unregistered electricity meter crunch time- advice needed!

[ph1]

I posted on here a while ago about my unregistered electricity problem. I received some very helpful replies and was able to work out what I think the problem was. I am renting a flat in a block of four flats and although there are four meters all with MPAN numbers, none are registered to the individual flats. Consequently I've never received a bill (moved in 2005) neither had the outgoing tenant. It's most likely a case of an unregistered supply (ie no meter registered to my flat) or simply slack billing by the supplier.

 

I am now about to move out and am not sure whether to flag this problem up or not. I feel I have two choices of how to deal with the situation and I'd really appreciate anyone's advice.

 

 

Choice 1.

I can say nothing and move out. The supplier has no record of me being there. Whenever the new tenants move in they will presumably start a new account. Does anyone know if this will be a 'fresh' account- or will they have to go into the whole history of the current unregistered supply? (where it will could all unravel.)

 

Choice 2.

I can flag it with the company that deals with the flat now and say,'look, I've been organising final utilities and just making sure we are both clear that there is no electricity bill. They may well say, no this isn't right, and we will have to try work out the mess between us (and yes, I may well get a big bill.)

 

The BIG but is that I will most likely have to provide final readings when I move out and I cant do this. I could take a reading from what I think is my meter and leave that, but if i have to show a final bill as well then I'm stuffed. All | can think to do is plead ignorance and explain that the previous tenant told me there was no electricity bill (this is true, it's what he told me) and I (perhaps ignorantly) never questioned that. There is also the question of what happened when the last tenant moved out- didn't anyone want to see his final readings? And why didn't the landlord set the supply up properly in the first place?

 

For me though, the question is whether I deal with this now openly and say look, what's the situation here, or move out and wait and see taking a more ignorance is bliss stance.

Any advice is gratefully appreciated. I move out on Saturday and have a inventory check on this place a week later. It feels like crunch time..

[nottslad]

If your meter genuinely isn't registered on ECOES - a website with all meters in, then if you give any supplier your details and a reading, they will only charge you from that reading, not back-bill you.

 

If you want to PM me your meter number I can check... By doing a "load test" - switching the supply off at the meter and checking whether you have electricity, you will be able to confirm which is yours

[ph1]

If your meter genuinely isn't registered on ECOES - a website with all meters in, then if you give any supplier your details and a reading, they will only charge you from that reading, not back-bill you.

 

If you want to PM me your meter number I can check... By doing a "load test" - switching the supply off at the meter and checking whether you have electricity, you will be able to confirm which is yours

 

thanks. Someone else checked ECOES and what comes up is the four meters in the building all listed at the same address- which is the address of the whole building. But there is no mention of flat1, flat 2 etc.(four flats in the building.) To check which is my meter, i was going to switch off the mains in my flat at the fuse box and see which meter stops, i didn't want to accidently switch of someone else's supply (i take it it's safe to do this?)

[ph1]

i've done what i felt was the right thing and talked this through with the landlord. there is indeed a problem- most likely no account was ever set up with the supplier. if i end up having to pay for the entire time of my tenancy (last five years) does anyone know how this is done (an estimate i guess) and how i can make sure it's done fairly and i only have to pay for the time i've been in the flat?