Why am I getting charged Electricity from 2 different suppliers at the same time?????

PrancyElton

I moved into a new place with a couple of mates at the end of July this year, we signed up to British Gas for Electricity and everything seemed to go through ok......
We only just got a bill from British Gas, I assumed it would come at the end of October as we signed up for quarterly billing but the bill we got said we had missed 2 monthly payments of £58? It seems they think we are on a payment card estimated usage thing, where the payments are £58 a month. I called them up and they were sending the bills to the wrong address, they also sent meter reading requests etc there which is why they put us on the estimated tariff. I offered to give them the meter readings from the day we moved in up until today so we can be billed properly but they said its not possible because we owe them the £116. Does this sound right?
Also we got a bill from Npower stating we owed them £110 from the day we moved in, according to the estate agent if we set up a new account with British Gas they would take over the account from Npower. Can anyone give me an idea of what I should do next? I dont see how 2 companies can both think they are supplying us?
Any help would be great,
Thanks,
Matt

Premier_2

When you moved in, you had a deemed supply contract with nPower.

From that date until the switch date (presumably about 4-6 weeks later) any consumption was owed to nPower. Thats what that £110 bill is for and should be marked as a final bill.

With BG, they seem to have put you on an incorrect tariff, presumably some form of monthly billing plan. Explain that you wish to pay quarterly on receipt of bill and they can arrange this. However, they may want payment for the consumption you already used for the past 2 months, presumably the £116 they are now demanding. This will put you on schedule for their quarterly billing schedule for your property, so you should then expect the next bill in about 3 months time.

Incisor

Check meter readings on the bills - specifically the last reading from nPower and the first from BG. You should find that you have not bought the same electricity from 2 different suppliers.

SwanJon

Along with the readings, check the meter serial numbers and MPRs (supply number/M number) on the two bills - check the serial number against your actual meter.

littletommytucker

The £116 is obviously just your 2 payments of £56. This will show as an "overdue" amount on the system, even if you have not yet been issued a bill. Ask to cancell the payment plan, at this point your balance will probably reset back to £0 if you have not yet been issued a quarterly statement, and if you have been issued a statement then your balance will be whatever the balance on statement is, and should be paid in full in 28 days.

If your not in a situation to pay the balance in full, just call back and ask to be set back up on a payment plan And they will create a new payment plan for you, with no overdue amount.