Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking against energy suppliers who issue exaggerated gas and electricity back-bills where the calculation is based on (1) incorrect readings, or (2) readings not submitted or approved by the tenant being charged.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem are responsible for enforcing supplier licence conditions. Tenants should take a meter reading as soon as they move into a property. Customers will not be responsible for energy bills with incorrect meter readings and can request a new bill from their supplier if they have been billed incorrectly.
Residential tenants are responsible for paying energy bills from the start date of their tenancy only. For non-domestic tenants, Ofgem's recent non-domestic market review found some issues with changing of tenancies, including debt repayment issues from previous tenants. The Retail Energy Code Company is working on new rules in this area.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that energy suppliers may collude with landlords in a way which is detrimental to tenants, and what steps they are taking to prevent this.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem has guidance for tenants, setting out their energy rights, and includes rules regarding the resale of energy to third parties, such as tenants. Landlords, being the property owners, are the legal parties in contracts with energy suppliers. The Department's energy policy does not regulate landlords.