No electric bill for 7 years

peterstevens87

Hi
We moved into our house 10 years ago
A card meter was fitted so we asked the electric company
to fit a standard meter.

About the same time we had a knock at the door from
a power company ( Scottish Power) we decicided to switch to them
and set up payments

We was under the impresson that we had gas and electric with them
Payments of about £30/£40 a month went out month after month
for some 7 years .
Then one day out of the blue came a electic bill for £2,583.40
I contacted Scottish Power and was told that i was only paying my gas bill each month
and that they had thought i had a card meter so no need to send a bill.

I told them that every few months the meter was read by there meter readers
Yes they said there was a mix up Heres your bill
At the time i already had money troubles and my debts managed by a Debt Managment Plan company ( CCCS ) and after the bill was passed onto a collection agency i found it easyer to just add it to my DMP
That was 3 years ago its nearly payed off now along with my other debts
Im reclaming credit card / bank charges etc

Now i need to know if they had a right to collect the mony from me in the first place
Has any one heard of or been in the same position
Thanks Peter

ex-energywatch_adviser

They can only backbill for one year. See section 10 on the following link:

http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/documents/CodeofPracticeforAccurateBills.pdf

peterstevens87

I should have done this years ago
ok ive had a look it the link
I will try contact them tommorrow
but i was told when i got the bill i had to pay it
and then they passed it on to a collection agency
I had no choice but too pay or things would be removed from my home
as like the credit card etc

peterstevens87

Can anyone tell me what dept i should contact
its no good explaning this to someone whos just going to say i can pass you onto someone who wont know

Cardew

ex-energywatch_adviser wrote: »

They can only backbill for one year. See section 10 on the following link:

That is certainly the case now.

However before last year they could backbill two years.

I don't know when the 2 year backbilling rule came in. It might not have been in force when the OP was backbilled originally.

My gut feeling is Scottish Power would not have backbilled 7 years if the 2 year backbilling regulation had been in force.

peterstevens87

Just googled that
looks like 1989

peterstevens87

I take it if they do except its there fault
they should back date useing the prices from 3 years ago
what about intrest as with the credit cards can I charge them the 8%

Cardew

I would like to see that google reference stating it was 1989.

This is not like the bank charges saga; you received the goods(electricity), you acknowleged the debt and agreed to pay it back.

The question is were they allowed to backbill you for the whole period or just 2 years. Also I am surprised they backbilled you more than 6 years because that is the legal limit to claim debts.

I would first establish that you were wrongly backbilled. In short I wouldn't count your chickens yet!!

peterstevens87

http://www.nojitter.com/blog/archives/2008/01/fighting_backbi.html

It applys to phone services but i would imagine it applys to most household services

Cardew

peterstevens87 wrote: »

http://www.nojitter.com/blog/archives/2008/01/fighting_backbi.html

It applys to phone services but i would imagine it applys to most household services

So does USA consumer law for phone services apply to UK electricity bills?;)

peterstevens87

Doh :embarasse