Electric Ireland Problem

Discodog

A family member returned from the UK & moved into a house here. They found an electricity bill in the name of the previous occupiers that showed arrears of well over €1000. They contacted EI & gave the meter readings etc.

EI are now insisting on copies of title deeds & solicitor's letters, which will cost money. They clearly suspect something.
My family will be paying a substantial deposit so EI will not be talking a risk.

Would they be better going to another supplier? Would Bord Gais or Airtricity be so demanding?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The connection criteria and deposit regulations are more or less the same for all the supply companies. I suggest you post on the Talk to...Electric Ireland forum here on Boards.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1349

dudara

Srameen Please don't tell a poster to post the same thread in another forum. Instead, please request a thread move via the Report Post function

dudara

Discodog

Mia Sweet Twill wrote: »

The connection criteria and deposit regulations are more or less the same for all the supply companies. I suggest you post on the Talk to...Electric Ireland forum here on Boards.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1349

Thanks for the advice. However it's the attitude of Electric Ireland that is causing the problem. I have discussed the matter at length with the reps here & Electric Ireland expect us to get an expensive solicitor's letter.

We are the victims but EI want to treat us as criminals - we have to prove our innocence. It's an appalling way to welcome a new customer.

Electric Ireland: Mark M

Hello Discodog,

The above is standard practice by Electric Ireland when a new tenant is moving into a property where the previous tenant has left arrears on the account,

These documents are required as proof of ownership to ensure the account is going into the name of a new customer and is not just being swapped from name to name at an address where the previous account holder may still an occupant.

I unfortunately can not advise if other providers have the same process.

Thanks

Mark M

Discodog

I started this thread in Consumer Issues & it was moved here against my wishes. I have been discussing the matter with the EI reps here & with the regulator. If EI insist on expensive documentation then the account will be moved to another supplier at the earliest opportunity.

The purpose of the thread was to ask if people had found any differences between the other suppliers

dudara

I think you really need to ring the other suppliers and ask them.

Discodog

dudara wrote: »

I think you really need to ring the other suppliers and ask them.

Obviously but it would also be interesting to ask other boards members. So can you either move this thread back to where I started it or delete it so that start a new thread in Consumer Issues?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Discodog wrote: »

The purpose of the thread was to ask if people had found any differences between the other suppliers

Ok fair enough. Therefore: no I have found no difference with other suppliers.

Madam_X

Electric Ireland: Mark M wrote: »

Hello Discodog,

The above is standard practice by Electric Ireland when a new tenant is moving into a property where the previous tenant has left arrears on the account,

These documents are required as proof of ownership to ensure the account is going into the name of a new customer and is not just being swapped from name to name at an address where the previous account holder may still an occupant.

I unfortunately can not advise if other providers have the same process.

Thanks

Mark M

Seems fair enough. OP, the amount due seems pretty high. How are you victims btw? And how are ye treated as criminals if they're just following a standard procedure?

dudara

Discodog wrote: »

Obviously but it would also be interesting to ask other boards members. So can you either move this thread back to where I started it or delete it so that start a new thread in Consumer Issues?

It's already back in Consumer Issues since 17.02. Please bear in mind that CI is for the resolution of issues. It is not intended to act as a comparison tool between providers.

dudara

Discodog

Madam_X wrote: »

Seems fair enough. OP, the amount due seems pretty high. How are you victims btw? And how are ye treated as criminals if they're just following a standard procedure?

They are also owed money by the previous occupier. They are being judged & expected to provide far more information than other consumers. The standard procedure is discriminatory.

EI expect them to prove their innocence. Yes the amount due is very high. So why did EI allow it to get so high? They will also be paying a substantial deposit so any future bills will be secured.

Discodog

dudara wrote: »

It's already back in Consumer Issues since 17.02. Please bear in mind that CI is for the resolution of issues. It is not intended to act as a comparison tool between providers.

dudara

So where on Boards do you think such comparisons should be?

Many people are moving & leaving arrears. So the attitude of the suppliers is a key factor in choosing a supplier. There is supposed to be competition yet as far as I can see all three charge exactly the same amount as a deposit.

Over a lifetime we will pay a fortune to Electricity suppliers. Surely we should expect to be treated as valued customers.

Cushie Butterfield

Discodog wrote: »

A family member returned from the UK & moved into a house here. They found an electricity bill in the name of the previous occupiers that showed arrears of well over €1000. They contacted EI & gave the meter readings etc.

EI are now insisting on copies of title deeds & solicitor's letters, which will cost money. They clearly suspect something.
My family will be paying a substantial deposit so EI will not be talking a risk.

Would they be better going to another supplier? Would Bord Gais or Airtricity be so demanding?

If they bought the house their bank would probably have the deeds, but surely they would have numerous documents & letters from their solicitor and bank pertaining to the purchase that they could simply photocopy & give to EI which would prove ownership?

If they are renting the house they could supply them with a photocopy of their lease.

Surely EI wouldn't expect them to go to the expense of getting certified copies & would accept photocopies?

Cabaal

Discodog wrote: »

There is supposed to be competition yet as far as I can see all three charge exactly the same amount as a deposit.

Over a lifetime we will pay a fortune to Electricity suppliers. Surely we should expect to be treated as valued customers.

Is the supplier not entitled to take action to minimize risk to itself though?

At present the supplier has no solid proof that the new tenants and the old tenants are different people, its request for proof of change of ownership is a pretty reasonable one.

It merely wants to safe guard itself from further losses, if you ran your own business you'd likely understand this.

Last time I got a new connection they supplier wanted either a deposit or this could be avoided by paying via direct debit, unsure if this has changed but at the end of the day the supplier is perfectly entitled to have steps in place to minimize further risk.

Discodog

Cabaal wrote: »

Is the supplier not entitled to take action to minimize risk to itself though?

It merely wants to safe guard itself from further losses, if you ran your own business you'd likely understand this.

I have been running a business for over 20 years. I have to work hard to get business & even harder to keep it. EI are in a pretty unique situation in that we all need electricity. They can demand deposits, proofs of addresses etc & we have no choice but to comply. If I treated my customers that way I would go bust.

My family have no problem with providing reasonable information or deposits. It's the attitude of EI that is so unacceptable. For example they dare not fill the freezer because EI won't give an assurance that they won't disconnect whilst the new account is being set up.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Discodog wrote: »

I have been running a business for over 20 years. I have to work hard to get business & even harder to keep it. EI are in a pretty unique situation in that we all need electricity. They can demand deposits, proofs of addresses etc & we have no choice but to comply. If I treated my customers that way I would go bust.

My family have no problem with providing reasonable information or deposits. It's the attitude of EI that is so unacceptable. For example they dare not fill the freezer because EI won't give an assurance that they won't disconnect whilst the new account is being set up.

Ah wait a minute. A customer can buy elsewhere in any business now. You talk like they have a monopoly; which they don't. Go elsewhere for supply if it's such hassle with this company. The others will want similar assurance but go on sign up with Airtricity or BGE. Just because you run a business means nothing. If anything you should be more aware that sectors have particular requirements and that the customer can freely go elsewhere too.

Discodog

Mia Sweet Twill wrote: »

Ah wait a minute. A customer can buy elsewhere in any business now. You talk like they have a monopoly; which they don't. Go elsewhere for supply if it's such hassle with this company. The others will want similar assurance but go on sign up with Airtricity or BGE. Just because you run a business means nothing. If anything you should be more aware that sectors have particular requirements and that the customer can freely go elsewhere too.

The difference is that most competitors offer different deals & terms. The Electricity companies charge similar prices & impose virtually the same terms. It's more like a cartel than competition.

Sectors have particular requirements! You sound like the regulator - another quango that could be closed & none of us would notice.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I get the impression that no reply will meet with your approval. Why not simply re-name the thread Electricity Suppliers Problem then?

Madam_X

Discodog wrote: »

They are also owed money by the previous occupier. They are being judged & expected to provide far more information than other consumers. The standard procedure is discriminatory.

How is it discriminatory when it's standard?

Yes the amount due is very high. So why did EI allow it to get so high?

You mean why did the previous occupant(s) not pay their bills and why did they ignore reminder notices?

Discodog

Madam_X wrote: »

How is it discriminatory when it's standard?

You mean why did the previous occupant(s) not pay their bills and why did they ignore reminder notices?

It's not standard & depends on the behaviour of the previous occupier rather than the risk posed by the new one.

If EI took the previous occupier to Court they would be unlikely to recover such a high amount. They could be considered negligent for allowing the arrears to get so high.

Discodog

Mia Sweet Twill wrote: »

I get the impression that no reply will meet with your approval. Why not simply re-name the thread Electricity Suppliers Problem then?

Or maybe rename it the sanctimonious self righteous thread.

If you read the original post I was asking for people's experiences with the other Electricity suppliers.

Madam_X

Answers that you do not want to read are not automatically = "self righteous". Who's to say you'll get an answer you want on this thread?

And... blaming the supplier for the previous occupier(s) letting bills run up to more than €1,000 rather than the occupier(s) themselves for not paying and doing a runner? Classic.

Cabaal

OP, its evident that although much of the information in this thread is accurate and is correct you still aren't happy,

Perhaps you thought when you posted your rant that everyone else would agree with you...sorry but the world doesn't always agree with people who think every company is wrong even if the issue was caused by the previous tenants

Good luck with your fight against the big bad company's