Flynrider
Phoenix,#2Consumer Comment
Wed, March 13, 2013
You're finding out the power company's answer to the roommates game. The "roommates game" goes like this. Roommate #1 stiffs SRP on serveral months of electric bills, then Roomate #2 puts the account in their name and eventually stiffs them for another few months. Eventually Roomate #3, #4 and so on repeat the process. This was very common until the power companies acted to discourage it.
If you lived in the house when roommate #1 stiffed them on the bill, they're saying that you can't get around paying by just changing the account holder's name. All of the roommates used electricity that was not paid for.
If, by chance, you were not living there when roommate #1 stiffed them, then you are finding out what happens when you associate yourself with deadbeats. They probably can't force you to pay the deadbeat's bill, but they can refuse to sell electricity to all of you until they're paid what they are rightfully owed.