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Empty Property: Should I Pay Supply Charge?

By: Chris Hogan MSc - Updated: 5 Dec 2022 | comments

Landlords' responsibilities for utility charges on empty properties are something of a grey area. The situation varies according to the utility in question, the company supplying the property, the contract(s) that were in place with the tenants and what happened when the tenants vacated the property.

A Perfect World

Let's take the best case scenario first. In an ideal world a tenant will let the supply company know when they are going and leave a forwarding address. When they leave the liability for any charges after that will pass to the landlord, and when a new tenant arrives they will take up a new contract with the existing supplier or a new one.

This means the landlord will be paying charges accrued during the void period, but of course if the utilities are barely used then those charges will be very low. The alternative is to terminate the contract and allow the supply to be cut off. This probably makes sense for a telephone service, but not for a gas or electricity supply.

Telephone accounts can be closed and when the new tenants move in they should easily be able to start up a contract with a new telephone supplier. As the line will still be in place the reconnection should be quick and the charges low.

Disconnecting Gas and Electricity Supplies

Gas and electricity supplies are a bit different. Apart from the fact that it is considered acceptable for tenants to set up their own telephone supply, it is not acceptable to provide a rental property without electricity and gas (or whichever form of heating is used). Cutting off and reconnecting a supply usually entails a visit to the property by qualified engineers so suppliers may levy charges for disconnecting and reconnecting. It would be difficult to get tenants who would accept paying those charges.

If you find yourself with bills coming in from a utility supply company who had a contract with the departed tenant the liabilities may end up with you. Although the tenant has gone, under certain circumstances the utility supplier may consider that a 'deemed contract' is in place and you will be picking up the tab.

Supply Charge

If a property is vacated the landlord should get in contact with all the utility suppliers and inform that the tenants have moved on, with their new addresses if possible. The utility companies may then make standing charges for maintaining the supply, even if there is no usage.

This is down to the individual contract with each supplier, some may do this and others may not. But if you find that tenants have left without sorting this out and you are being hit for supply charges, it's unlikely that you can do anything about it. If you think the situation is unfair, you need to get legal advice.

Consider Leaving Utilities Up and Running

To be honest, with gas and electricity you are probably better off leaving the supplies connected in any case, particularly if you want to find a suitable tenant as soon as possible.

Finding that tenant will be much more likely if the house is lit and heated, and in winter it will pay to have the heating on to avoid any frozen and burst pipes. Getting rental income coming in faster will outweigh any small charges for gas and electricity charges on an empty property.

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[Add a Comment]

Hi My tenant moved out in May as I wanted to sell my property (eventually end August) I tracked down the energy supplier and tried to provide my name and address on several occassions to try to get them to send me a bill for the standing charges and some use of power over 5 days for cleaning/repairs/home showing etc, but a) simply could not get through to talk to anyone b) online..tried to enter old meter reading and to register as new owner but this required an ongoing account number (do not have). My name and address are publically available via the Landlords Register however no bill has been received.However after 3 months received a letter directly from a debt collector advising I not only owe an unrealistic amount (>£2.50/day) but also a debt collection fee of approx 25% of alleged amount owed. I don't dispute I owe money and if it eventuates that this amount is legit, so be it, however I have not been provided with any bill/invoice or evidence showing how these charges have been calculated. I thought this was a legal requirement?Can I request these from the debt collection agency? Also, as the energy supplier has never sent me a single bill/request for payment etc, are they entitled to simply hand over to a debt collector, and why should I pay their fee?

JT - 5-Dec-22 @ 12:59 PM

Hello my house is stood empty as we are waiting for it to be sold we have duel fuel meters in and pay as we go it’s cost us money every week to keep meters going no one uses gas the only electric that gets used is the burglar alarm nothing else can we contact company and get meters turned off or something so it’s not costing us anything please advise many thanks

Lanco - 14-Aug-20 @ 2:50 PM

I had storage heaters removed and gas central heating installed. Spoke to utility warehouse about disconnecting the meter used for the storage heaters. They said they can't do that. I will still need to pay standing charge for a supply I can never use. (£89 a year) I can contact the distributor and pay to have it removed. I have spoken to distributor who says they would not remove 1 metre and leave one to a property and that UW are misunderstood.You wouldn't be charged for a disconnected phone line so how can they get away with saying I still have to pay?

cleg - 15-Jul-20 @ 11:52 AM

I am moving from owned property. The completion should be on the 6th or 7th May.Gas/Electric Duel Fuel is on a meter and I am very much in credit.I informed them of a move of house, but my next house is not ready yet, so cannot transfer to the next house. I have moved out already and cancelled my Direct DebitMy last bill was last paid on the 24th April (A month in advance for standard charges) .My direct debit is due on the 6th or 7th of this month, May, on the day I move out or a day later.So I cancelled it.But then was told I will have to pay charges for cancelling my direct debit.I said the direct debit will be cancelled the day after or on the day of completion, so I should not be charged extra admin charges. Shell say that is not the case I will have to pay extra and cannot give me an exact figure. They also say I am not allowed to cancel immediately as OfGem states I have to pay maintenance charges until the next people move in.Is this true?ARe you forced to pay for a service you do not want or need? and why are Shell being so unreasonable about one day's difference when they owe mequite a lot but want to charge me admin charges for up to a month?

SueHypno - 4-May-20 @ 4:29 PM

SueHypno - 4-May-20 @ 4:15 PM

Hi, I had the house rented with a letting agent. When my tenants gone the had the responsibility for the end of the tenancy. Now the electricty supplier that my tenants, LCS says that between the tenants gone and I arrived to live again at home my house was within its service but the letting agent did not communicated me anything and I thought that the account was close. I imagine that if LCS change the titular of the bill at least hasto get a confirmation from the new one and the details from the new one. My ex letting agents neither give my any information which was my supplier and it is a personal tenant's detail, nor closed the suppliers giving me the possibility to open my own opperator. When I arrived I opend my account with SP. Should I pay for this when was the letting agent the resposible of this misunderstandin. And LCS also because they did not have my confirmation and my direct wish to work with them. It is unfair. I can be blame for not being informed but not for the bill. If someone can help me, please. I feel really please.

Che - 8-May-19 @ 4:33 PM

Have a rental property that caught fire on July 2018. Uninhabitable, all utility meters switched off and were damaged in the fire. Got SSE chasing me up for outstanding bills(dunno how they got my details). Called them and they advised that they took over the utilities in Sept 2018, I advised about the fire in July 2018. So how can I owe them anything since everything switched off, and no-one living there? They wont even deal with me unless I advise account number, which I know nothing about, since it was not me that opened the account!

Sandy - 8-Apr-19 @ 2:43 PM

Hi, our company is a Limited company and we rented a property for 1 year in 2006-2007. The gas was never used and was disconnected in 2007 while we were in the property but the meter was not removed. Having not been in the property since 2007 we recently began having issues with credit accounts due to 'exceeding payment terms by 150 days' which we knew was not the case. Following an investigation a couple of months ago with Expedia it was found to be an issue with BG and on contacting BG we were informed we would need to pay a standing charge for the past 11 years. We have received no communication in the interim period. What rights do we have? Should the landlord be liable for this period or can it simply be argued with BG that the standing charge should be dropped and the meter should have been removed? At the moment, BG have simply attended the property, confirmed the meter is still in position and say the standing charge is still owed.

DSC - 23-May-18 @ 2:59 PM

Hi, I works at a small community Library run by a charity. Over the summer Balfour Beatty conducted roadworks and disconnected our gas supply, but never reconnected it. We only realised this when we came to turn the heating on last week. Are we still obliged to pay British gas for the Standing charge during this period?

brassedoff - 11-Oct-17 @ 2:20 PM

Sue - Your Question:

I have an annexe which has been occupied by my son for several years. He moved out recently and I have had the gas meter disconnected. I have no intention of renting out or using for family use. Why do I have to pay a service charge? Is my only option to pay to have the meter removed?

Our Response:

Unfortunately, removal is your only option if you do not want to pay a service charge. Different companies charge different amounts for removal as well as this has not been standardised either.

UtilityCharges - 4-Jul-17 @ 2:14 PM

I have an annexe which has been occupied by my son for several years.He moved out recently and I have had the gas meter disconnected.I have no intention of renting out or using for family use.Why do I have to pay a service charge?Is my only option to pay to have the meter removed?

Sue - 21-Jun-17 @ 10:59 AM

Please help. In a dispute with Scottish Power over my empty property, they sent me a final bill and were going to close the account, which they did. Trying to get the electricity on for Monday as I have workmen going in to do a lot of work, so was advised to contact them to start the account again. Well, after 3 hours on the phone, being cut off twice, they are saying that I owe them the standing charge at £1.92 a week since they closed the account. They couldn't give me an exact figure as it is a prepayment meter(unreliable prev tenant) and I have to go and put the key in to get a figure, he said it was quite a lot that I owe them and can't have electric until I have paid, fair enough, but they are missing the fact that they closed the account, not me. Where do I stand? Help

On the verge of exha - 8-Jun-17 @ 5:41 PM

Rented house out for 2 years left gas and electric bill in my name as it was a key now I've moved back into house and my electri and gas top ups where if I put £12 pounds on they where taking £3 so I've been in touch they say I owe £255 it's not my debt can I do anythink about this thanx

Hugo - 18-Jan-17 @ 9:55 PM

should i be charged a daily standing charge as the house has been vacant for 9 months due to flooding

tel - 4-Nov-16 @ 12:53 PM

I am joint owner of several properties with my ex husband. He says the properties have been empty and unoccupied since our divorce ten years ago. How can I find out if the utilities have been used during that period ie if there have been tenants that have had utilities connected for use? And am I legally entitled as a joint owner to obtain this information? I do not need details of the occupiers or details of their consumption, just to know whether the properties have been leased to tenants during the ten year period.

Stan - 16-Oct-16 @ 10:05 AM

Scorpy - Your Question:

My dad died last July and his house has been unoccupied since then.I've been trying so far unsuccessfully to sell it.Recently I received a bill from British Gas for £176 -in spite of the fact that the house is unoccupied and the gas (central heating ) hasn't been used!-when I rang them they said it was standing charges but the customer service adviser also said I wasn't "personally liable" because the account was in my dad's name not mine and I was the executor.Is this true?-they also sent me a letter threatening g debt collectors.Is there a way I can get out of paying this ?-it seems ridiculous to have to pay this.

Our Response:

You could consider getting it disconnected if it's not use. British Gas will have a claim off your father's estate...as executor you have to priotise any debts and pay creditors accordingly.Here's how you should prioritise any debts:
Secured creditors such as mortgage or car loan etc
Funeral expenses
Expenses incurred in adminstering the estate (you as executor should keep a note of any expenses you incur)
Unsecured creditors - e.g. debts to local and central government. utility bills, bank loans, credit and store card debts
Interest due on unsecured loans
Deferred debts- such as money borrowed from a friend or family member

UtilityCharges - 20-Jun-16 @ 10:04 AM

I moved out of my rented property on the 7th Oct, informed the elec/gas company, started a new account with them at my purchased property on the 8th Oct. They issued be with a refund of over £300 for overpayments. Iofficially handed the keys back on the 31st oct but had to pay rent until the 8thNov with the the new tenants moving in on the 9th. Am i liable for all the standing charges for this period.......

lou1978 - 8-Dec-15 @ 1:36 PM

I am about to sign the lease on a shop The previous tenant left without paying and the Gas & Electricity supplies were disconnected. Who's responsibility is it to pay for the reconnection, mine or the landlords ? He is suggesting I contact the suppliers and arrange and pay for reconnection

Neenee - 1-Aug-15 @ 3:58 PM

@smileymiles. Many companies do continue with a standing charge on an empty property. You should send a copy of the death certificate and request a breakdown of all costs, credits and debits from them, to help you verify whether amount charged is correct.

UtilityCharges - 17-Apr-15 @ 2:28 PM

I am the executor of the will of a person who died in January 2014.I contacted edf in February 2014 and informed them of the death.They said they would cease the accounts. There was a £300 credit on the account at that time. The house has remained empty since January 2014 and is up for sale.I have been received estimated bills every month or so and really just put them in a file.As I want to tie up the loose end with this account I contacted edf, I got fobbed off 5 times, hung up on twice. In the end I emailed the CEO and his office are trying to sort it out. Do I have to pay a standing charge if there is no one in the house and it has been empty since January 2014? I am received a bill for over £260 and cannot get to the bottom of the charges, which do include a standing daily charge Thanks

smileymiles - 17-Apr-15 @ 11:24 AM

I sympathise with this being in the same position. My gas meter has now been removed from the empty property - no gas used- but standing charges in my name. They had the wrong name at first - now corrected and are seeking to charge my own property where I have no outstanding bills. My tenants left owing nothing but a new account was set up without my consent and charges began.

gassed off - 28-Mar-15 @ 11:40 AM

change your telephone number , it will cost them a lot more if they take you to court. I had 2 peeps chasing for my sons debts, I pay off a bit but leftapprox £300 outstanding now they have left me alone.

dai - 12-Nov-13 @ 11:02 AM

I am in the middle of a dispute with Eon over a bill for £95.00, if anyone has "taken them on" then please give me some advice, remember its only £95 so the value of my time verses the "big boys bulling" may become an issue. I have an investment flat which was let long term, the tenants finally left 5 months after their tenancy expired, under a cloud and owing rent. I live 400 miles from the property so once all the rubbish left inside the flat was removed and all the paintwork repainted, put it in the hands of a local agent who let it and now manages it for me. Eon sent a number of bills during the 8 week void period, I called them a number of time explaining the property was empty so the "estimated readings" where wrong and the agent would inform them of the new tenants when they go in. Alas the old tenants had given a meter reading 400 units lower than it actually was so the unfurnished empty flat showed a usage (not even an appliance so not the fridge as Eon have suggested). I have spent several months explaining what happened, Eon have now used a dept company which calls me daily to demand payment each time I explain the position, I have even complained to both company's that they are harassing me which is an offence, they log my complaints and call the next day with more threats and as for the post you would think i was a criminal. Has anyone got any ideas to help or should I just let the bullies win and move closer to the campaign of rip of Briton or are Eon French?

landlord - 16-Aug-12 @ 4:35 PM

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