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Hi, I'd appreciate some advice about a developing case with an energy supplier. It's a little involved (as I bet they always are) so hopefully won't put you off having to read it all 
We moved into a shop a few years ago. Previously, the building had been a single enterprise; a developer split it into smaller units. Our shop has the gas and electricity meters for the ground floor shops. The landlord promised to split the electricity supply for us and next door (didn't) and get the gas supply disconnected (there is no boiler or heating system attached) but went bankrupt and the building was repossessed by his mortgage company. The property was eventually taken over by one of the directors of the mortgage company, but we have been getting red letter invoices in the mortgage company's name ever since. We have been "returning to sender" assuming it was a historical debt.
In September we received a "welcome to your energy supplier" letter and in October an invoice issued to "the occupier" arrived.
The invoice states estimated usage of zero but standing charges for what appears to be 269 days @ 98p per day (it's hard to work out as the bill doesn't clearly state a date period and the s/c charges are in 2 separate sections)
We thought the meter and supply were dead and had been deactivated when the radiators/boiler were disconnected, so I contacted the company to cancel the outstanding debt.
They have advised me there would be an approx £150 charge to remove the meter and the standing charges need settling, although they agreed they knew there had been no gas usage. Our current landlord is willing to shoulder the fee but doesn't want to pay the standing charges (we'd pay and deduct from the rent paid to him)
I'm in the process of clarifying with them what period is covered by the standing charges but they have already advised that ignorance of gas supply is no basis to have the s/c waived.
My question is do I have any defence against the standing charge fees approx £280 so far? Surely if it includes a period before they started writing to "the occupier" we shouldn't be liable? Or can they backdate charges? I'm not sure if we are being double-charged for a period where they're (unsuccessfully) trying to recover payment from the mortgage company (no longer in existence)
Logically I would have thought a couple of month's worth of standing charges would be sensible (from first contact in September until confirmed disconnection of supply) roughly £60 at most. They did offer a £40 goodwill gesture on the outstanding s/c amount.
Appreciate if you've read this far and can assist with this
We moved into a shop a few years ago. Previously, the building had been a single enterprise; a developer split it into smaller units. Our shop has the gas and electricity meters for the ground floor shops. The landlord promised to split the electricity supply for us and next door (didn't) and get the gas supply disconnected (there is no boiler or heating system attached) but went bankrupt and the building was repossessed by his mortgage company. The property was eventually taken over by one of the directors of the mortgage company, but we have been getting red letter invoices in the mortgage company's name ever since. We have been "returning to sender" assuming it was a historical debt.
In September we received a "welcome to your energy supplier" letter and in October an invoice issued to "the occupier" arrived.
The invoice states estimated usage of zero but standing charges for what appears to be 269 days @ 98p per day (it's hard to work out as the bill doesn't clearly state a date period and the s/c charges are in 2 separate sections)
We thought the meter and supply were dead and had been deactivated when the radiators/boiler were disconnected, so I contacted the company to cancel the outstanding debt.
They have advised me there would be an approx £150 charge to remove the meter and the standing charges need settling, although they agreed they knew there had been no gas usage. Our current landlord is willing to shoulder the fee but doesn't want to pay the standing charges (we'd pay and deduct from the rent paid to him)
I'm in the process of clarifying with them what period is covered by the standing charges but they have already advised that ignorance of gas supply is no basis to have the s/c waived.
My question is do I have any defence against the standing charge fees approx £280 so far? Surely if it includes a period before they started writing to "the occupier" we shouldn't be liable? Or can they backdate charges? I'm not sure if we are being double-charged for a period where they're (unsuccessfully) trying to recover payment from the mortgage company (no longer in existence)
Logically I would have thought a couple of month's worth of standing charges would be sensible (from first contact in September until confirmed disconnection of supply) roughly £60 at most. They did offer a £40 goodwill gesture on the outstanding s/c amount.
Appreciate if you've read this far and can assist with this
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