Crossed MPRNs and Back Billing

Melliec_2

Hi All wndered if anyone can help with an issue I have at the moment. I moved into a new devopment in Feb 2007 and decided to go with EON for my gas supply. EON took on the account from British Gas shortly thereafter and I have been paying them every quarter for the last 3 years. Recently I recevd a letter from British Gas adressed to The Occupier but with a slightly differnt name to the property ( although very similar). They were asking for £2000. I called them and they told me it wasn't for my property and to throw the letter away. A month later I recvd another letter this time with my correct address on it (although still The Occupier) threatneing to disconnect me. I called and after lenghty discussions it turned out that the Meter Point Ref number that EON had been billing me for ( and I had been paying) was not linked to my property and that British Gas had held the acount along. Eon have agreed to return the monies that I've paid them but British Gas are asking for more than what I paid. This was not my error and there I don't feel I should pay the shortfall to BG just because I got a bteer rate with EON during that period. Also is there something about the Back Billing code that I could leverage? Are BG entitied to the full cost of the bill? Thanks for your help with this

Premier_2

BG are entitled to the money for the energy they supplied and you consumed*

E.on appear to have been the errant party here as they didn't take over your supply as you had asked. That is why they have repaid all the money you gave them.

*The back billing rule may apply to restrict the amount BG can claim as one wonders why they stopped billing you if Eon never took over your supply, but it appears you possibly never contacted BG in the first instance, hence why they are addressing correspondence to 'The Occupier' and not to you in person. Your failure to have set up an account with BG would probably mean the back billing rule does not apply.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi Melliec

I'm sorry you have suffered from a crossed meter issue. Unfortunately, this is a persistent problem within the energy industry, particularly with new builds, and can take a while to sort out.

What generally happens, when discovered, is the correct supplier will take on the account from the date the supply started.

They will then bill the customer for all the usage since the start, often on a standard tariff.

The incorrect supplier will refund all monies paid to the customer as we are doing with your account. This can be put towards the bill from the correct supplier.

Problems tend to occur where the customer has been on a more favourable tariff with the wrong supplier. This can lead to a shortfall between the amount paid previously and what the correct supplier is now asking for.

I can't speak for other suppliers but, if the situation were reversed and we were back billing, the case would be treated as a complaint.

As part of the complaint resolution, the agent dealing with it would look at possibly re-billing on a more favourable tariff; or seeing what could be done in respect of refunding part or all of the shortfall.

However, this part needs to be sorted out with the correct supplier.

Hope this sheds a little light on to what happens in these cases. Give me a shout if you need any more info as will be happy to help.

Malc

Melliec_2

Sorry but in case I've been misunderstood I'm not trying to 'get out' of paying but have spent many hours trying to sort out a problem which was not my fault. I didn't fail to contact BG at all and there was no account to set up with them as after all from the outset I thought I was with Eon and were paying them for 3 years. I have only in the last couple of months received any correspondance from BG on this as the address was wrong on the letters and I think one only got to me on the off chance by the Postie interpreting the address. Where these were going for 3 years I have no idea...

Premier_2

Melliec wrote: »

Sorry but in case I've been misunderstood I'm not trying to 'get out' of paying but have spent many hours trying to sort out a problem which was not my fault. I didn't fail to contact BG at all and there was no account to set up with them as after all from the outset I thought I was with Eon and were paying them for 3 years. I have only in the last couple of months received any correspondance from BG on this as the address was wrong on the letters and I think one only got to me on the off chance by the Postie interpreting the address. Where these were going for 3 years I have no idea...

When you moved into the property which had supply meters installed, then a supplier was probably already appointed (possibly by the developer so that the meters would be installed)

You needed to identify that supplier, open an account with them and then you could switch supplier. You obviously failed to do this and assumed you could just go to Eon. That was wrong and BG were the supplier at the time you moved in ... hence why they are expecting payment for the energy supplied.

If the address BG had was incorrect, either the post was getting delivered elsewhere or being returned as no such address. But BG were still supplying the energy.

Melliec_2

Thanks Malc, that info was very useful. My previous reply was directed to Premier not yourself. All I want to do is have my account set up correctly with the correct MPRN and then not be financially out of pocket for the unfortunate error that occurred between BG and Eon. At the moment they are still trying to sort out what MPRN goes with which meter and which property. I can see the meter serial number but unfortunately there is no sign of the MPRN anywhere so its all a bit confusing.
Thanks again

Melliec_2

Thanks Premier, that does make sense but all of this was communicated with BG and EON at the time ( I have letters from both Eon and BG confirming the transfer back in 2007) so I thought I had done everything I needed to do. I was with BG for the first 3 months before I transferred...

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

No problem Melliec. Glad to help.

On the issue of the MPRN, either supplier should be able to help with this.

I suspect the problem is, as with a lot of new builds, there are probably quite a few properties all in the same position as you.

It will be a question of matching each individual property with the correct Meter Serial Number and MPRN. These matters can be complicated further by the use of plot numbers when the property was first built.

However, once sorted you will be able to choose whichever supplier you wish.

Malc

dogshome

Hi melliec - Having trawled thro' these posts, the story seems to be that you knew BG were the supplier at moving in time, then you used the proper processes to Switch to E.on and you have written acknowledgements from both BG & Eon of the transfer.

However somewhere in the process E.on picked up the wrong the wrong MPRN, and because there is a time window for transfers to be properly completed, unknown to you and Eon,this actually left your account in the hands of BG, and moreover because of the 3 year delay in producing any bill, it's likely that BG have also only just realised it.


You are quite right - This an inter-industry c*ck-up.
It's all very well for E.on to say "Sorry here's your money back", but if they had not offered you a better tariff you would have not moved to them in the first place, and meanwhile BG have been
clocking up a bill based on on their expensive 'Standard' tariff. What E.on repay to you will not cover BG's bill.

Th first thing to do is get onto BG - have a pen & paper by your side - and tho' it will a difficult conversation because the Foot Soldiers on the service desk will only see the debt on screen and shout "Giveusthemoney", push your way up the management chain to try and get your account onto the best deal they have immediately.

Then WRITE a joint letter to E.on and BG, headed Complaint, with a further copy to Consumer Focus, pointing out your financial loss and that you expect E.on as being the cause of the Primary Error, to fund the difference in the billing, and include any unhelpful advice or demands that you noted from your phone call to BG
Doing this should stop BG going into wolverine collection mode, but don't send BG any money till you are sure that thy have either adjusted thier bill, or E.on are funding the difference
Good Luck