Unpaid Electricity Bills

SGee

I set up a direct debit for my electricity in 2005 and despite being meticulous with my bank statements, have only just realised that it doens't seem to have been active as no payments have been taken from my account!

I don't want to be dishonest or to leave it longer and face a bigger bill, but I'm reluctant to contact them without knowing my rights first, especially if they're likely to demand that it's paid in full immediately. Is there any way that I can be exempt from any of the payments due to the fact that the error seems to have been at their end?

Any advice appreciated!

Magentasue

Have you been receiving statements?

Pink_fluff

You can hardly put all the blame on the supplier. Surely as a customer, the onus is on you to make sure you set payments/make payments. You must have received several bills/letters/reminders regarding this, as 3 years electricity will cost quite alot.

anniecave

IF you havent been receiving invoices/statements either, you may want to check with the meter point admin service who your supplier actually is, and that it is the company you intended to set up the direct debit with!

Have you ever received a bill? Under the "supercomplaint", electricity and gas suppliers aren't allowed to back bill for more than a year now, if they haven't been billling regularly every quarter/six months like they are supposed to. If they have been sending bills out, and you haven't been receiving them (eg because the post hasn't been arriving for some reason, or they have a slightly wrong address) then I don't think that counts!

If you do get a large bill that's built up over a while, it's reasonable to ask to spread the payment for that over a period of time. So if you get a years bill for example all at once, it's reasonable to ask for it to be spread over 9 months (a year minus the 3 months a bill normally covers).

jimexbox

This exact thing happened to be, although about six years ago. I went dual fuel with Eon or whatever they were called. Never having gone dual fuel before I thought they would just increase my existing DD. Obviously I know they dont, anyway someone at their end didn't action it and I didn't get an electricity bill for 3 years. I was single at the time and childless so I was well off , so didn't check any bills like I do now.

3 years later I get a welcome letter. !!!!!! I thought, a welcome letter? I didn't know about the 12 month rule at the time, I rang them up and they informed me their was a outstanding bill for £800. I said I would refuse to pay it, they threatened to cut me off. I said I would write to watchdog (BBC) as their incompetence was to blame. I was passed along the chain of command 4-5 times till I spoke to a nice lady who obviously had a little power.

"How much do you think is fair to pay?" she asked. "Zero", was my response. "Fair enough", she said. "RESULT" I thought :beer:
I still have the zero bill for posterity.

SGee

That's a good story! Reassuring to know that there's at least a chance I may be off the hook.

It sounds unlikely but since my last annual statement in 2005, I've genuinely never had any communication from the electricity company, which is why it's gone unnoticed for so long. They definitely have the right address and bank details, so they hopefully won't accuse me of wilfully failing to pay!

Very interesting to hear of the 'supercompliant' - will look into this.

Thanks!

anniecave

The details of the supercomplaint used to be on the energywatch website - but since that has all changed it isn't as easy to find.

page 5 under "back billing" on the below link is the section. This is a draft of what was to happen, but it gives the details.

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/MARKETS/RETMKTS/COMPET/Documents1/11070-16305.pdf

Note they have to have not issued a bill, so existing bills don't count.