Any time limit on final bills?

ianwood99

Is anyone aware of whether or not there are time limits on how long an energy company can leave it until they pursue you for a final payment when you close your account?

I switched from Atlantic September 2007 to Scottish Power. Heard nothing more from them until middle June 2009 when they asked for £9-21 out of the blue. When I phoned them they stated this was a mistake and that I still owed them £200+

Have I any grounds to refuse to pay this?

withabix

Does the bill contain the meter readings and how does this compare with your initial readings on your Scottish Power account?

They've probably got six years if you do actually owe the money.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

As stated above, under civil law a company has 6 years to present any valid bill.

However it is more complicated with gas and electricity bills. Under the billing code they can only back-bill you for 12 months if the company have not raised a bill(which is not the same as you not receiving a bill)

It is not clear - to me at least - how that ruling will apply to a company not raising a final bill for nearly 2 years after you left a company, especially as they have firstly asked for £9.21 and now verbally state over £200.

IMO it is certainly worth disputing this and taking it to the ombudsman.

Premier_2

ianwood99 wrote: »

...I switched from Atlantic September 2007 to Scottish Power. Heard nothing more from them until middle June 2009 when they asked for £9-21 out of the blue. When I phoned them they stated this was a mistake and that I still owed them £200+...

I would challenge the £9.21 bill if this is the first you know about it under the 12 month backbilling rule.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1684407

As regards the £200, I would ignore that until it is formally demanded i.e. billed.
(if that eventually happens, you could challenge that on the same basis)