Advice - Shocking HUGE catch up bill

wicket94_2

Hi

I'm after advice. After it appears many years on estimated electricity bills I have just received a catch up. I did not take much notice of previous bills and know I've had meter readers round in the past but assume they did not act on them.

To cut a long story short.. I have now a massive catch up bill with the supplier wanting to raise my DD to £590!! pm.

I cannot afford this and will be asking to pay a max of £125 per month. To compund matters my wife is currently on half pay being off sick since January - she is now classed as disabled. I don't want to go pre paid, we have regulalry paid by dd in the past.

Do I have any grounds for re-negotiating the bill to reflect historical prices?

Any tips for negotiating a reduced DD?

Help please - I'm at my wits end

SwanJon

The new bill should replace all the estimated bills - chek that they have done this, not just added it on. If they have, ask them to go back to the last real reading and rebill from there - might make some difference.
How long is it since that actual reading? You could ask them to spread the balance over the same length of time it has taken to build up.

monoxideuk

also energy companys usually set the debt to be paid off over 4 or 5 monthly payments - and i nkow this can be extended to over 9 months - check that they have done this.

wicket94_2

I need to check back on previous bills but I think it's around 6 years.

I'm assuming their change to £590 tries to recover over 6 months or their assuming I'm now running a lighthouse