Can't close electricity account

jethrothe2nd

I have both my electricity and gas accounts with Bord Gais and the accounts are in my name. Having recently moved from a rented property into one that I bought, I rang Bord Gais to transfer my accounts to the new address. I am unable to disassociate my name from the electricity part of the account on the rented property until such time as the landlord or new tenant has taken on the address. Despite requesting this from the landlord, this has not happened (yet)

I submitted a meter reading on the day that I moved out (agreed with landlord), but I am wondering what would happen if the new tenant doesn't bother to take over the account, or he submits a meter reading greater than the one I submitted. Am I then stuck trying to recoup from the landlord?

I'm not overly concerned yet - it has been just over a week since I moved out, but I really want to get it sorted out as soon as possible. Is there anything else that I can do aside from putting pressure on the landlord?

murhatchi

This is becoming a pain with the various utilities companies and different policies. Have you attempted telling them to disconnect? Recently occured in a property I was associated with and both electric and Gas were in Bord Gais name and they agred to close accounts off but would disconnect same if no one signed up to them within 10 days and they would then (landlord or new tenant ) be subject to a reconnection fee in each case and whatever waiting time was involved. This was last month.

odds_on

I think that many leases include a clause that where the tenant allows for a utility to be disconnected, then he will be liable for the reconnection charges.

Write to the landlord saying that you will request a disconnection in 7 days time unless he changes it into either his own name or someone else's name.

Victor

odds_on wrote: »

I think that many leases include a clause that where the tenant allows for a utility to be disconnected, then he will be liable for the reconnection charges.

The OP is no longer a tenant (of that property). Such a condition could only be enforced on a tenant. It is the landlord's responsibility to take over the account.

tara73

jethrothe2nd wrote: »

I have both my electricity and gas accounts with Bord Gais and the accounts are in my name. Having recently moved from a rented property into one that I bought, I rang Bord Gais to transfer my accounts to the new address. I am unable to disassociate my name from the electricity part of the account on the rented property until such time as the landlord or new tenant has taken on the address. Despite requesting this from the landlord, this has not happened (yet)

I submitted a meter reading on the day that I moved out (agreed with landlord), but I am wondering what would happen if the new tenant doesn't bother to take over the account, or he submits a meter reading greater than the one I submitted. Am I then stuck trying to recoup from the landlord?

I'm not overly concerned yet - it has been just over a week since I moved out, but I really want to get it sorted out as soon as possible. Is there anything else that I can do aside from putting pressure on the landlord?

I would phone Bord Gais as soon as possible to discuss this and find a solution. This cases must arise numerous times daily for them in the country.

I would ask for a written statement stating they have erased your account and therefore your name on the account of the rented property. give them the name and address of your landlord. normally they ask for that (or the next tenant) immediately anyway on your first cancellation call..?

from my experience bord gais are not the nicest to deal with, unfortunately.
good luck!

MariMel

I find it strange that they wont take your name off....or transfer it to the property owner. In a place I lived in 12 months ago the landlord phoned both and transferred the esb into my name without my consent as I had moved in will bills included in the price. When i contacted the esb they said they can put esb accounts into tenants names on the say so of a landlord or letting agent. The landlord hadnt paid the gas bill over a year before i moved in so for 2 weeks of my 2 months there i had no heating or access to hot water as the gas supply was not disconnected but switched off to the apt and the meter padlocked. I wasnt even allowed by them to take over the gas til the landlord had paid his bills.

I wonder why the esb will with no question transfer an account a tenant without verification from the tenant they actually live there. When i questioned them on this they said they didnt have to check that the tenant agreed to take over the bill and that it was now up to me to reclaim the money for the bill from my landlord.

jethrothe2nd

Thanks for the responses

MariMel- my understanding from Bord Gais was that I can't close the electricity account because the electricity is supplied through a 3rd party vendor (I am presuming the ESB). It seems pretty ludicrous to me - my contract is with Bord Gais, not with ESB. Based on that, in my opinion, they should remove my name from having any association with that address. I guess I probably missed something in the small print.

I have given them the name and address of the landlord, and they have written to him saying that if the account is not taken over within 28 days they will close the account and disconnect the supply. We'll see how that goes.