How to deal with utility charge after tenant left

Reply to the comment left by Robert Mellors at 08/03/2018 - 09:36
Suppliers all use the MPAS (Meter Point Admin Service)

MPAS phone 0870 608 1524 to identify supplier and the MPAN (Meter Point Admin Number)

Providers use this top level number to identify you for switching/supply.

But you can only use this service if you are the current or soon to be the occupier of the property. Landlords cannot spy.

You can also go to

https://www.ukpower.co.uk/who-supplies-my-gas-and-electricity

General thoughts ...

For future, with any new property immediately identify and record the meter numbers.

If there are significant arrears suppliers may require you identify yourself fully with copies of deeds and passport before they allow control back to you/future tenants.

It is unreasonable for a landlord to restrict choice of provider and our tenants are permitted to be 'rate tarts' along with the rest of us. However, our tenants must tell us of a change of supplier. It is in the tenancy agreement. Needless to say, this rarely happens.

Now tenants have to make me a 'Third Party User'. This allows me to discuss the account without being responsible for it. However I have now found that the 'Third Party User' doesn't transfer when supplier is changed and a new one has to be set up. Which means the tenant has to use snail mail. So I write the letter and present it for signature, leaving a copy with the tenant... assuming I know that a change has taken place ... which I can find out by calling as a 'Third Party User' of the old account. I haven't had to do this yet and I wonder if the 'Third Party User' is allowed to know who the new supplier is; I suspect not. But at least I know a change has taken place.

As part of the 'checkout' process I ask for the current supplier details ... assuming the tenant hasn't done a runner.

Assuming the post hasn't been redirected, wait for the mail to arrive. Obviously don't open it but you can get enough info from the return address and any info visible through the window. I have put them back in the post with 'please contact the landlord at this address, tenant no longer here' written on the envelope but this doesn't 't seem to work.

During voids (if you have them) contact any provider of your choice and open an account with them in your name.

It's all piecemeal with time consuming admin attempting to paper over cracks in a fragmented system where data protection hinders basic legitimate enquiry.

Hamsih

Reply to the comment left by Prakash Tanna at 08/03/2018 - 09:52
Uswitch cannot tell you who the current provider is.

You choose a provider and in the background your selected provider uses the MPAN (Meter Point Admin Numbers) to identify you and the current supplier.

A conversation I had with Uswitch some while back ...

Hi, as a landlord, how do identify the current provider to a property without falling foul of data protection?
10:37:18
Hello you are speaking to Karl at uSwitch.
10:37:33
Have you recently taken back the property?
10:38:13
I understand that you may not be aware of who your current supplier is, or how much energy you will use or spend. So, what we do here is we create an estimate for you. When the comparison asks you for your current supplier information, we advise that you use British Gas, Pay on receipt of bill on the Standard tariff. You also may not know how much energy you use. So, when you get to the next page it will ask "Do you know how much energy you use?" You can select "I'm not sure" and from there you can select how many bedrooms the property has, to produce and estimated usage, which will calculate for you an estimated cost for each supplier.
10:39:17
Using the information that you have available, you can go through a quote on our website and we'll be able to show you all the deals available in order of cheapest first. You can look through the options to decide which one is best for you and once you have decided on a tariff you like, click on "Choose plan". From there it will give you further information and you can fill and once you have decided on a tariff you like, click on "Choose plan". From there it will give you further information and you can fill in the relevant details to switch. If you have any queries about anything that crops up, please don’t hesitate to ask.
I hope that helps.
10:40:52
Would you like any further help?
I tried that but it asks for the date the plan ends. I don't have this info
10:44:13
... and I don't know the plan
You would select a standard tariff as it states above.
10:44:54
I missed one of your replies. Let me try that
10:46:07
I understand that you may not be aware of who your current supplier is, or how much energy you will use or spend. So, what we do here is we create an estimate for you. When the comparison asks you for your current supplier information, we advise that you use British Gas, Pay on receipt of bill on the Standard tariff. You also may not know how much energy you use. So, when you get to the next page it will ask "Do you know how much energy you use?" You can select "I'm not sure" and from there you can select how many bedrooms the property has, to produce and estimated usage, which will calculate for you an estimated cost for each supplier.
10:47:00
I have missed something. How do I identify the current from this list of possible providers? but also I haven't given uswitch any info identifying the property.
10:49:57
You would select the standard plan as stated in the previous message i sent you.
10:50:50
give me a moment to review. Thanks
10:51:37
Where do I find my MAPN (Meter Point Admin Number)?
10:55:54
Please go to section 7 of your bill:Where can i get some help? Then just below you will locate the electricity supply number(the bottom row of numbers -13 digits) and the gas meter point reference number(10 digits).
10:56:57
That's the problem. I am the landlord. I do not see the tenant's bills.
10:57:30
Meter Point Administration Service (Identify Supplier): 0870 608 1524.
10:58:29
Thanks.
10:58:53
My pleasure.
10:59:02
Would you like any further help?
Can I get a log of this chat?
10:59:20
You could take a screen shot.
11:00:44
oh.
11:01:17
Would you like any further help?
11:01:39
Thank you for using our uSwitch web chat. If you could please spare a moment to rate your experience, we will use your response to improve our service.
11:02:30

Reply to the comment left by Hamish McBloggs at 08/03/2018 - 16:29
Hi Hamish. Yes USwitch won’t tell you who the supplier is, but what I meant was that there are links on their website as to who you would call to find out who the supplier is depending on your region ...

https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/who-supplies-my-electricity-and-gas

The other option is you call British Gas and if they are not the supplier they will most often tell you whi it is !

But as others have also mentioned, its simple enough to ask the tenant before they leave ?

I have a situation where at the signing of the lease all leaseholders (they were new builds) put themselves as ultimately responsible for the energy bills (energy for the heating and hot water not electricity, there is no gas) - I had no choice as I was also signing the lease ready to complete. When a tenant moves out I do all I can to ensure that bills are paid, if it's in a tenants name I am not allowed to know if the bill is paid or not - if it is not paid I get maybe the 3rd reminder, rather than sharing the correspondence, so far I've not done too badly but others in the block have been very unfortunate and most were not even aware that they had signed this.
With one tenant I had he disputed his bills and would only pay what he saw on the meter (sounds fair enough) - I was completely unaware of this though until they started chasing me for the balance many months later and fortunately as I was aware I could hold his deposit and when he still refused to pay took the outstanding £300 or so out of it - he took me to the tribunal and I won that round as it was clear in his lease that he is responsible for his bills - however downside I got £17 for a very badly scratched floor that needed complete resanding just so no one gets too excited about the Tribunal!
With hindsight I can't think that this is correct: with another block I signed the same but when I questioned it it was only if the energy was in my name - if it's in the tenant's name then they chase them (thought I was mad putting my hand up for a tenants bill!) - anyone come across this and can it be challenged? I was about to go to the ombudsman but can't see that it is an issue for them and they also don't have SW Energy on their list of providers weirdly.

Thanks

I log all reads when a tenant moves in and record it (with a photo) at the back of the contract.
If they do a bunk....As all my TA's are 'contractual periodic' they are liable until such time as they would have given adequate one months notice. In that case I start the clock on the day they did a bunk (and as I normally have a new tenant within the month) then just call whoever the supplier is, explain that the tenant did a bunk, send them a photo of the meter as it is
before the new tenant moves in. Clearly no forwarding address but suggest they contact the LA if they want to find out where the tenant is now. Same read given to new tenant and it starts again....
I have been asked by the utility provider for a copy of the previous tenants TA to prove that the person was residing there before now (and perhaps naively) I gave it.

Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 08/03/2018 - 10:08
the dreaded SC - bugs me beyond belief too. Gone are the days of a LL 'special deal' where some suppliers charged you nothing in SC between tenancies.
I didn't know about the Eon LL 30 day freebie, so I shall be looking into that.
Its worse when you have some commercial lets - SC are outrageous and NO supplier is SC free these days - another gap in the market where commercial suppliers are making their £'s more than ever with the number of units empty and between tenancies.