Electricity Supply

[turboped]

My friend has come to me for some advice and I don't know what to tell him. He moved into a new house some 8 years ago and has genuinely just realised that neither he or his wife have been sent bills or paid for their electricity. They have sepertate bank accounts and both automatically thought that the other was paying the bill.

What they should do is obvious I guess but they are afraid of the cost and how they will afford to pay what I guess will be a massive bill.

Can anyone give any advice?

[LeMarchand]

Surely they would have been getting "unpaid" notices by the score if no-one had paid for 8 years? Maybe the bill is being paid some other way?

[Salas]

My neighbour has never had a water bill in 17 years..... but live in fear of them coming in with a �5000+ bill one day.

[gina32]

surely if the bills hadnt been paid they would have been cut off by now?

[buildersmate]

It is perfectly possible for this to happen - the Electricity Board has got no record of the meter so don't know it is there. A foul up from Day 1 of the house being built.
Personally I'd look at the meter and work out how much I owed first - new house, new meter normally, so all zeros . Use 7p per unit and calculate it.
Since your friend has come to you and seems to have a guilt complex over it and wants to wipe the slate clean, I'd suggest you contact the Electricity Board and explain the situation and negotiate on their behalf. It isn't then traceable back to them - until they know and accept the proposed outcome.
I've no knowledge or experience of whether ESBs are willing to negotiate a reduced payment for such a situation.

[kjn2]

My son moved into a new house over three years ago, when he moved in he tried for at least a year to find out who his supplier was but no luck-his supplier originally said they did not supply him, he was recently sent a letter from his gas supplier(YES GAS) and after a bit of arguing he found out that they can only claim back three years ,he got this down to two, (well worth you check the law on this) and hope its the same for the electricity supplier IF your case is similar to this . I THINK the term recently has or will be reduced to two years-IF THEY CANT GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER TO GET WHAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEN MAKE THEM WAIT BUT CHECK ON YOUR RIGHTS

[gina32]

neither can they demand the money from you unless they have your name

[musicman1956]

If the electricity supplier find out what has happened and decide to go after the cash, they can't just demand it all at once. This happened to me when the previous owners of my house had a card meter. I got it changed to a normal one when I moved in, the then supplier didn't realise due to the fact I also changed my supplier and the new one didn't realise. I eventually got a bill 18 months later for �900. (They thought I was on a meter, but hadn't paid) I negotiated a payment of �20 a month on my soon to start bill. They were happy and so was I. In a court, the solution would be upheld and the supplier would have failed to get one fat cheque. (as if I had it)