Back - billing - how long is reasonable?

lafox

Hope someone can help with advice - we moved into our flat in late 2006, it is all electric, but with a dual meter. However, the only thing that operates overnight is the immersion heater for the hot water, so, although we do use some cheap overnight electricity, more of our energy consumption is during the day.

We became concerned in early 2007 that the readings on our meter were being transposed so that the majority of our electricity was charged at the cheap (overnight) rate. I contacted our supplier (Scottish Power) twice, and on the second time was told that someone had come out and checked our meter and that we were being billed correctly.

However it has now come to light that we were right and Scottish Power are in the process of re-billing us for the extra amount they say we owe. They say that another company (Norweb) were responsible for reading/checking meters, and we would have had redress with them, only they are no longer in business. I am really annoyed as we did everything they could have expected us to do - we have always read our meters on time and paid by monthly DD, and were told that our meter was being recorded correctly. Scottish Power say that they have been let down by Norweb and are not to blame for the mixup.

How far back is it reasonable for them to bill us? My husband thinks he read somewhere that there is a time limit on how far they can go back? Any help would be very much appreciated.

jd87

It is absolutely Scottish Power's fault and they are trying to pull a fast one by pushing the blame onto Norweb. Scottish Power have been billing you incorrectly and it is not YOUR fault that the people THEY employed to read the meter couldn't do it properly.

If they had been sending you correct bills then they could back bill as far as they want, BUT, because they have not been sending you correct bills (and it is their fault they haven't), they can only bill back 12 months.

Do not correspond any more by phone. Write letters only and send them all recorded delivery. Tell them you refuse to accept responsibility for Norweb's mistake and that it is Scottish Power's responsibility to ensure you are correctly billed.

lafox

Thanks for the advice - will battle on!!

Cardew

I would just sound a note of caution.

IMO the case is not as clear cut as jd87 states in post#2.

Billing is covered by the Billing Code.

http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/AbouttheCode.html


The 12 month back-billing provision is clearly covered in the code and that only applies when the customer has not been billed and the company is at fault for not raising a bill.

I doesn't apply to incorrect billing. Thousands of bills are incorrect and are corrected - both in favour of the company by collection of arrears or in favour of the customer by issue of a rebate.

There are plenty of precedents - transposing of Imperial and Metric gas meters and, as in your case, with transposing day/night meter readings. Billing for the wrong meter, over-estimated meter readings etc etc.

The fall back position of the companies is the customer should check their bill for accuracy. I assume you didn't write to the company in 2007 when you discovered the error?

It is also pertinent to point out that if the error disadvantaged the customer, we would rightly expect a rebate to be paid.

I am not saying you have no case at all, and indeed you might get a goodwill reduction, - especially if they acknowledge you pointed this out to them - but I suspect the 12 month rule will not apply in your case.

fialko

i moved into my house in May 2008 and called Eon and several occasions to ask for either a bill or set up DD to start paying while they sorted out meter problem on a new development. They refused to send a bill or set up a DD so we went to another supplier (southern electric) 12 months ago just to get a bill. I have been paying DD since then but today out of the blue i have received a bill (the first one) for over £500 from Eon! Does the 12 month rule apply to me as i have been with another supplier fro 12 months, eon refused to send a bill and set up a DD and it has taken them 17 months to send a bill at all
Thanks
Barry

Cardew

fialko wrote: »

i moved into my house in May 2008 and called Eon and several occasions to ask for either a bill or set up DD to start paying while they sorted out meter problem on a new development. They refused to send a bill or set up a DD so we went to another supplier (southern electric) 12 months ago just to get a bill. I have been paying DD since then but today out of the blue i have received a bill (the first one) for over £500 from Eon! Does the 12 month rule apply to me as i have been with another supplier fro 12 months, eon refused to send a bill and set up a DD and it has taken them 17 months to send a bill at all
Thanks
Barry

I expect it will hinge on EON accepting that you contacted them in May 2008; I assume you didn't write?

EON need to be notified by the Developer/yourself that the property is occupied.

Generally speaking, on initial occupation, it is difficult to establish that the Utility company is at fault; and the 12 month rule only applies if the company are at fault.

Also they might have sent a bill to the Developer.

fialko

Thanks for the quick reply.

No, i didn't write to them, just several telephone calls!

I have paid to another supplier for 12 months now who i assume informed Eon when they took over my supply, i also regsiterred for council tax when i moved in so proof of when i moved in should be easy to establish, whether Eon admit to me calling them might be a different matter though. But even so it's taken 17 months to even send a bill at all so fingers crossed

Thanks again

Barry