xandra · 11-05-2010 02:54PM

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Now we are out of town, so there's nothing much I can do. I will be back on next Tuesday. By that time, I hope the management can sort this out. I will update how it comes out. I will also ask them where exactly the meter is.

I think this problem should involve with management company because in the rent contract, there is a statement like "The tenant must not disconnect electric and gas when move out". Therefore, if they don't allow the old tenant to disconnect electric and gas, they should pay for these during the period that the house is unoccupied. Beside, this apartment complex is also available for short-term, daily and weekly, rent. I think there's a possibility that they also rented our room on short-term basis before we move in.

If we just contact ESB and tell them that we will pay only the period that we move in, what will happen to the bill in the old tenant's name? Will his name appear in credit bureau's blacklist for not paying ESB bill? I would not like this thing happen to me when I move out too. That's why the management should responsible for this.

bugler · 12-05-2010 09:01AM

As long as you are willing to pay for the period you were in occupation you have nothing to worry about. Forget about the previous tenant and the bills they may or may not have paid, they have nothing to do with you and never will. I once got a bill for €1200 addressed to a contractor firm who worked in the apartment before it was completed.

Getting access to meters in apartments has always been a pain in my experience, it is a huge annoyance. However, it is good practice when moving in anywhere to ensure the landlord or agent takes a meter reading the day you move in. Do not assume they have done so. This goes for any metered services (Gas and ESB).

All that said, I've had a fair amount of tangles with the ESB and Bord Gais over readings and accounts in my time, and they are able to base things off dates/estimates. I've had to give them dates I moved in and get them to issue bills based off that, which I assume they had to estimate.

I would deal directly with the ESB on this. Forget about the management company (I wonder is this actually the letting agent?). Let the ESB deal with the issue of any previous tenants who may or may not have paid the bill. And you deal with the ESB over the bills that should be charged to you from Jan 28 to the current date. I can't imagine Feb, March and April's ESB bill should amount to more than a couple of hundred euro for an apartment heated by gas.

When you do move out, make sure a meter reading is taken and submitted to ESB/Bord Gais, and inform both these service providers that you are no longer in occupation of these premises from XX date.

Xandra · 12-05-2010 09:00PM

Thank you very much! This management company is a letting agent too, BUT I did not rent from them. They become a new management and letting agent for the building a couple week after I move in.

The letting agent that rented us this apartment told us that he will manage all the bills for us. However, more than 1 month later we still receive the bill in the old tenants' name. When we asked him about this, he told us to contact the new management company directly. The management company told us to bring all those bills to them. That's why we did so.

ZYX · 13-05-2010 09:55AM

Xandra wrote: »

However, more than 1 month later we still receive the bill in the old tenants' name. .

Just a point here. If the letter is not addressed to you why are you opening it? It is not your post you should not open it. Give post unopened to landlord or whoever you pay rent to.

djimi · 15-05-2010 09:00AM

If the bill isnt in your name then its not your account and its not your problem, end of story.

You should have gotten a new account the day you moved in, a meter reading should have been taken by the landlord/letting company and that is your starting point. If you are still receiving bills in the old tenants name then it is the responsibility of the landlord/letting agent and the previous tentants to get it sorted.

tHE vAGGABOND · 15-05-2010 11:18AM

I got stung with a gigantic ESB bill one time in my apartment, and it turned out a girl renting a room from me had the storage heater on in her bedroom, 24/7 - for the two months she was there...

My bill was well over double what it should have been..

So during the cold spell [at the start of your billing period] were you going a bit crazy with heaters on all the time?

Xandra · 15-05-2010 02:57PM

I know that it's not right to open a letter of someone else. However, I am just curious to see how much we will have to pay for the utility bill.

Our friend who moves to live in Ireland at the same time with us, but he stays in other building. Unlike us, he has everything sort out within the first month by the landlord.

For the heater, our apartment has central heating system. We set the timer to turn on the heater only 10-12 hrs per day everyday. But the heater isn't the bordgais bill?

Xandra · 19-05-2010 03:43PM

Today I went to talk with the management. It turns out that I accidentally leave the switch of the big boiler on all the time which can cause big amount of electric bill.

We also go to check the meter. It's in a room on the ground floor, only management can access. The meter reading for today, 19 May, is 22448. The last meter reading, 27 APR, from the bill that ESB sent is 21447.

22448-21447= 1001 units in 3 week-times. With €0.1410 per unit, it would cost €141.141 for 3 weeks.:eek: Therefore, the price for 2 months should be around €400-500.

I guess I have to pay, but I hope they will give me some discount as the rate they charge me is estimated.:(

D3PO · 19-05-2010 03:54PM

sounds like you left the immersion on constantly. No wonder it was so high !!!

That eats up money. Only leave it on long enough to heat the water then turn it off ASAP !! your gonna have to pay the bill then Im afraid.

€800 Bill from ESB for an apartment!!!

Comments