Erroneous transfer, large bill, payment plan - HELP!

gavhop26

Hello, can anybody help me with this:

I was an E.On customer and then in Oct 2009 I was erroneously transferred to EDF. It took me the best part of a year to get switched back as I had been lost in the system.

I didn't receive any electricity bills from that time until I was finally switched back in Jun 2010. The first bill back was an estimated reading of approx. £16 - obviously very low! My latest bill, received yesterday to which I supplied the actual reading meters for, has come to £450 approx.

This is obviously for the time I was "lost in the system". Now, while I have no dispute with the fact I used the electricity, the only option E.On has given me is to spread the bill over 3 months, so around £150.

As my wife is expecting our first child in 2 weeks and is on reduced maternity pay and I earn less than the average Londoner, that is something that I just cannot afford to do.

I never wanted to change supplier or get out of paying for what I use, but this situation is through no fault of my own.

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to read this and secondly, if you have any suggestions as to what I should do next, I would be extremely grateful.

I can only think of again trying to compromise a better payment plan, going to the complaints department or Consumer Direct/Ofgem.

Once again, cheers for any advice.

Premier_2

There is a clear procedure in place for erroneous transfers called the Erroneous Transfer Customer Charter

The Erroneous Transfer Customer Charter (ETCC) is a voluntary code which all suppliers had signed up to by early 2002. The ETCC was set up due to the large number of erroneous transfers which take place in the gas and electricity industry.
Under the Erroneous Transfer Charter the customer can contact either the old or new supplier in order to resolve the problem. The supplier who is contacted is required to take responsibility of the situation and liaise with the other supplier to find a resolution.
The contacted supplier should send the customer a letter within 5 working days of being informed of the situation. This should explain how the erroneous transfer process works.
A second letter should be sent within 20 working days of the supplier being informed of the situation This should explain why the erroneous transfer took place and also confirm that the supply will be returned to the original supplier within 20 days of the problem being reported.
Suppliers have signed up to a voluntary compensation scheme that requires them to pay £20 compensation to domestic consumers when the confirmation letter has not been recieved within the 20 day period.

http://cfe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5663


It shouldn't take 12 months. As it has, something much more complicated appears to be involved.
Without knowing the details in what caused the lengthy delay, it is not possible to correctly advise you further at this point.

davidgmmafan

But they should at least give the guy 12 months to sort it out ie balance and consumption over 12 months which I bet my, well something very dear to me, would be less than a hundred and fifty per month. I'm not sure if this is a rule, but it is something a lot of suppliers do.

If you are unhappy (justifiably so IMO) then get it registered as a complaint. They generally have more clout that the front line people on the phones. Besides you need to go through the complaints process before you can go to the Ombudsmen. Even consumer focus might refer you back to the supplier if you haven't raised any kind of complaint.

undaunted

It's perhaps unfortunate that you were not able to set aside whatever you estimated your electricity bill should have been whilst not being billed by anyone.

As that doesn't appear to have been possible & you say you are on a lower than average wage for the area perhaps you are struggling financially & able to obtain some form of help from the supplier? (Have a look at their website to see what schemes they may offer)

Either way you should be able to negotiate a payment plan to repay the debt over the same period it accrued (especially as the supplier(s) seem to have been at least partially at fault for what was happening / not happening & any delays in resolving the problem)


If you do not ultimately have any joy with your supplier you could contact the Energy Ombudsman with your complaint.

Good luck.

gavhop26

Thanks for all your replies. Further to the above, I've now learnt that for almost ten months we were supplied electricity by no one - according to EDF and E.On neither of them supplied our power. Now the ET has finally gone through, E.On is billing me for the electricity for the missing period - even though, according to their own records, they didn't supply me for this time.

Now, while I'm not one to try and get out of paying for what I owe, my question is this: can E.On actually charge me for using that electricity, even when they didn't supply it?

I've just been on the phone to E.On and arranged a payment plan but this is niggling in the back of my head, so any further advice from you guys would be appreciated.

Cheers.

DVardysShadow

gavhop26 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies. Further to the above, I've now learnt that for almost ten months we were supplied electricity by no one - according to EDF and E.On neither of them supplied our power. Now the ET has finally gone through, E.On is billing me for the electricity for the missing period - even though, according to their own records, they didn't supply me for this time.

Now, while I'm not one to try and get out of paying for what I owe, my question is this: can E.On actually charge me for using that electricity, even when they didn't supply it?

I've just been on the phone to E.On and arranged a payment plan but this is niggling in the back of my head, so any further advice from you guys would be appreciated.

Cheers.

If Eon did not supply it, then who did? If you pay Eon, at least no one else can come after you for it.

Terrylw1

You will have been supplied by one of them. For a start someone has to pay for the energy in the background.

If you contact your MPAS, (those you call to tell you who your supply is with) they will be able to tell you who & when since it's all held with the registered dates of the Suppliers. This will then tell you who is going to try and backbill you here.

It sounds like both Suppliers are not telling you everything you need to know as they should have a clear understanding of how to bill you in this situation...it's been very common over the years since dereg and sparked the charter Premier attached due to the level of complaints caused.

JasX

Someone will come and charge you for it eventually

If it is your regular supplier assuming you have sensibly signed up to a competative tariff you'lll be able to pay for this useage at competative rates

If you insist on paying someone else with whom you have no relationship it'll be at standard rates and cost you alot more.

up to you

undaunted

Although they may well have both provided you with inaccurate information clearly someone was supplying you or there would have been no electricity & you will need to pay for that supply.

I would however expect them to sort it out between them not have you chasing around to resolve their failings & would want a very clear and definitive written explanation as to who that supply was provided by, what went wrong & how it has been resolved before I paid them anything in order to ensure that you are indeed paying the correct supplier & amount (I wouldn't personally rely on paying EOn meaning that EDF couldn't come after you too should they decide that it was they not Eon who had supplied you)

dogshome

Hi gavhop26 - I assume that you were happy with E.on and this Erroneous transfer was an Industry C*ck-up that had nothing to do with you.

If this is the case have a close look at the 2 bills that have eventually been issued for this 'dead' period.
If you were originally getting discount(s)- Direct Debit payment? - Online billing? - Dual Fuel? on your E.on bills, then WRITE a Complaint letter to E.on insisting that these same discounts are applied to the new bills
If the time windows for letters to you do not meet the criteria kindly posted by Premier, then print it out and enclose it with your letter
Advise them that are willing to pay the sum yet to be agreed on these late bills, over an 11 month period equal to the time over which the problem built up
Good Luck