No Access to Prepayment Meter

[raydetinu]

what is the grounds for the S8 notice? LL could use accelerated procedure if valid!

suggest you contact shelter regarding the electric situation, as seems like harassment to me!

and illegal under the landlord and tenant act; criminal violation.

[nat]

2 months late with rent. They are going down the s8 route, which we are going to challenge with a counterclaim for disrepair if it comes to it. But we already have alternative accomodation, just waiting for a date to move, which will hopefully be in the next 4 weeks. It takes around 6 weeks just to get a court date, so we should be long gone by then.

we will deal with the money claim when it comes along once we have moved.

[nat]

Apparently they have asked for the electricity contractor to put the meter on theactual property now, so I have informed them that I will refuse entry unless they have a valid court order allowing them access. The landlord is still refusing to give me any actual bills from the electricity company, stating that as it is a business tarriff, it just shows meter readings?? So I highly suspect they have been overcharging me.

[raydetinu]

guidance on resale of electricity?

http://www.uregni.gov.uk/uploads/publications/Guidance_for_Resellers_of_Electricity_or_Gas.pdf

[nat]

Ive looked at that, but without seeing the actual bills, i have no idea if he is overcharging me or not. there are no other charges on the invoice, only for use of electricity.

[raydetinu]

Take lots of photos when you do leave!

[nat]

Just had someone in the allyway next to our house measuring up for the key meter! There is no light down the allyway and tractors and lorries regularly travel up and down here. I have contacted the electric company to transfer the electric to my name and have a contract, but it takes a couple of weeks to transfer apparently. It will most probably be on a commercial tarrif too! I have emailed the landlord and informed them that i will be counterclaiming for harrasment and overcharging of electric when this comes to court at the end of July as we have now received the court claim form.

 

Also it was just an electrical contractor, not an electricity company that is installing it. I thought only electric companies were alowed to deal with meters because of tampering with meter laws??

[45002]

Just came off the phone to Npower. It is on a commercial tarrif and I cannot take it over to a residential tarrif in my name without my landlord filling out a form to get it changed over apparently. he has also told me that I need to purchase an electric key from him to enable me to top it up! So from what I can see this is harrasment, as he is, in effect, cutting off my electricity supply by 1. my not being able to access the electric meter to top it up and 2. not supplying me with an electric key to be able to top it up even if i could get to it!

 

So you can't take over the supply of electric !

 

Just had someone in the allyway next to our house measuring up for the key meter! There is no light down the allyway and tractors and lorries regularly travel up and down here. I have contacted the electric company to transfer the electric to my name and have a contract, but it takes a couple of weeks to transfer apparently. It will most probably be on a commercial tarrif too! I have emailed the landlord and informed them that i will be counterclaiming for harrasment and overcharging of electric when this comes to court at the end of July as we have now received the court claim form.

 

Also it was just an electrical contractor, not an electricity company that is installing it. I thought only electric companies were alowed to deal with meters because of tampering with meter laws??

 

So your now taking over the supply of electric !

 

and how long is the contract for ?

[nat]

I was able to do a switch to e-on for a 12 month contract. I told them I was moving soon and i will just need to pay £5 to get out of the contract.

[45002]

I was able to do a switch to e-on for a 12 month contract. I told them I was moving soon and i will just need to pay £5 to get out of the contract.

 

Npower could refuse to hand over/transfer the account to E-on !

 

Depending on How much the arrears are and especially if a PPM is been fitted under a warrant obtained by Npower ...

[nat]

Eon have now taken over and its all in my name. There were no arrears on the account, so no warrant was needed to fit a meter? It was the landlord who wanted to fit a key sub meter.

 

But as I said, all sorted now.

 

We are moving out in the next week, so now to make a counter claim for the amount the landlord claims we owe him. Should be fun

[nat]

Bit of advice needed if poss. We have moved out. the landlord is claiming we owe them quite a bit of money fro rent arrears. The court date is not until the 21st of this month. Can we counterclaim for the following to try and lessen the amount owed:

 

1. illegal eviction as they have changed the locks preventing us from returning to clean inside and pick up the last of our bits (no doubt they will try and charge us for cleaning?)

 

2. Disrepear- there are several broken pains of glass that were present when we moved in that have still not been fixed, we have had no functioning bath since january and were told someone would be round to fix it but they never came, damp growing up the walls in the bathroom and 1 bedroom, boiler that only worked when it felt like it and front door lock that didnt work. All of which the landlord was aware of.

 

3. Harrasment due to the electricity debacle as outlined above and also him sending round a handyman twice a day every day for a week, depite our saying that we wouldnt allow entry. He was knocking at the door for up to 10 minutes at a time and threatening to come in with a key.

 

4. the landlord broke the tenany agreement as they were supposed to empty the cess pit on a regular basis, but not once in the 4 years of living there did they get it emptied, even though we called and emailed several times to tell them that the garden was full of sewerage due to it overflowing.

 

5. We were never given any paperwork relating to the deposit scheme other than it stating on the tenency agreement that it was held with the TDS.

[raydetinu]

Yes, do lodge a counterclaim and this will be heard at the same time.

[nat]

Hi,

 

i may be being a bit dim, but how do I make a counterclaim against my landlord for disrepair, illegal eviction, harrasment and breach of contract? Do I simply put the details on the N5 Possesion claim form I have been sent somewhere or do I need to fill out a seperate form? Is there a fee to pay?

 

Thanks

[raydetinu]

If LL is pursuing a S21 or S8 grounds for possession then you can defend them ( they are either valid or not ).

Best to start your own SC for these other things and wait until you have actually lost possession?

[nat]

OK, will do. Thanks

[45002]

Hi,

 

i may be being a bit dim, but how do I make a counterclaim against my landlord for disrepair, illegal eviction, harrasment and breach of contract? Do I simply put the details on the N5 Possesion claim form I have been sent somewhere or do I need to fill out a seperate form? Is there a fee to pay?

 

Thanks

 

Much easier to have carried on from your last thread

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?426490-No-Access-to-Prepayment-Meter-amp-Landlord-attempt-to-evict.&p=4572631&viewfull=1#post4572631

[dx100uk]

I've now merged the duplicate threads as they have served their purpose

 

they