Landlord Liable for ESB Disconnection Fee?

mrsatroy

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Hi,

I am in the process of evicting a tenant for non-payment of rent. Icontacted the electricity company (airtricity) just to ensure the account had not been transferred into my name unknown to me as I was aware their were arrears on her electricity account too. Airtricity infomred me that it hadn't been transferred into my name but that the supply was currently at risk of disconnection. They couldn't tell me when exactly it would be disconnected but told me any arrears would remain with the tenant and would not be my responsibility - BUT that I would be liable for not only the reconnection fee - but also the disconnection fee. I said surely the disconnection fee should be added to the arrears accrued by the tenant and not to me??? It seems not - has nayone ever experienced this or does anyone have any advice in regards to this?
 
I would just let them disconnect it for the arrears.

When you want it back on just go to Electric Ireland or some other company. That way you will avoid the D/C charge. If you opt to stay with Airtricity they sting you for both, because they can.
 
Never thought of that. Sounds like a plan. Bad enough that I am going to be left with a house in God knows what kind of a state without being charged a fee to disconeect her electricity!!!
 
Why not simply put your name on the account from the moment the tenant is out. That way there is no issue re disconnection or connection fees? Or am I not understanding the issue fully?
 
I had a similar situation about 2 years ago also with Airtricity. I agreed to pay the tenants arrears as they were only €28. In principle I did not like it but in practice I thought it was worth it.

Airtricity then sent me a bill for disconnection and reconnection, nearly €200. They now had my name on the account so they thought they could hold me liable. As in your situation they had told me. They couldn't tell me when exactly it would be disconnected but told me any arrears would remain with the tenant and would not be my responsibility

In my experience you need to be very careful dealing with them.

Can you open a new account with another provider.
 
The problem is that there is every possibility that the electricity will be disconnected before she leaves the house - Airtricity have informed me it is in serious risk of disconnection, so when I get the house back in 2 1/2 weeks there is every possibility that there will be no electricity. But part of me also feels that if there is no electrcity the likelyhood of her overholding is slim. The joys of it all.
 
If there are arrears I don't think you will be able to switch to another provider without having to pay them.
 
I think the current provider is entitled to let the new provider know about the arrears (if they are over a certain amount). I guess then that the new provider can refuse to take the customer on?
 
Its a bit sharp practise by the suppliers here. Really the LL and the Tenants accounts should be entirely different. But the supplier is using strong arm tactics to recover the debt from the LL instead of the tenant. Because its easier.

If you look at the terms and conditions I think theres a bit about recovering the debt from the owner. I can't remember exactly. We had them recover it from a different account on a different property.
 
I have a deposit - but won't even cover half the rent arrears not to mind whatever damage etc. maybe done to the property.
 
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