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Commercial Property Utilities
Evening, I'm turning here for advice because I am going round in circles and no one seems to want to do anything to help 
A friend of mine has an empty shop, I need a shop/office, the deal was good for all so I shook on it, please note nothing is signed yet.
The one problem is that the previous tenant back in June 2018 was evicted from the shop because of unpaid rent and a very large electricy bill, the supply is by BES and one of my customers is an energy broker who contacted them and they refused to reconnect the supply, they first told me I would have to pay a £250 reconnection charge which I said no to as the disconnection was nothing to do with me, I have a limited company which is nothing to do with the previous tenants or the landlord.
I was told that in order to evict the previous tenant the main fuse was removed from the shop stopping the supply and only the owners of the meter can put it back in, as of writing this the fuse is still missing.
After two weeks of going back and forth BES have accepted me as the tenant and changed the supply into my name THEN immediately sent me a bill for the standing charge for Feb!! it was only £22.05 so as I sign of good faith I paid it, I have also been told that if the supply is in our name then legally I have to pay the standing charge regardless?
This morning they rang me and offered to put me on a better tariff, I asked how I could be on a better tarrif when they are not actually supplying the shop and it is holding up me getting in and starting the renovation works in order to open and was put through to Warrants who said that if they disconnect a supply it is done remotely and there is no need to remove the fuse, that is as it maybe but there is no fuse and no supply even though I am being charged for it at £1.50 per day.
The landlord who owns a building company asked one of his guys to put a fuse in and he has refused stating that it is the property of the supply company (BES) and against the law to touch it, everything after the fuse they can deal with but not replace the fuse.
So I am going round in circles here and really need some help, all I want to do is open my shop and to do it I need electricity but everyone just wants to argue that it's not their problem.
I accept the fact that the previous tenant left a large bill (I'm being told circa £8k) but surely BES cannot withold a supply from me for something I have nothing to do with?
Hope this makes some sense and someone can point me in the right direction?
Jayce
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A friend of mine has an empty shop, I need a shop/office, the deal was good for all so I shook on it, please note nothing is signed yet.
The one problem is that the previous tenant back in June 2018 was evicted from the shop because of unpaid rent and a very large electricy bill, the supply is by BES and one of my customers is an energy broker who contacted them and they refused to reconnect the supply, they first told me I would have to pay a £250 reconnection charge which I said no to as the disconnection was nothing to do with me, I have a limited company which is nothing to do with the previous tenants or the landlord.
I was told that in order to evict the previous tenant the main fuse was removed from the shop stopping the supply and only the owners of the meter can put it back in, as of writing this the fuse is still missing.
After two weeks of going back and forth BES have accepted me as the tenant and changed the supply into my name THEN immediately sent me a bill for the standing charge for Feb!! it was only £22.05 so as I sign of good faith I paid it, I have also been told that if the supply is in our name then legally I have to pay the standing charge regardless?
This morning they rang me and offered to put me on a better tariff, I asked how I could be on a better tarrif when they are not actually supplying the shop and it is holding up me getting in and starting the renovation works in order to open and was put through to Warrants who said that if they disconnect a supply it is done remotely and there is no need to remove the fuse, that is as it maybe but there is no fuse and no supply even though I am being charged for it at £1.50 per day.
The landlord who owns a building company asked one of his guys to put a fuse in and he has refused stating that it is the property of the supply company (BES) and against the law to touch it, everything after the fuse they can deal with but not replace the fuse.
So I am going round in circles here and really need some help, all I want to do is open my shop and to do it I need electricity but everyone just wants to argue that it's not their problem.
I accept the fact that the previous tenant left a large bill (I'm being told circa £8k) but surely BES cannot withold a supply from me for something I have nothing to do with?
Hope this makes some sense and someone can point me in the right direction?
Jayce
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