Do I have to pay the previous tenant's energy bill?
Short answer
No. You do not have to pay for energy used before you moved in. Tell the supplier your move-in date, give it a meter reading from that day, and send your tenancy agreement or mortgage contract if asked. On a prepayment meter, contact the supplier before you top up and ask it to remove the old debt.
Updated
£0
What you owe for energy used before you moved in
£500
Prepayment debt you can owe and still switch supplier, says Ofgem
8 weeks
Before an unresolved complaint can go to the Energy Ombudsman
A letter for the last occupier, a bill that starts before you arrived, or a prepayment meter that swallows your first top-up. Each one looks like your problem, and none of them is your debt.
Am I responsible for the last occupier's energy bill?
No. What you owe starts from the day you moved in.
- Citizens Advice says you do not have to pay for energy that was used before you moved in.
- Tell the supplier you moved in after the energy was used, ask it to send you a new bill, and give it a meter reading so the new bill is right.
- If it asks for proof of when you moved in, send a copy of your tenancy agreement or mortgage contract. Ask your landlord for a copy if you do not have one.
- If you rent, check whether your landlord has given the supplier your name and told it you have moved in.
- E.ON Next says that once you have told it you moved in, you will only be billed from the meter readings you gave, and a previous occupier's debt with it will not affect your credit rating.
Sources: Citizens Advice: check if you're responsible for paying an energy bill (read 13 October 2026); E.ON Next: moving home (read 13 October 2026)
Why am I being billed if I never signed up?
Because the law treats you as the supplier's customer from the day you start using its energy.
- Ofgem says a deemed contract normally exists when a customer moves into new premises and starts using gas or electricity without agreeing a contract with a supplier.
- It comes from paragraph 8 of Schedule 2B to the Gas Act 1986 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 to the Electricity Act 1989.
- Citizens Advice says you are automatically put on the supplier's default or standard variable tariff.
- Deemed rates for households fall under the price cap, though Ofgem says deemed contracts and default tariffs are usually among a supplier's most expensive.
- Ofgem says you can choose a new tariff or supplier after you have moved in.
Sources: Ofgem: guidance on deemed contracts (November 2023) (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: energy terms explained (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: switch your home energy supplier (read 13 October 2026)
What should I do with letters to The Occupier or the last tenant?
A letter to The Occupier from an energy company tells you who supplies the property. Post in someone else's name is not yours to open.
- ScottishPower says a letter from it at your new home means it supplies your energy, and asks you to tell it you have moved in so it can set up your account.
- British Gas has a set-up route for anyone who has received an Occupier letter from it.
- Post in the previous occupier's name is different. E.ON Next says not to open it: write Return to sender and No longer at this address on the envelope and post it back, adding a forwarding address if you have one.
- Still not sure who supplies the property? The supplier lookup guide covers the gas and electricity postcode searches.
Sources: ScottishPower: moving home (read 13 October 2026); British Gas: moving home (read 13 October 2026); E.ON Next: moving home (read 13 October 2026)
What if the prepayment meter has the last tenant's debt on it?
Speak to the supplier before you top up, if you can.
- Citizens Advice says to contact the current supplier straight away if your new home has a prepayment meter, and to try not to use a key or card, or put money on the meter, until you have.
- Otherwise you risk paying extra for debts owed by the people who lived there before you.
- Ask the supplier to take any debt off the meter, give you a new key or card, and tell you how the meter works.
- If you had to top up first, say so. Citizens Advice says the supplier will pay you back for any extra charges, as long as you can prove when you moved in. E.ON Next says the same.
- British Gas says you need an account with it before you can top up a prepayment meter it supplies.
Sources: Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026); E.ON Next: moving home (read 13 October 2026); British Gas: moving home (read 13 October 2026)
What should I send the supplier?
- 1
Find out who supplies the property
Check post addressed to The Occupier, ask your landlord or letting agent, or use the gas and electricity postcode lookups.
- 2
Tell the supplier your move-in date
Ask it to open an account in your name from that date and send you a new bill.
- 3
Give an opening meter reading
Use the reading you took on the day you moved in, so the new bill is right.
- 4
Send proof of your move-in date
A copy of your tenancy agreement or mortgage contract is what suppliers ask for.
- 5
Ask for the earlier balance to be removed
Energy used before you moved in is not yours. Ask for it to be taken off your account, and off the meter if it is a prepayment meter.
Sources: Citizens Advice: check if you're responsible for paying an energy bill (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026)
Can old debt stop me switching supplier?
- Ofgem says you cannot switch if you have been in debt to your supplier for more than 28 days, until you repay it. Debt run up before you moved in is not yours, so ask for it to be separated from your account.
- With a prepayment meter, Ofgem says you can still switch if you owe your supplier up to £500.
- A switch should complete within 5 working days. If it does not, Ofgem says your new supplier must pay you £40.
- If your switch was declined over a balance that is not yours, our guide to a declined energy switch covers what to say and what to send.
Sources: Ofgem: switch your home energy supplier (read 13 October 2026)
Is Ofgem changing the rules on debt when you move in?
It is working on it, and nothing has been decided.
- In December 2025 Ofgem published a call for input on tackling energy debt when people move into a new home. It closed on 21 January 2026.
- Ofgem's concern is that people can usually use energy straight away after moving in, which may increase the risk of getting into debt without realising it.
- In June 2026 it published a summary of the 47 responses and said its next step is to consult on bespoke guidance for the home-moves process.
- There is no decision as of 13 October 2026, so the rules on this page are unchanged.
Sources: Ofgem: tackling energy debt when moving home, call for input (read 13 October 2026)
What if the supplier keeps billing me for the old debt?
- Complain to the supplier by phone or in writing, and note the date and time, the person you spoke to and the problem you discussed.
- The supplier should send a decision letter or a letter of deadlock within 8 weeks.
- After 8 weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter, you can take it to the Energy Ombudsman, which is free to use.
- If you are struggling to pay a bill that is genuinely yours, Citizens Advice says the supplier has to help you find a solution.
Sources: Citizens Advice: complain to your energy supplier (read 13 October 2026); Energy Ombudsman: frequently asked questions (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: check if you're responsible for paying an energy bill (read 13 October 2026)
How can Taupia help when I move in?
- Add your new address and move-in date, and Taupia tells you which supplier already serves the property, so you know who to tell on day one.
- It compares energy deals from 19 suppliers covering around 90% of the GB market, and switches once your household approves.
- In a shared home it splits the bills and tracks who has paid, without moving any money.
- Taupia is free.
Questions about bills and debt from the last occupier
Do I have to pay the previous tenant's gas or electricity bill?
No. Citizens Advice says you do not have to pay for energy used before you moved in. Tell the supplier your move-in date, give it a meter reading and send your tenancy agreement or mortgage contract if it asks for proof.
What do I do with letters addressed to The Occupier?
A letter to The Occupier from an energy company usually means it supplies your home. Set up an account in your name from your move-in date with an opening meter reading. Post in the previous tenant's name should go back marked return to sender.
Will the previous tenant's debt affect my credit rating?
It should not, because the debt is not yours. E.ON Next, for example, says a previous occupier's debt with it will not affect your credit rating once you have told it you moved in. Make sure the account is in your name from your move-in date.
There is debt on the prepayment meter in my new home. What do I do?
Contact the supplier before you top up, and ask it to take the debt off the meter and give you a new key or card. If you had to top up first, tell it: Citizens Advice says it will pay back the extra, as long as you can prove when you moved in.
Can the supplier stop me switching because of the last tenant's debt?
It is not your debt, so ask for it to be separated from your account. Ofgem's rule is that you cannot switch if you have been in debt to your supplier for more than 28 days, and on prepayment you can switch owing up to £500.
Is Ofgem changing the rules for energy debt when you move in?
It is considering it. Ofgem ran a call for input on energy debt in home moves that closed in January 2026, and says its next step is to consult on new guidance. There is no decision yet, so nothing has changed for households.
Get the account into your name
Guides for finding the supplier, clearing a blocked switch and setting up the bills.
Start here
Who is my gas and electricity supplier?
RecommendedThe postcode lookups for the supplier already serving your home.
Why was my energy switch declined?
What to say when an old balance blocks your switch.
Prepayment meter in your new home
Changing to credit, landlord permission, and what prepayment costs.
Set up gas and electric in a new home
Opening readings, the tariff you start on and whether to keep it.
Move-in bills checklist
Every bill to set up at the new home, and when to act on each.
Know who supplies your next home before you arrive
Add your new address and move-in date, and Taupia tells you which supplier already serves the property. It compares energy deals and switches once your household approves. It is free, and nothing changes without your approval.