Gas Not Being Billed

pje1979

My Dad switched from British gas to Npower for Gas and Electricity about a year ago. Although they are billing him for his electric they are not for his gas. He has phoned, emailed and wrote to them many times telling them about the error, they always say they will sort it out but never do. If this continues is he liable for a massive gas bill at some point? He has kept records of letters, emails and dates and times of phone calls he has made but whatever he does they just won't bill him. They have his bank details for direct debit so could they just suddenly take a massive direct debit?

tripled

Your Dad would be liable for the bill, as currently suppliers can backdate charges for 2 years even if they are at fault for not sending a bill (this drops to one next autumn). However, they cannot just suddenly take a large direct debit, they have to give at least seven days notice.

There are a few options open to him:
1) Keep complaining at them and hope for the best
2) Send in a written complaint and if they don't respond, contact energywatch
3) Just hope they don't sort it out before September next year; if they don't your Dad's just got a load of free gas.
4) Or just change supplier and see if that triggers a bill. If not, don't worry about it!

In the mean time it may be worth him salting some money away so if he does get that bill he has a cushion to pay some of it off. NPower would proabably agree to spread any outstanding bill over the course of a year anyway.

pje1979

OK, many thanks for the advice. So if they don't bill him till autumn next year then he is only liable for 1 years billing , he could be getting free gas for years if he is lucky, then just eventually having to pay 1 years worth.

crystaltips68

I too wasn't billed for my gas for ayear by Npower, apparently they were billing someone else instead!
I too, phoned and contacted energywatch and in frustration contacted my MP. He went to chief executive and I didn't have to pay for the year.
I did receive a bill from Npower a month later and they tried to charge me again but on the new meter reading I had given them! One call to my MP and it was cleared again.
I also got £20 credit for all the probs they caused.
Just keep going and good luck!