ESB billing for period prior to signing & moving in.

Hi,

I have bought an apartment and due to complete the sale in the coming weeks. Snag was submitted in February and final inspection due next week.

I went to view the apartment today and checked my mail box. The usually rubbish was there, restaurant, pizza take away brouchures, etc. I also found a bill addressed to the 'resident' of my apartment. The bill is for usage for the period 4th January to 1st March. I was shocked. The bill ws for €169.00!!! How can they charge me for such? At present the final signing and draw down of the mortgage has not been completed. In addition the title deeds, purchase deeds etc. have not been signed. I do not expect to complete the sale for about another two weeks. At that point I will be the 'owner' in full of the property in question. I have no intention of paying this bill or any others issued prior to final signing.

Has anyone ever experienced this? What was the outcome? Are the ESB and other such suppliers allowed to charge in this way?

All comments welcomed.

If this is in the wrong thread please move accordingly.

When you move in , just take a meter reading and phone the ESB to get the bill put into your name. It is the responsibility of the previous owner to discharge all bills. If you want you can get your solicitor to bring this up but it shouldn't affect you in anyway.

Hand it to the builder or previous owner. as previously said take a meter reading on the day you move in with the builder / previous owner if possible present and agree you will be responsible for the electricity from that reading only. Get it in writing.

Also do the same for other metered reading e.g gas etc.

You are not liable. When you get the keys from the estate agent ask him to either have a reading at hand so you can check or to accompany/meet you at premises for meter reading. Ring the ESB with this reading ands voila, your bill will start from there. I suspect this is a genuine error or that previous owner is waiting for sale to complete before addressing this bill.

The previous posts are right, my mum bought a show house a while ago and the builders were using the esb in her house for while working in the other houses on the site. the bill for her house prior to moving in was about 500 euro, she gave it to the builder and rang esb on moving in date and that was it. Good luck