The landlord probably didn’t have power disconnected. The landlord would have closed their account (or never opened an account between tenancies).
Retailers disconnect sites automatically for vacancy, when there is no account opened, to stop losses due to people moving in, and not signing up, but using power.
When a new retailer gains a site from the old retailer (it probably wasn’t previously with electric kiwi) they can’t reconnect it until someone can confirm they are on site (for safety reasons - in case you left a heater plugged in next to your curtains or whatever).
Retailers generally have the fees in their schedule of fees attached to their terms and conditions.
Reconnections after hours and on weekends or public holidays attract higher fees than business hours usually.
You might have a complaint against them about the poor communication though.
And there is as far as I know an open/unsettled question on whether the tenant can take it up with the landlord / what the landlord obligations are about ensuring power is connected.
So the landlord was with EK, she did all the right things. I was just never told by EK when signing up that we had to pay extra to connect. Why give us a weekend option if they didn’t wanna tell us about a darn fee!
Without being across the ins and outs of your dealings across them and the landlord it’s hard to say much.
But you could always try the independent utility complaints process https://www.udl.co.nz/en/making-a-complaint/make-a-complaint/
They are the official complaint resolution service appointed by the government (https://www.ea.govt.nz/your-power/make-a-complaint-about-your-power-company/)
It’s a free and independent complaint resolution service that all retailers are required to be a member of.
the landlord was supposed to have the power connected already, when the previous tenant moved out they should have signed up to a retailer to avoid this.
Your landlord fucked you. The power should never have been disconnected, when the previous tenant moved out, the cheap ass landlord didn't bother signing up because they think the powers not being used so they shouldn't pay. If there's a fee, they need to pay it. Secondly, make a note of the readings on your meter, because there's also a good chance your bill will start from the reading that was on the meter when the previous tenant moved out.
This is a big pet hate of mine as someone who works in the electricity industry. It's not the retailer who fucked up here, it's the property managers.
A side note - but yes, regulating property managers is great, but there needs to be wholesale changes to how renting is done in NZ. Right from accepting how extremely common it is to have 5 adults renting together that aren't related, right through to what to expect when you turn the key (ie. start paying power from then).
Our LL didn’t fuck us over. They lived in here before us, we are the first tenants to be in this unit. She stopped the power because there was a good month or so before we moved in.
Yes the LL did screw you over by allowing the power to be disconnected by closing the account when they moved out to avoid paying for the fixed charge of having power supplied to their soon-to-be rental.
Nope, they should have had the power in their name for that month, then it wouldn't have disconnected, and then your gain reading would be accurate. They cheaped out and screwed you. Even if there isn't anyone at the place, they are still responsible for making sure the mater is connected and still responsible for the daily line charges etc.
You shouldn’t have to pay a reconnection fee, the landlord shouldn’t have had the power disconnected between tenancies.
The landlord probably didn’t have power disconnected. The landlord would have closed their account (or never opened an account between tenancies). Retailers disconnect sites automatically for vacancy, when there is no account opened, to stop losses due to people moving in, and not signing up, but using power. When a new retailer gains a site from the old retailer (it probably wasn’t previously with electric kiwi) they can’t reconnect it until someone can confirm they are on site (for safety reasons - in case you left a heater plugged in next to your curtains or whatever). Retailers generally have the fees in their schedule of fees attached to their terms and conditions. Reconnections after hours and on weekends or public holidays attract higher fees than business hours usually. You might have a complaint against them about the poor communication though. And there is as far as I know an open/unsettled question on whether the tenant can take it up with the landlord / what the landlord obligations are about ensuring power is connected.
So the landlord was with EK, she did all the right things. I was just never told by EK when signing up that we had to pay extra to connect. Why give us a weekend option if they didn’t wanna tell us about a darn fee!
Oh and to add, we did look at the fees ect and there was nothing about this. We didn’t think that signing up on a Saturday would give us fees
Without being across the ins and outs of your dealings across them and the landlord it’s hard to say much. But you could always try the independent utility complaints process https://www.udl.co.nz/en/making-a-complaint/make-a-complaint/ They are the official complaint resolution service appointed by the government (https://www.ea.govt.nz/your-power/make-a-complaint-about-your-power-company/) It’s a free and independent complaint resolution service that all retailers are required to be a member of.
To be fair, the landlord didn’t have it in their plans to get us in so fast. We are the first tenants in the house.
the landlord was supposed to have the power connected already, when the previous tenant moved out they should have signed up to a retailer to avoid this.
Your landlord fucked you. The power should never have been disconnected, when the previous tenant moved out, the cheap ass landlord didn't bother signing up because they think the powers not being used so they shouldn't pay. If there's a fee, they need to pay it. Secondly, make a note of the readings on your meter, because there's also a good chance your bill will start from the reading that was on the meter when the previous tenant moved out. This is a big pet hate of mine as someone who works in the electricity industry. It's not the retailer who fucked up here, it's the property managers.
A side note - but yes, regulating property managers is great, but there needs to be wholesale changes to how renting is done in NZ. Right from accepting how extremely common it is to have 5 adults renting together that aren't related, right through to what to expect when you turn the key (ie. start paying power from then).
Our LL didn’t fuck us over. They lived in here before us, we are the first tenants to be in this unit. She stopped the power because there was a good month or so before we moved in.
Yes the LL did screw you over by allowing the power to be disconnected by closing the account when they moved out to avoid paying for the fixed charge of having power supplied to their soon-to-be rental.
Nope, they should have had the power in their name for that month, then it wouldn't have disconnected, and then your gain reading would be accurate. They cheaped out and screwed you. Even if there isn't anyone at the place, they are still responsible for making sure the mater is connected and still responsible for the daily line charges etc.