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Can I move my ESB bill? Landlord says no

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  • 06-01-2011 11:32pm
    #1
    Lukes_Mama
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭


    Right my brother in law is renting a 2 bed apartment, he wants to move out asap. Problem is the landlord says he cant move out until he clears his esb bill, but he wants the bill sent to his new address. Can the landlord refuse to let him move out until its paid even tho the bill is not in the landlords name and esb have the forwarding address to send the bill. Also he never done his own meter readings, he doesnt even know where it is. All bills (gas & esb) are sent to the landlords address and she drops them into him. Gas bills have arrived also for over €300 with added charges written in pen on the end of the bill!? They havent used gas in over 2 months!
    I know when I was moving I just moved my bill with me and it was never a problem. Anyone any advice?


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    #2
    echosound
    Registered Users Posts: 773 ✭✭✭echosound


    Lukes_Mama wrote: »
    Gas bills have arrived also for over €300 with added charges written in pen on the end of the bill!? They havent used gas in over 2 months!

    Eh? Sounds like something dodgy is going on there :confused: Are the bills open when they are being dropped in to your brother in law? If they are addressed to your brother in law, the LL has no right to be opening someone else's mail, it's an offence IIRC.

    If your brother in law has the ESB in his own name, then it's nothing whatsoever to do with the landlord. They are his bills, in his name, and he is well within his rights to get the final bill sent to a new address to settle up once the meters are read. The matter is between him as account holder and ESB as provider. If he were not to pay, ESB would be chasing him to pay up, not chasing the landlord.

    I've never heard of anyone being forced to stay in a place until such time as their own utility bill is paid in full.


    As for the gas bill, if they have old bills with the meter reading on it, check it against the meter readings when they are moving out (make sure they do check, find out where the meters are). I would then check it against what this landlord has been "charging" them for the gas bill over that period of time, seeing as it seems he's adding in extras in biro :rolleyes: It all sounds very odd TBH.


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    #3
    ztoical
    Registered Users Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    Lukes_Mama wrote: »
    Right my brother in law is renting a 2 bed apartment, he wants to move out asap. Problem is the landlord says he cant move out until he clears his esb bill, but he wants the bill sent to his new address. Can the landlord refuse to let him move out until its paid even tho the bill is not in the landlords name and esb have the forwarding address to send the bill. Also he never done his own meter readings, he doesnt even know where it is. All bills (gas & esb) are sent to the landlords address and she drops them into him. Gas bills have arrived also for over €300 with added charges written in pen on the end of the bill!? They havent used gas in over 2 months!

    If the ESB is in his name why is it being sent to the LL address?


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    #4
    Lukes_Mama
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭Lukes_Mama


    ztoical wrote: »
    If the ESB is in his name why is it being sent to the LL address?

    Its been sent to LL address as LL said it would save him paying the €300 deposit required by esb. It makes no sense to me at all, never have I had this problem with a landlord! LL is also telling them that he paid €40 to clear a previous bill and he would be taking it out of there deposit as esb rings LL regarding my brother in laws bill! Sounds very odd as esb have the bro in laws number.

    Just wanted to check I was right in telling him that his LL could not stop him from moving out!


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    #5
    ztoical
    Registered Users Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    Lukes_Mama wrote: »
    Its been sent to LL address as LL said it would save him paying the €300 deposit required by esb. It makes no sense to me at all, never have I had this problem with a landlord! LL is also telling them that he paid €40 to clear a previous bill and he would be taking it out of there deposit as esb rings LL regarding my brother in laws bill! Sounds very odd as esb have the bro in laws number.

    That does make no sense and I think the LL is telling stories here. If your brothers name is on the bill the ESB should not be speaking to anyone regading the bill except him. How did the ESB let him open account for one address and bill it to another address when he is not the home owner for either address? The deposit for the ESB is normally only when someone is opening a new account, has no credit history with the ESB and does not wish to pay by direct debt, I'm really confused as to how the ESB let him set up an account in his name to bill one property but sent to a different address, did not set up a DD but did not charge him the deposit...it all smells really fishy.

    First no LL cannot stop him from moving out. They can take any unpaid bills for the property out of the deposit BUT as the bill is in his name, your brother in law simply has to ring the ESB and have his bill transfered to his new address and the LL either has the service for the aparment transfered to their name or the next tenants name. The ESB will ask for a reading which will mean the LL will only be charged for the service after your brother law moves out so it will have nothing to do with him.


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