Eon Problems

[metermadness]

I would be grateful if anyone could give me any help in dealing with a bizarre situation in regard to Eon.

I own a rental flat which is handled for me by a professional lettings and management company.

There was an eight month rental void in the flat from the beginning of August 2009 until the start of a new tenancy on the 15th April 2010. During this period the flat was untenanted and empty. The first six months of the void period showed normal meter readings for an empty flat, according to Eon. However, they claim that from February 2010 until the start of the new tenancy on 15th April 2010, the meter reading jumped by 10,000 units from a reading of 71,705 on 16th February, to one of 81,725 on 15th April. This is totally impossible. Eon are attempting to charge me over £1000 for this. The meter is an old fashioned mechanical one; not a dial type, but one where the numbers go round separately on wheels.

I first became aware that there was a major problem with Eon last week -early July- when the lettings agents, who had been dealing with Eon over this, contacted me to say they had learnt that my details had been passed by Eon to an external debt collection agency in May. Horrified, I rang Eon, but they were completely unhelpful. I have not had any replies to my email queries and requests for information from Eon. I put in an official complaint to them on 4th July. In addition to this, Eon do not even have the correct address for the flat; the address they have been using is for a nearby block of flats, so it is surprising that any correspondence has arrived at all.

The letting agents dealt with this until recently. They are a local firm, they are impartial, and belong to a professional body. They tell me that they have repeatedly explained to Eon that the flat was totally empty over the period in question, and that this normally satisfies the other utilities when this situation arises. However, they say, Eon was different. From the beginning they were totally intransigent, and seemed intent on collecting the money, whether it was owed or not.

The facts are as follows:

1.The flat was empty from August 2009 - April 2010; there is confirmation of this from myself, the letting agents, and the man who lives in the flat directly beneath.

2. We can provide copies of rental agreements with dates, and confirmation from the council tax office that the flat was empty.

3. No other utility has claimed there was any usage at all during this period, only Eon.

4. The previous tenant, who vacated in August 2009, did not leave any electricity on. This would have shown up in the meter readings. It does not.

5. Letting agents had been conducting viewings at the flat. They confirm it was unoccupied. The flat was immaculate after the first tenant left in August 2009, and it remained so throughout.

I know that the flat was empty over the period in question. I know that the claimed electrical usage did not take place in that flat. Ten thousand units/ a thousand pounds' worth of electricity used in a small empty flat, suddenly, within two months is ridiculous. I know that I am receiving demands for money I do not owe.

The latest stage in this is that Eon have stated that they now think that the meter may be faulty, and would I agree to it being tested by an external body. I understand from a consumer group that the meter examination is a last resort when all else fails, and more or less covers the company with the ombudsman. I am supposed to sign a document in which there is a clause which I believe signs away my rights to further investigation, should the meter be found not to be at fault. In addition, Eon have told me that the meter examination is likely to take six months. All this is beyond the pale. Already it has been a stressful, time consuming ordeal. I have had to take time off from my own work to research this, and try and get information from Eon (almost impossible). I have no intention of letting them string this ordeal out for a further six months.

Can anyone give me any sound advice on this? Is the meter examination a good idea, and if it determines the meter is not faulty, what is the position then? My feeling is that I should finish dealing with Eon, whom, on the evidence of the letting agents and my own experience, have no interest in listening to reasonable argument and evidence, but are intent on their own agenda. Rather than wasting any more time, I should perhaps wait for the statutory eight weeks to complete, and take it straight to the ombudsman, who hopefully will be able to make some sense of what has happened. Is the ombudsman able to carry out tests on meters and electrical supplies, if necessary? I would appreciate any advice at all on this.

[dx100uk]

does not the billing regs come into this...

 

can only backbill for 12mts?

 

dx

[metermadness]

The two bills which the agents sent on to me last week were dated February and March 2011, so unfortunately are not outside the twelve months. But thanks.

[dx100uk]

if you can prove you were not there by formal letters from whatever co. util bill voters etc etc then they cannot charge you.

 

just because 'no-one else' was there does not mean you are liable.

it does not fall to you 'by default' just because they have to pick on someone

 

if you were not resident/living there, not your bill

 

dx

[metermadness]

Many thanks. I have had conflicting views on this, but it's worth further investigation. I contacted Consumer Direct, who in my experience are well meaning, but not very good. They gave me three different views: the first two said that as long as I had the tenancy documents and also indicated there was no benefit of usage, I was not liable. The third said that, as I owned the property, I was liable unless I could actually prove the meter readings were wrong. There surely must be a definitive position on this.

[E.ON Company Rep: Helena]

Hi metermadness,

 

I just want to put a few points on this, but as I can't see specific details I will keep it general.

 

As the owner of this property I understand you have passed the responsibility over to a letting agent to deal with tenants moving in and out.

 

So when a tenants moves in E.ON would expect the letting agent or new tenants to contact them with their details and meter readings to open an account from.

 

The same should happen every time someone moves in and out, meter readings dates forwarding addresses and names should always be provided to us so the accounts can be opened and closed correctly and accurately.

 

If there is a period of time when the property is empty then the name of the owner (or the person who is responsible for the property) would go on the account, again with the dates to start the account from and the meter readings.

 

You say you have all tenancy agreements to prove who has been in and out of the property, have you also supplied the meter readings to make sure the bills are accurate.

 

If you have done all of this and don't appear to be any closer to a resolution, I would contact the Directors' Office and they will do a full investigation.

 

Just for information, if meter readings haven't been taken when tenants have moved in and out, the bills will have been charged to estimates.

 

It may be that we are now billing to actual readings which is making the bill appear higher (catch up bill ) even though the property is empty.

 

Hope this points you in the right direction.

 

Helena

[metermadness]

Thank you for your input, Helena.

I have been given little information about the meter readings by Eon, but as I understand it, they are as follows:

There was a meter reading of 71495 in August 2009, at the end of the first tenancy. The flat was empty until April 2010, and a start of tenancy reading was taken at 81725. Eon say that for the first six months of the void period, the readings were as expected for an empty flat. However, Eon claim that in the last two months of the void period, sometime between February and April 2010, 10,000 units of electricity was used. This is more than is normally used in a year when the flat is fully occupied. They have a meter reading of 71705 taken in February, followed by the April reading of 81725. As I say, the flat was entirely empty; letting agents were showing prospective tenants round. There was no usage of electricity.

A review is underway, and I have already entered the complaints process.

[E.ON Company Rep: Helena]

Hi metermadness,

 

It sounds like your doing the right thing by raising the complaint and having an investigation.

 

Have you read the meter? could this have been read wrong? if there is a chance of this the April reading could be 71725 instead of 81725, as this would fit it with it being empty.

 

If it's an old dial meter it can read incorrectly quite easily.

 

I hope this is resolved quickly for you.

 

Helena

[IdaInFife]

Hi Helena,

 

It's good to see you posting on the threads and trying to help. Please keep it up as there are more eon threads around.

[metermadness]

Thanks Helena,

Yes, the letting agents thought that the meter had been read incorrectly at some time; either that, or there had been an error inputting the reading into the system, by one digit - an 8 instead of a 7. Eon have looked at the readings, and say there is no mistake. The meter is fairly clear to read, as it's one of those old mechanical ones, with the numbers turning on wheels (not dials). I photographed the meter and emailed the photos to Eon. They rang me recently and said they thought that the meter was probably faulty, and would I agree to have it tested. However, it will take six months, and I am supposed to sign a form which, as I read it, prevents me taking the matter further if the meter examination concludes the meter is not at fault. I have said that I'll sign, but ommitting that clause. The flat was empty; somewhere there is an error or a fault. This is a totally exasperating situation, and it's taking up a lot of my time and energy. A couple of days ago, I approached the ombudsman service for advice on the whole matter, and as a result, I am going to put it before them when the eight week resolution period is up. This has been like falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland: one minute you're dancing along in the sunshine, minding your own business; and then next you fall down the hole into a strange world where nothing makes sense any more.