Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Esb in landlord's wifes name

Options
  • 24-02-2021 11:17pm
    #1
    yamaha4life
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭


    I noticed that it was stated on another thread that tenants get to choose supplier and im interested in that as im a tenant and got no choice and its not in my name.its in my landlord's wife's name.

    The landlord basically forced a pay as you go meter on me and to add insult to injury there was an outstanding amount tagged onto it. They were using the supply from this house while renovating next door before i moved in.

    Also never got a top up card so its very awkward to go into the shop and try rattling off a big long number everytime it needs topping up.

    Final thing is cant even ring to query anything as not my name on account.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,850 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Get the MPRN and call up a supplier of your choice to change to. They can either use the existing meter or get it put in to bypass mode. You will likely have to give a deposit as a tenant.

    MPRN should be on the BER that you should have got... Or ESB Networks can find it for you based on address and meter number

    Start a RTB dispute over the outstanding sum that was never your responsibility, that is assuming they refuse to just pay it back.


  • Options
    #3
    Sparkey84
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭Sparkey84


    lived in a house share years ago with a really low iq person, she would turn on immersion at 9pm and leave on for 10hours so as to have hot water in morning. this happened every night and we never found out why she did it as the shower was electric. but anyway long storey short when the €700 bills came the housemate who had the name on account got advice and at the time there was no set responsibility for the landlord to supply esb account, they could if both parties agreed in the contract but Tennant would have to agree. what is in your contract?


  • Options
    #4
    yamaha4life
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭yamaha4life


    L1011 wrote: »
    Get the MPRN and call up a supplier of your choice to change to. They can either use the existing meter or get it put in to bypass mode. You will likely have to give a deposit as a tenant.

    MPRN should be on the BER that you should have got... Or ESB Networks can find it for you based on address and meter number

    Start a RTB dispute over the outstanding sum that was never your responsibility, that is assuming they refuse to just pay it back.

    Thanks for your reply.

    When this happened I informed the LL and they agreed to pay €100 of the €196 odd that was left as we topped up the meter and it knocked off some of it.

    He did say when moving in he would cover the outstanding but didn't and probably thought wouldn't know or notice the outstanding balance.

    Was not long moved in so would never have racked up €100 in short time but didnt want to start off on the wrong foot so just paid off the other half.

    Didn't receive BER thing is that to do with insulation?

    Im somewhat worried the landlord will have a negative reaction if i do this but that said the electric Ireland PAYG is costing me just have it compared to a normal bi monthly bill


  • Options
    #5
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,850 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    A BER cert gives a rating for energy efficiency and is legally required for all rental and sales ads for years now.

    The landlord may have a negative reaction but they cannot stop it. Physically removing or changing a meter is another story but bypass mode on a modern prepay is no issue


  • Options
    #6
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,919 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    yamaha4life wrote:
    The landlord basically forced a pay as you go meter on me and to add insult to injury there was an outstanding amount tagged onto it. They were using the supply from this house while renovating next door before i moved in.


    I love the idea behind these meters. They could be wonderful things but in reality they just are a rip off


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    yamaha4life
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭yamaha4life


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    I love the idea behind these meters. They could be wonderful things but in reality they just are a rip off

    Yeah a friend of mine put up on facebook that you pay something like €500 extra a year because its pay as you go, i have a screen shot of it somewhere ill see if i can dig it up


  • Options
    #8
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,919 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    yamaha4life wrote: »
    Yeah a friend of mine put up on facebook that you pay something like €500 extra a year because its pay as you go, i have a screen shot of it somewhere ill see if i can dig it up




    They have an extra daily standing charge I believe. Leave 10 euro credit on it, turn the power totally off & go away for a few days. Get home & you have no credit left


    The idea behind them of having one less bill to worry about is brilliant but unfortunately greed set in making them a terrible idea for anyone


  • Options
    #9
    1874
    Registered Users Posts: 2,382 ✭✭✭1874


    yamaha4life wrote: »
    Yeah a friend of mine put up on facebook that you pay something like €500 extra a year because its pay as you go, i have a screen shot of it somewhere ill see if i can dig it up


    Your friend? have they got facts? I wouldnt read too much into whats posted on FB, so screenshots of such are pretty much useless without facts,

    Just look at the costs per kwh for electricity by pre pay meter and compare to the options for bill pay.
    I used to have a pre paid meter previously when it was in place froma previous occupant, and it was not significantly dearer than the cost of post paid billing. When topping up, some shops would charge you more for a top up, some less, others not at all.


    It is different though if you get a meter prepaid off EI (or possibly even Bord Gaid) compared to say Prepaypower, who I recal when looking into the options are a rip off, so it depends on who you are with, how much electricity you use, how often top ups are.


    Prepaid meters suit some people, because they know it costs so much to run and they top that up in set amounts rather than get hit with a bill a month or months later when the money is spent and then they have to dig deep to pay it off.


    I cant recal how it decremented, but they didnt cut you off if you ran low and I dont think they took the standing charge which came off as a daily amount, when you went low in credit. I think the standing charge might be deducted daily, it might be slightly more, but I dont think there is an extra cost related to a standing charge compared to any other set up. I did have a card and they would barcode it or stick it in another machine to top up, cant recal specifically as its been a while, actually thinking about it now, my Bord gais, gas meter you could insert the card and press a button to top up, my electric meter I think you had to type in *the code*, automatic/remote top ups would have been good imo,


    My only gripe was not being able to set the card/account up online for a top up, or being able to tie in remotely by an app to see how much credit was left (obviously the meters cant do this, but it would be a good feature) as I had to go to the local shop weekly specifically to top up, which was a pain imo, otherwise I might have stuck with it ok.



    Id be more concerned about the billing being in someone elses name,


  • Options
    #10
    yamaha4life
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭yamaha4life


    1874 wrote: »
    Your friend? have they got facts? I wouldnt read too much into whats posted on FB, so screenshots of such are pretty much useless without facts,

    Well said Friend is an auctioneer, the post I screenshot was about the difference in extra cost of prepay providers.

    The landlord stated reason for prepay was he didnt want a bill left behind when the house was moved out of whenever that would be.

    I have no top up card been asking the landlord to sort one approx 14 months now but havent received one, can't really ring for one as accounts not in my name.

    This photo is a screenshot from a quick google.


  • Options
    #11
    1874
    Registered Users Posts: 2,382 ✭✭✭1874


    yamaha4life wrote: »
    Well said Friend is an auctioneer, the post I screenshot was about the difference in extra cost of prepay providers.

    The landlord stated reason for prepay was he didnt want a bill left behind when the house was moved out of whenever that would be.

    I have no top up card been asking the landlord to sort one approx 14 months now but havent received one, can't really ring for one as accounts not in my name.

    This photo is a screenshot from a quick google.


    No offence, but that means zilch to me, Auctioneers have no specific qualification to give advice on energy imo, Im not getting into a discussion on my opinion of auctioneers, so I'll leave that at that.
    That screenshot re-iterates what I said about prepaypower though, I did have pre pay with EI for electric and Bord gas for gas and while there is a difference, it can suit some for reasons I already mentioned. What that post does is compare cost overall with discounts to actual prices.
    I prefer to be with an established provider EI or BG, I was with another provider for post bill pay and it was a nuisance, incorrect billing, no bills, then huge bills someone else, customer service was horrific, not whoever BE that are highlighted in the screenshot, so cheapest isnt always best.
    I just checked Bonkers.ie and I cant even see them anymore (actually they were called Just energy, nightmare)


    You have answered the question yourself, check bonkers.ie, input what your usage/cost is and see whats the best, the more accurate the information you provide, the more accurate the result will be imo. IMO an apparently really cheap deal can works out a marginal difference ocerall in my experience and a start up or barely known company can be more hassle to deal with then their bargain prices suggest (like Just energy, who a quick search of other reviews remind me how terrible they were to deal with)


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    MacDanger
    Registered Users Posts: 2,388 ✭✭✭MacDanger


    yamaha4life wrote: »
    Well said Friend is an auctioneer, the post I screenshot was about the difference in extra cost of prepay providers.

    The landlord stated reason for prepay was he didnt want a bill left behind when the house was moved out of whenever that would be.

    I have no top up card been asking the landlord to sort one approx 14 months now but havent received one, can't really ring for one as accounts not in my name.

    This photo is a screenshot from a quick google.

    That screenshot is from Bonkers.ie so you'd expect it to be correct


  • Options
    #13
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,318 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Prepay charge an additional 167 a year service charge I top of the standing charge. The PSO levy is the same the unit costs are pretty similar, however you don’t receive the discount that others providers give to customers


  • Options
    #14
    1874
    Registered Users Posts: 2,382 ✭✭✭1874


    ted1 wrote: »
    Prepay charge an additional 167 a year service charge I top of the standing charge. The PSO levy is the same the unit costs are pretty similar, however you don’t receive the discount that others providers give to customers


    Having had prepay (with BG and EI) Id have thought its something more like that, (Im not even certain Bord Gais is dearer as prepay),


    Some people may want prepay as a matter of choice, others use it because they feel they can manage their bills better.
    I feel that the same benefits and costs/kwh should be offered to prepay, because its likely some people need to use it to manage a lower cash flow or because they arent as good at managing money, I used it because it was in place when I moved in and because I think there was a cost associated with changing back one of the meters, so I just stuck with it, personally there were some downsides, but I totted it up and the benefits for changing were marginal in my calculation by the time I paid for changing the meter.

    The main benefits not available are the sign up discounts, which I think it is unfair cant be offered, that said €167 is a small premium to pay for the benefits imo.


Advertisement