Problem with Electric and Gas Suppliers between tenants

Other

Does anyone else ever have the same problem as us in between tenants? Every time a tenant moves out we phone the gas and electric supplier (we have prepayment meters) and we give the meter readings. The tenant has usually left the meter to go into and use all the emergency credit.

Once we have the accounts in our name, we then clear the meters and put credit on them and also enough to cover the emergency credit aswell. Basically, the meters are always in credit while we are in control.

Our problem is that the supplier (usually Powergen or EON or Scottish Power) then proceeds to send us a bill which we then have to call them about over and over again. How can we owe anything if we take over with a new account and put sufficient credit and emergency credit into the machines? We have given them the previous tenants closing readings, so surely if anyone owes them money, it is the previous tenant and not us.

We eventually manage to pursuade them that we don't owe them anything but it is a lengthy process and a costly one too with all the phone calls we have to make.

They told us that if the tenant leaves and there is credit on the meter (which isn't often) then they will close the tenants account and send them a cheque to reimburse them with their credit. Well, we know that this is total rubbish because we always leave credit AND emergency credit in the meters when a new tenant moves in and we haven't had this refunded to us once yet. They are quick to send us a bill but they are not so quick to refund our credit when they close down our account and open a new one for a new tenant (the new tenant will start at £0 once the meter is reset).

Rgds