Hi everyone, I could do with some help regarding a direct debit amount that my new energy supplier First Utility have set which is three times the amount I was expecting. Sorry if this post turns out to be a long one. I tried to join First Utility in August this year after deciding to leave E-On when they got rid of my tariff. I tried to join via a comparison site, which quoted £34 a month via direct debit. Unfortunately, the first application was cancelled due to my address being incorrect on the national databases and E-On took their sweet time in sorting this out. I was then able to make a second application with First Utility in early October. This time, I went to First Utility direct, clearly stating that I would use so much energy over twelve months and expected to pay between £400-£450 a year, which was in line with what I was paying E-On (I was infact quoting my most recent bill which had the details of what they expected I would use). Fast forward to the last couple of days where I have received my direct debit confirmation of a whooping £94 a month! The email states that they have based the payment amount "using information I provided when I signed up, alongside information held on central energy industry databases." To give you some background into my energy usage and lifestyle, I am a single person living in a small one bedroomed flat which is not exactly in the wealthiest part of the country. I work full time five days a week and spend some evenings out, so I barely see my flat on those days. I only have radiators at the lowest of settings and I don't leave any unnecessary lights on or have my TV on standby or anything. Doesn't take much to see that I do not get through £94 a month of gas and electricity. I have tried emailing them and I rang them up today. The woman I spoke to said it could be readjusted, unfortunately the line got disconnected so I have no idea whether this is being processed. Apparently my first direct debit payment is being taken on 25th November (despite the fact they have not asked for my meter readings), so I know I don't have a lot of time to resolve this. I am inexperienced when it comes to switching energy suppliers - I was with E-On for four years, they were the supplier set up by my housing association when I first moved into my flat (from leaving 'the nest'), so I don't really know whether this is normal or not. I just want to know whether new suppliers have a tendency to set extremely high amounts but also: what sort of "information on central energy industry databases" are they are likely to be working towards? Would this be something like an average figure for my type of property or just an average figure regardless of property sizes and people's circumstances? should I be making a complaint at this stage? It is not an official complaint and I don't particularly want to burn any bridges early on, but I do think that they cannot justify £94 a month based on the information they have. is it worth mentioning to the Ombudsman that First Utility are setting some direct debits at high values or will I have to go through First Utility's complaints system before they will even consider it? Any help will be much appreciated! I'm happy to answer any questions if I haven't made myself clear.

Hello all! :)I am a tenant living a flat above a retail premises.My electicity meter is located in the shop below and is a sub-meter to their main meter. My share of the electricity bill is divided up, charged to me every month and paid alongside my rent. Now then! I have recently recieved an email from my landlords property manager stating that my share of all previous bills did not include VAT and therefore I owe them additional money.After asking why the bills were not issued inclusive of VAT, I was told that the electicity account with Utility Warehouse is a business account and therefore VAT is not added to the amount.I swiftly rang Utility Warehouse and asked if this was correct. They confirmed that the bill comes with 2 pages; the first is totalled without VAT and the second is totalled with VAT. That said, I assumed that the bills had been worked out from the front page total by mistake.HOWEVER, should I be paying VAT on my share of the bill anyway? The business will surely be able to claim back the VAT through their accounts, right? If this is the case, am I effectively just paying my landlord more rent?All help welcome, thanks in advance

Hi i waS with british gas. My wife got doorstepped and changed to first utility. No issues till they stopped taking direct debit. Now £1000. should of checked statement but thought no issue. No contact they have been emailing bill to unused email. However have found out british gas account was in my name not wifes and now first utility is in wifes. I have not signed or agreed to transfer. Where do i stand.

I have stumbled across this forum and have had a read through the articles, posts and stickies but haven't stumbled across anything which explains the scenario I am in: I am leaving my house share after 6 months and have come to the point where bills are to be split among house mates. I have a partner, which was made apparent to all housemates during initial discussion before we moved in with each other (none of the other house mates have partners). The LL of the house is a parent of one of my housemates. Reading through my contract I was aware that there was a section that referred to frequent guests and that a contribution to bills would be required. I am in the situation now where I have put in my request to leave as I am moving into another house. I have received an email from my housemates explaining that they were unhappy about the number of times my partner had stayed without receiving a contribution to bills from her. With the email I received a suggested contribution which was supposedly reached with guidance from the LL. I am happy to pay a contribution towards the bills for my partner staying over however the figures suggested were extremely unreasonable and had no explanation as to how they had been reached. The breakdown of the bills suggested that my partner would pay the same as myself and other house mates for water and sewage and 50% of myself and other house mates for gas and electricity. This proportion I have still yet to understand and have not received an explanation even though I has asked for one. I returned an email explaining that I was disappointed that I was not involved in this initial discussion and gave my own suggestion of a contribution based on the average time spent by my partner at the property (as an excel spreadsheet). This was also backed up with reasons that constrain the hours of when my partner can stay at the house and how my partner uses the facilities in the house. I am at the point now where a number of emails have been passed backwards and forwards and no figure has been agreed and ultimately my LL has suggested that my partner does not stay round until the matter is resolved. I also feel that one housemate in particular is driving an excessive figure for the bill contributions as this is shown in the emails I receive from them and that they clearly do not have an understanding of the cost of running specific appliances within the house. I would just like to ask a few question with regards to the scenario and would like for people with any experience of this to contribute as to how they feel would be best to resolve this matter. Is guidance from the LL allowed when considering bills, especially when there is a possible conflict of interest? The tenancy contract I signed states that a "contribution" should be made for guests staying, but does not define how much the "contribution" should be. How is this contribution determined in legal terms? In a tenancy contract where the term "day/days" is used and is not explained or stated, does this mean that a day can be legally determined as either a 24 hour period of time or a time period from midnight to midnight? Many thanks for your time.

Now I'm somewhat confused here. I've just received a letter through my door from a company calling themselves Utility Management Services, stating that intend to apply to court for a warrant of execution to change the meter from contract to prepay due to an outstanding amount, I'm with EDF energy and I set this up when I moved into the property, are they allowed to turn up with a warrant of entry or not? there is no email address on the form only a registered office address, what would my legal stance be if they do turn up with a locksmith to gain entry and start removing the meter?

I do not have the money to pay off my utility bills the moment my tenancy agreement finishes, however I am going to pay them two weeks later. The tenancy agreement states that my deposit can be used against: any unpaid accounts for utilities (gas electric etc) consumed by the Tenant and for which the Tenant is liable. Now, all the bills are on my name. The agent has failed to register my deposit which ive only found out a few days ago and so I have asked him to give me the deposit in cash the day of the checkout because that would be in his best interest (on the basis that I would not take the matter any further). He is now saying that he would give it to me on the day providing that there is no damage and any outstanding bills. 1. How am I meant to pay for the utility bills if I have not provided the company with the final reading anyway? 2. Is this term in the agreement correct or can it be deemed as not correct in terms of wording? Is he allowed to keep part of the deposit for the utility bills that are on my name? I understand where I stand legaly in regards to the deposit and the fact that I can claim because of his failure in compliing with the DTS. I know he broke the law but that is a different case. That is something I can take up later. I just want to know what happens at the time of the checkout if i say to him look, ive not paid but that is not your concern as the bills are on my name and I have provided the utility companys with my new address and I have also set up a mail redirection for the property? I don't even know how to go about it if he intends to keep a portion of my deposit on the day!? Sorry if my post is a bit messy. Thanks

My gas bills have become outrageous. We have a 3 bedroom semi and it's just two adults, a small child and a baby living here. We get our gas from British Gas. On the 6th of Feb this year we got a quarterly bill for £682.56. On the 11th of May they estimated another £540.28. I checked the meter today (26th of May) and their estimate for 11th May was high, but now two weeks later it is pretty close. Our usage is (in Kwh): Jul - Sep1352.28 [2012]Oct - Dec9651.26 [2012]Jan - Mar13994.18 [2013]Apr - Jun4642.55 [2013] As we pay £100 per month direct debit for gas we are now £1200 in debit to them - we are struggling to find a way to afford more. Isn't this a ridiculous monthly gas cost for an ordinary 3 bed semi? We have hot water on for four hours a day and heating is also on a timer combined with a thermostat. We cook with gas but only have a mini oven as the main one has a fault with the safety device. Our friends tell us they only pay an average of £45 for gas. An engineer has checked the meter flow with the boiler and says it's right. He detected no leaks through the test, the boiler is regularly serviced. What are we doing wrong???

Hi everyone My friends Mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is going into a care home as her condition is quite bad. A utility company deb agency has refused to deal with his family stating they need a doctors letter which states who is to deal with utility company ! This cant be right can it ? They have already sent a doctors letter which states her condition but the debt agency wont accept it ! Any advice please would be helpful Thanks in advance.

I'll keep the names of the parties involved anonymous. I received two letter yesterday from a debt collection agency on behalf of a utility company for two amounts; one for say £300 and the other for £400. This arose from last year when I was living with three international students, and we were all named on the bill - I paid my quarter promptly, however the other three left the country without paying. I am still a student and having to pay someone elses debt doesn't really appeal to me greatly. I have remained in the same property and my landlord has gone on the new title for the bills (we now have prepayment meters installed) and as far as they are aware I do not live at the property. The letters demanded payment for today's date even though I had only received them yesterday. I know that strictly in law I am liable for the debt even though I moved out of the property to return home for summer before the three international students. I informed the utility company of this but they refused to take my name off the bills after I had paid my share because the other three international students had also gone home for summer and it made it impossible for me to get their consent to take my name off the bill. Therefore, the bill ran up is from the 3/4 share that was not my bill as well as any more ran up after I left the property. The landlord has already covered for me and said he will continue to do so - my housemates have also said the same, so on paper I do not live at the property. My plan was to continue living at the property for another two months and ignore the letters. If I did this what would be the chances of them tracing me to my home address? If they found out I was living at the property I planned on disputing the amount for the facts mentioned above (my solicitor says that it is definitely grounds for dispute; this therefore returns the financial arrangements to the utility provider, cutting out the DCA). Another option is ofcourse to send a prove it letter but I do not want to acknowledge that I still live at this address for another couple of months. Your help, opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated!

I changed to these suppliers last March/April after going through U-Switch price comparison and what a nightmare that has proved to be. Although Direct Debit amount was agreed, and in fact placed at a higher amount, I have yet to pay them one single penny. I have e-mailed their "Customer Services" continually throughout 2012 to tell them that the DD is not set up, only to get responses that "I am paying by DD." I have had no demands from them for money, no correspondence saying DD failed, they have just continued asking for meter readings. I finally raised a compalint with them in December and was told that I was on variable DD and full amount would be taken. On asking for copy of disputes procedure, I was sent a copy of their internal path for any complaints, with supervisors names, no mention of a higher independant authority. Who is overseeing these companies? Who do I complain to? Wish I had never heard of them, they are a joke/

I have my electricity & gas with Utility Warehouse (“UW”). Owing to employment issues I developed arrears in my energy account with Utility Warehouse. In Calendar 2012 my total consumption and charges were as follows: Gas: £1,172.89 Electricity: £1,265.66 Over the same period UW has billed me a grand total of £1,010.00 in other charges composed of £66.00 in “DD –refer to” and the balance of charges described as “Legal / debt charge”. I have paid in full all of the energy charges but am engaged in a dispute with UW over the other charges. UW has taken me to magistrate’s court in an attempt to obtain a warrant to fit prepayment meters. I attempted to defend the application by pointing out, via a detailed witness statement, that this is a dispute and that the dispute relates to charges which are not covered by the legislation under which UW is attempting to obtain a warrant. The magistrates adjourned UW’s application so as to have an opportunity to consider my witness statement. I have written to UW about the charges, I have asked it to explain in detail the charges. UW has stated that they are legitimate and that I must pay them. My questions to fellow CAG’s: 1. Do you agree with the overall approach I have taken at the magistrate’s court? 2. I am considering taking UW to county court on the following basis: a. UW has applied my payments to its “other” charges on a first in first out accounting basis; therefore I could make a claim for circa £750 plus interest plus court fees for that amount. b. I am thinking I would use the “penalty charges” rationale. c. I am thinking that I should lodge my claim a week before the magistrates court hearing so as to frustrate this; I am assuming that County Court takes precedence over magistrates Court. All thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

hi all, not really got time to go into too much detail right now with the background of how this all came up (will give details tomorrow when I can) but due to changes in circumstances certain benefits got stopped last year and took quite a few months to be restarted again. .the same has happened over the summer this year and both of these instances have resulted in a build up of debt. I am on the verge of being taken to court for repossession of my home (local authority) but have paid the majority of what I owe with back payments of the benefits I have just had reinstated. I have recently gained employment, a year after graduating last year as a mature student with 2 children and will get my first pay on 30th november. My most urgent problem right now is that, despite telling british gas of my situation re benefit non-payment, on and off for over a year, as well as my rent arrears this has caused, they are refusing to stop court action (on thursday this week, to cut off my supply on 20th november) despite my application to the british gas energy trust and my offer to pay a substantial amount to both my gas and electric bills on the 30th of november and every month from then on now I am working. I know this is very last minute but I really dont know what to do. My home phone is incoming calls only until I can pay that bill which I have told them so email is the only way at present that I can talk to them..they have given me a freephone number but the only pay phone near me has glue stuck in the coin slot!!! Any advice would be truly appreciated. .all I want to do is get out of this mess ..if only they would give me 2 more weeks and I will have been payed and will be able to pay them!!! Thank you for any help you can give ..to be honest I just wanna give up. .really seems like theres no way out, they just wont give me the extra week or two to come up with the money..

Utility Warehouse! I've been having problems with utility warehouse. I recently signed up with them as a distributor after a collegue recommended them. Paid my £100 to go on the training etc. Training was great, all it's so easy you just read this booklet out and you get all these benefits and commission in return. I was so hyped and ready to go, I went straight to my mums and signed her up, after quoting on the online system it showed she'd be alot better off for gas, elec, phone and broadband. I then went home and signed myself up too, same again for me. So it was all going through lovely for my mum. I received a call saying as we were a sky customer we'd have to pay £30 for a new line installation, even though the current 1 is BT, I said I was not happy about this so they said they could change my number and I wouldn't have to pay the new line fee but o wouldn't have broadband for around 10 days, to cover this they would send me a dongle to use free of charge. It turned out to be nearly double the 10 days with no broadband, and I never received the dongle. I called about it and they apologised and told me there was no point sending the dongle now but they would credit £12 to my account for the trouble. Meanwhile, my mum received a letter stating that it would actually be more to transfer the gas and electric but she thought she'd save on her broadband and phone so it would be ok, I then received the same letter and thought the same however this was worrying as the online quote said it would be cheaper. My broadband went live and we've had nothing but problems, it cuts out all the time, and if you have a problem after 5 you can't do anything about it as they are closed. My mum experienced the same crap service with her broadband but we also kept receiving faxes on our new number cox it was an ex fax number. When I called about it they said I could pay 1.25 a month for choose to refuse and I could block the number or I could pay £15 and change my number. I was not impressed and complained and they finally agreed to change my number for free. Anyway, me and my mum agreed utility warehouse are rubbish and as we were not tied into a contract we would change again. We chose talk talk. Today I have received a letter from UW stating I have to pay an administration fee of £48.95 PLUS VAT to end the service. I googles this, and on the which website, it says back in 2010 that they were dropping this fee, so how can they charge me this? I've read other posts and they state a £10 cancellation fee was payable, and it also says this on their website, so how and why are they charging me £48.95 plus vat? Is there anything I can do? I also want to get my £100 back that I paid for the training is there any way I can do this? I am not selling this crap to anyone and I don't understand how they are top in which? Please help!

Hello everyone I have a serious issue with a outstanding debt of £562.24 from upaid electricity suppied by utility warehouse. I knew nothing of this debt as my partner had hidden the extent of it from me and it wasnt until I checked the mail that I found a letter from Grosvenor Bailif services. My partner has told me that the reason she hasnt been paying the bill is because everytime she has tried to setup a direct debit with utility warehouse they would try and bill her on a different date to the one originally arranged. My partner is now on statutory sick pay since last week after fracturing her pelvis and has been signed off from any for of work for 6 weeks....So this could really not have happened at a worse time! She has called Grosvenor today explaining her position and her need to set up a repayment plan to which the response she recieved was that she would need to pay £200 in order to setup a repayment plan!! Here is the letter we have recieved The letter reads "Our records show that we still have not recieved payment of £562.24 for you're electricity bill despite previous letters and a recent visit to your property. If you do not contact us immediately we will apply for a warrant of entry as detailed below in order for us to disconnect your supply.You will incur costs for this action You have the right to attend the application hearing for the warrant of entry.The application will be made at In the Local Justice Area Of North Devon (Exeter) Heavitree Road,Exeter,Ex12ls at 9:30 on 7/11/2012 This right is given under the rights of entry (gas and electricity boards) Act 1954 and complies with article 6 of the human rights act. If we are granted a warrant of entry we will call at your property on the 7/11/2012 The warrant will allow us to enter your property,Even if you are not there,To either disconnect your electricity or install prepayment meter. You have already incurred significant charges based on our debt recovery procedings to date.If we are forced to take the action as mentioned above these costs could reach a total of £360 per supply,If we for any reason are unable to obtain a warrant of entry on the first visit you wilol be charged in full for any further visits. I am in total despair over this and really angry with her for letting this build up,How should I proceed?

Under a joint tenancy agreement me and my ex had it was always split down the middle. Both our names are on the utility bills etc. She hasnt paid for 5 months and is refusing to do so. I have been paying my half but the accounts are not being paid in full. Any advice?

Hello, We have a house, which we moved out of on 16th July 2011. Our current tenants moved in on the 29th August and have been there ever since. A few days ago, I received a letter to my parents address from "LCS" where I used to live a long time ago saying that I owe £125 to British Gas for a period of 17th July to 28th August. I certainly don't remember having anything outstanding and I have received no letters saying from BG demanding payment. I wouldn't have missed any letters since I forward them to my new address. The letter is addressed to me but they misspelt Somerset with "Summerset" (very professional). The content of the letter says that I should contact them regarding the above "invoice" to discuss the "outstanding payment". First, the house was empty and even if it wasn't, I seriously doubt we could rack up £125 worth of gas and electric usage in the middle of the summer. Second, I received nothing from BG and my credit report says that account is closed. What should I do? I don't want to contact them in case it's a [problem] and they are fishing? Should I call BG first to discuss it with them first (I am their existing customer still)? Ideas? Thanks, Alex

PLEASE HELP!! I've just had yet another conversation with utility warehouse!!! I'll post my previous thread below so you know what I'm going on about! I have had an ongoing issue with Utility warehouse for months ever since I moved in my property. It is my mums house and I rent it from her, Utility warehouse were her provider when I moved in. She gave them a final meter reading and agreed a repayment plan to pay off some money she owed. We Moved in and the problems started! Firstly they would not let us change the name of the account due to the out standing amount, all the bills have been addressed to her never the occupier even though she had given them her new address. I tried to change my name over numerous times, they wanted copy of the tenancy agreement which i have sent by email a million times but they have never recieved apparently. Then comes the price of the bills - for 5 months they wanted £800!! I disputed this and they told me is was on an estimate. that they would look at the meter readings and send a revised bill. This never appeared, then a letter landed on my doorstep saying they were obtaining a warrant to enter and fit pre payment meters. I rang again gave new meter readings (even though the account isnt in my name they are happy to tell me all the details every time!) Told me I was owed £410 in credit I said this was right and to send me a bill with the revised price and I will pay, was told as soon as I paid all action would be stopped - EVEN THOUGH ITS THEIR MISTAKE!. New bill arrives with the SAME 800 on there!! Next a new letter comes asking me for pictures of the meters? and to email them in! Before I have even had a chance to do this I came home to a letter saying they have a court order to come into my property on Monday and fit meters with force!!!!! When I called them AGAIN I was laughed at and told I should have paid my bill. Erm I would if it was right!!!! I have no idea what to do now, I do not want them coming in and fitting a meter to take money when I dont even know what would be taken? Can I stop them coming in anyway?? This letter is the first one to ever come here that says to Miss ***** or occupier surely if i show them the bills are not for me but the previous they cant come in? PLEASE HELP! They have now told me the account has wait for it £600!!!! in legal fees and debt collection surely this is not correct?!?!?!?! is this even legal?!? How do I challenge this?? they are telling me to send an email to the complaints department I just dont know what to do! I want to pay my bill just the correct amount its not that much to ask!

Hi, I am new to this forum and I hope I got the right forum. I have a question about the deposit (which is made in TDS - Tenancy Deposit Scheme) - a substantial amount is in this service and from what I have read in forums the agency/landlord can not withhold money from the deposit in order to pay outstanding utility bills. However in our contract with the letting agency there is a point stating that the deposit could be well used to pay the outstanding bills. I am not quite sure if they have the right to do this? Aren't utility companies supposed to look for the money owed to them with me personally, not file claims against the landlord/agency for them to pay them off??? I want to dispute the amounts from United Utilities, for example, but I want to receive my deposit back after vacating the property. What would you advise?