Moral Dilemma - Free Electricity and Gas?

Ldeeds on 31/05/2018 - 15:44

What would you do in this situation?

About a week ago I received my 'final' bill for electricity and gas, only, I never closed my accounts and I pay my bills on time. I thought this was odd but brushed it off as a possible error and went about my week with my fingers crossed that the power wouldn't go out. Fast-forward to yesterday when I received a letter in the mail from a different energy provider which was not addressed to me - I have not opened this letter.

I believe what's happened is one of my neighbors has signed up for this energy provider but listed my address instead of theirs. So they're paying for my electricity and gas as well as their own or are currently without electricity and gas. This would explain why my accounts are listed as 'closed' and the letter.

Poll Options

  • 5
    Turn a blind eye = free electricity and gas
  • 5
    Find out who did this and let them know
  • 73
    Call my energy provider and reconnect my old services
Home & Garden Electricity Gas

Comments

  • GG57 on 31/05/2018 - 16:02
    +2

    "I believe what happened is…". So, you are not sure, and how would you intend to find the person that you think might have done something.

    Just contact your provider and get it sorted for yourself. Winter starts tomorrow and you don't want to be without electricity and gas for a day or so.

  • AMLagonda on 31/05/2018 - 16:04
    +7

    ASAP get the mistake fixed or it will turn into a knightmare.

  • Ocker on 31/05/2018 - 16:04
    +3

    Some backpacker on a commission basis has forged a transfer request on your behalf.

  • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 31/05/2018 - 16:22
    +5

    Another poll option. 'Time to mine bitcoin'.

  • shaybisc on 31/05/2018 - 16:29
    +6

    Ethics aside, it's hardly likely to be the perfect crime if you turn a blind eye. It will come back to bite you with arrears and penalties and possibly worse.

    • deeds on 31/05/2018 - 17:20
      -1

      But the other person signed the contract and is legally obliged to pay the bills. Why would I be at fault for the other persons mistake?

      • pjcook on 01/06/2018 - 07:46

        Your Honor!

      • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2018 - 16:22

        you don't know what has happened, could have just been a keying error by the company. Either way it is unlikely you are going to get away this it will catch up with you before too long and you will have to pay it all back.

        Just so you know they don't usually cut off the electricty, gas or water when someone moves out and closes the account. I guess so to make it easier when people move on, and maintence work etc that is often done when homes are empty.

  • QW3RTY on 31/05/2018 - 16:29

    Contact the new provider, the person listed on the letter and fix as soon as possible.

    You're currently being sent their bills requesting them to pay the services for your house. The mistake will eventually be fixed and if your neighbour has been paying for your services — they're probably going to want consideration.

    • GG57 on 31/05/2018 - 16:39

      The letter has not been opened; it may not even be a new provider. It could be anything.
      Just tracking down the other person could be extremely difficult.

      • QW3RTY on 01/06/2018 - 09:40
        +1

        Or OP could be an adult and apply some deductive reasoning.

        "Oh, I've received a letter terminating my energy account."
        "Oh, there's been a passage of time since I last paid my services, and they still appear to be connected."
        "Oh, I'm receiving letters from an energy company addressed to my house, but not my name."

        "… Guess I'll just do nothing."

        OP just needs to pick up the phone to either his old provider or this new company. Easy fix and the superior moral decision.

  • Blitzfx on 31/05/2018 - 16:31

    How do people screw up their own address? How do you screw up typing in 1 instead of 2 or 39 instead of 38? Do people really screw up something that important?

    • pjetson on 31/05/2018 - 16:37

      Because people (in general) have NFI?

    • GG57 on 31/05/2018 - 16:39

      It is only an assumption; OP does not know this to be the case.

    • try2bhelpful on 31/05/2018 - 16:41
      +1

      They may not, but the company might. I've certainly had items I've bought that had the wrong number listed, or a misspelt address when they went to send it. I've double checked what I typed in the receipt originally and I was correct.

      There was a company that tore down the wrong house because of a google error or where Nicaragua invaded Costa Rica for the same reason.
      http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/03/28/demolition-firm-that-…

      • Blitzfx on 31/05/2018 - 17:36

        Oh that's just wonderful. I guess you learn something everyday.

    • outlander on 31/05/2018 - 17:12
      +2

      I never understood any of it, how people could screw up such things.
      Then I started drinking, and I reduced my sleep down to 6.5 hours a night.
      Now I understand.

    • Micko179 on 01/06/2018 - 10:05

      Most likely the Muppet typing/writing it down is on a commission based pay & doesn't give two hoots!

    • Shaun R on 02/06/2018 - 12:00

      Oh believe me when I say that people don’t know their own address.

      Usually, it’s because the legal address (used by council, electricity, water, phone, etc.) differs to what’s on the letterbox. eg legal addresses might be Unit 1 and Unit 2/10 Smith St, but letterbox and residents know it as 10 and 10A Smith St. It quickly gets more complex: if there’s legal addresses 10, Unit 1/10, and Unit 2/10 - but they’re known as 10A, 10B, 10C, or vice-versa. It gets even worse when you throw in apartment blocks that stretch across multiple buildings.

      This is why we have Lot and Plan numbers. Lot 2 on PS123456 removes any ambiguity. Shame most people don’t even know what a Lot and Plan number is, let alone what theirs is.

  • steven6 on 31/05/2018 - 17:28
    +2

    On an unrelated issue, I just rang my energy supplier to get my gas and power put on a few days ago and they tell me it's on. But my lights and gas don't work.

    What should I do?

    • yoonibear on 31/05/2018 - 17:30
      +1

      Checked your main switch and/or meter number?
      Also, have you tried the lever on your gas meter?

    • Gandalf the Thrifty on 31/05/2018 - 17:38
      +3

      Get it disconnected and see if Deed posts again about having no power…

      • deeds on 31/05/2018 - 17:47
        +1

        Or just wait a few days, weeks, months even. These things take time but the power will come on eventually

    • claw225 on 31/05/2018 - 19:19
      +2

      Are you OP's neighbour?

  • robbyjones on 31/05/2018 - 17:51
    +3

    Get it sorted. I had a similar scenario a few years ago when my energy provider sent an 'oh you're moving, we want you to stay' letter. I ignored it, my energy provider changed but a couple of weeks later it changed back and all seemed right again. I received my bills and no other bill ever came from the unknown provider. All was great until about a year later when I had a third party debt collector demanding payment. Long story short my energy provider had received a request but not for me for someone with this address with a different NMI and it switched but the person at the other address switched it back but somehow both bills ended up in my name so I was paying mine but the other person wasn't paying theirs, presumably because the bill wasn't in their name. It took many months, a gazillion phone calls and finally the intervention of the ombudsmen to get it sorted. I ended up with a strike on my credit file, which I eventually had sorted but it took time and energy to fix.

  • bobbified on 31/05/2018 - 18:15
    +1

    Free Electricity and Gas

    You wish.

    They'll find out about it sooner or later and then you'll end up having to go to the trouble of reconnecting everything once they cut you off.

    Be proactive and get it sorted now.

  • try2bhelpful on 31/05/2018 - 19:17
    +1

    Our electricity people stopped billing us for a while and, frankly, we just didn’t notice, we eventually got a message from the wholesaler about the fact we had been missed and our retail company would contact us. We decided to sign up with a different retailer and the amount owing got lost in the shuffle. In Victoria you are only up for 9 months anyway if it is the companies fault.

  • Micko179 on 01/06/2018 - 10:08

    Geez I hope that doesn't happen to me, I'll lose my FIT! I know I'd be on the blower straight away!!!

  • Ozpit on 01/06/2018 - 10:11

    The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Can you imagine a world where everyone abided by this? If natural feelings of goodwill and compassion towards others doesn't dictate this to you, then let your good sense.

  • Quantumcat on 01/06/2018 - 10:14

    If you're living alone I would go for it getting free utilities. If they get cut off then just shower at work, charge you phone and laptop at work, and go to bed early for a few days while you get a new provider. Don't do this if you're living with someone else eg children or spouse. Then it isn't really fair on them (although if just a spouse you can always ask their opinion and get their OK).

    An alternative to calling them up and sorting it out is to write "not at this address" on the envelope and put it back in a red box. The utility company will probably work it out and you don't have to spend hours on the phone fixing someone else's problem.

  • HeWhoKnows on 01/06/2018 - 16:12

    Its all Guess work.
    You need to find out the facts.
    Firstly open the letter and see what it says.
    Secondly you are oblidged to pay for your power.
    One way or the other it will come back and bite you.

    • GG57 on 01/06/2018 - 16:14

      Do not open the letter!
      As it is not addressed to you, my understanding is that opening it is against the law.

      Just mark it "RTS - Not Known at Address" and drop it in a postbox.

  • Euphemistic on 02/06/2018 - 07:22

    Why did you arrange a final bill if you are continuing to live there?

    If you have just moved out and no one has moved in yet just ignore the bill. If you are still living there they will catch up with you later when you reconnect.

    Edit: I’ve had free electricity for a few weeks after moving out of a house and finalising the bill. It was a few weeks before someone else moved in and I was still able to use power while the house was empty. Wasn’t much though, a few hours of lights and a vacuum. The new owners probably paid for it when their meter was read the next time.

    • HighAndDry on 04/06/2018 - 10:16

      OP didn't. Likely their neighbour who put in the wrong address closed it under the "I'm moving into this place, can you terminate the existing account and bill me from now on."

      • Euphemistic on 04/06/2018 - 20:53

        Right. So someone cancelled their electricity. Then the other company ‘tried it on’ assuming the ‘new’ energy user would just pay the bill and effectively sign up to that company by doing so. Seems strange that if a neighbor made a mistake with their address that the elect co would send a final bill to a different name to the address. It would be well worth looking into possible identity theft if your bill unexpectedly change like that.

        • QW3RTY on 05/06/2018 - 08:35

          OP is receiving mail with presumably their neighbours name, but addressed to his house.
          Neighbour has most likely goofed (who knows how) and put OP's address in their application.

          How exactly has OP's identity been stolen?

        • Euphemistic on 05/06/2018 - 18:48

          @QW3RTY: the op does not say the final bill was in their neighbors name, but it was their final bill. Sure, the bill might have been finalized accidentally, but it could also be by someone who is in the process of borrowing your identity. Ie if I ring up the energy provider, say I’m me deeds and I want the electricity cut off at my house at deeds address I’ve effectively stolen and identity. No idea what the benefits of doing so are, but it might be the first easy step.

  • HighAndDry on 04/06/2018 - 10:16

    Yeah, part of the reason I pay for gas and elec is so that I'm not worried I'll suddenly be cut off. It's certainly not for moral reasons. I'd pay just for the peace of mind.

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