Billing query

peas

My query relates to everybody's favourite - nPower.

We have economy 7; we pay by direct debit, hadn't had a bill for 5 months. Apparently their policy is to raise bills only every 6 months for customers who are on DD. surely we can ask for more frequent bills?

anyway just re checked our last bill and our latest meter readings. I have a horrible feeling they have been charging us economy 7 tariff for our main electricity usage and VV. this assumption is based on the fact that our economy 7 reading has shot up, and the other one only slightly.

What do I do? Can they legally ask us for the back pay when in fact it is their error. also I don't know who to report it to.

Interested in comments.

Premier_2

Energy companies are under no legal requirement to produce bills at specific intervals.

They can back bill you for up to 12 months - even when it's their "mistake".

peas

Thanks
my query isn't so much about frequency of bills but about the fact that I think they have been charging us incorrectly ie our meter readings are suggesting that the electricity we have used most has been charged at Economy 7 and that which we have used least has been charged at the standard rate. We don't have storage heaters which would us the electricity and I don't use the washing machine overnight.

Premier_2

Call them and speak to them about your concerns - if they are billing you, even if incorrectly, the 12 month back billing limit doesn't apply - they might try and backbill even further if the error goes on longer.

Or could it simply be that the clock that switches the rates is incorrectly set? I know mine has been for years but doubt anyone will do anything now, especially as I have changed supplier.

drew66_2

Hi

two issues here if npower have billed the day and night wrong way round i.e. mixed reads up, then they are duty bound to rebill the account. On the other hand if the timeswitch on the meter is faulty that can mean more units may have been billed on the day time than should have been and this will inflate your bill. Here again Npower are duty bound to check and have the t/swtich reset or replaced. And then offset any prior over billing.

If there customer services don't respond then there is always energywatch

Premier_2

drew66 wrote: »

Hi

two issues here if npower have billed the day and night wrong way round i.e. mixed reads up, then they are duty bound to rebill the account. On the other hand if the timeswitch on the meter is faulty that can mean more units may have been billed on the day time than should have been and this will inflate your bill. Here again Npower are duty bound to check and have the t/swtich reset or replaced. And then offset any prior over billing.

If there customer services don't respond then there is always energywatch

Welcome to MSE, drew66

If you re-read the OP you will see it is the lower rate that has gone up, meaning the poster is getting more electricity at the lower rate, so saving money. Perhaps he could contact his supplier and possibly energywatch if he really wants to get the clock corrected and pay more in future...but this is moneysavingexpert.com, not moneyspendingexpert.com.

drew66_2

Premier

Thanks for the pointers - seems to me we are both making assumptions here.

Peas i hope comments from both parties have helped. Essentially for E7 to pay for itself you need to use at least 25% on cheap rate.

signing off

drew66