Powergen Backdated Me 2 Years Is It Legal

Cappo_2

Hi
I am on Dual Fuel with Powergen
Powergen phoned me for details of my Gas meter Serial etc.
I duly gave them the details, then asked why they needed them.
They told me they had lost or got the wrong information about the meter when it was changed, and they may have overcharged me.
Powergen again phoned me up & said they lost the meter details of my Gas meter when my meter was changed, & could I give them the number off the meter. I replied I had done this once & they said the details were wrong.
I obliged by giving them every single detail off the meter, & they said none of them was any good, and it could not be right.
Then suddenly I get a bill for £225,51 (dual fuel).
The bill was made up of 4 pages of details of my accounts for the last 2 years. Somehow they had recalculated form the wrong info listed above and charged an exccess of about £100 above my usual bills. And expect me to pay it. Surely they had a duty to read my meters at least twice a year over that two year period, when In fact they didnt read them at all, just used estimates for that period. Do I have any recourse to demand they refund the exccess charge because of their negligent handling of my account.
:mad:

roger56

Two years is the new time limit over which they are allowed to reclaim.

I'd recommend anyone in this situation to get the reasons in writing so you can argue with proof. You could try asking for a copy of any recording they have of your calls.

If they are charging excess, get them to explain why in writing. Best to keep a record of everything now until the matter is resolved to your satisfaction.

Can you send them a photo of the meter you are reading? At least recheck all the info you gave them and repeat it in writing.

If after an initial letter, things don't go to your satisfaction, try a Subject Access Request and get all data they have about you. They are legally required to provide it within 40days - this usually gets their attention:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/subject_access_-_guide_for_data_subjects.pdf

(the leaflet is for data subjects ie you!)

Cappo_2

Hi Roger56
Thx 4 reply, will follow that up.
What baffles me is they lose the serial and the last reading of the original gas meter they removed. Then they say the serial No. of the present meter is wrong. So next thing i know is they go back 2yrs of readings all of which were estimated (not read once in the 2yrs) Then they send me 5 pages of my accounts for the last 2yrs. Come up with a figure thats nearly £100 more than normal. And expect me to understand how they got the new figure when they themselves admit they had lost all the information.
Anyway your advice does make sense so Thx Its Apprtd.

amosworks

Oh hell no, don't phone them - get everything in writing. All the more proof as what can't speak can't lie!

I wouldn't blame any individual person but "the system" in the company is an evil thing and you should definitely fight your quarter. How can they expect to get away with such behaviour? It's disgusting!

I used to work for a leccy supplier and if I had to deal with your case I would definitely have pleaded to my manager that it was at least partly our fault and should at least offer to meet you half way. Give it a go, you never know if you might get through to someone more sympathetic, some of them are humans too you know

Good luck!

Cappo_2

Thx Amosworks.
Will do that.
Apptd

achtunglady

I'd tell them as it took them 2 years to bill you, that you are going to take 2 years to pay it off, it was their duty to read the meter, they are blaming the incompetance on you instead of their staff.

Cappo_2

Hi achtunglady
I see your point, but my argument is they went 2yrs with estimated readings.
stuffed up the meters they swapped. So how the hell did they manage to double my bill. I dont want to take 2yrs to pay. I want the bill reduced to my usual bill for period. But thnx anyway.

langsmith

Cappo wrote:

Hi achtunglady
I see your point, but my argument is they went 2yrs with estimated readings.
stuffed up the meters they swapped. So how the hell did they manage to double my bill. I dont want to take 2yrs to pay. I want the bill reduced to my usual bill for period. But thnx anyway.

Hi Cappo,

ask for copies of the engineers report !! When they remove/change the meters, they have to be logged accordingly. This I believe puts the onus back on the suppier, not yourself. Using estimated bills are usually higher than recorded ones too.

tripled

Legally bills can be backdated for a maximum of two years and they are only obliged to read and inspect the meter every two years as well. However most utility companies will attempt to read the meter every quarter and energywatch takes a dim view of companies not sending out a reader at least once a year. Did they try to come and read it and you weren't in? You could ask for a bit off if not. Of course if the new bill they have sent you is based on completely wrong information then you would need to contest it.

Cappo_2

Hi Langsmith
Nice point
Thnx

Cappo_2

Hi Tripled
They have no excuse at all for not reading the meters as both Gas & Electric are in boxes on exterior wall of house, which they have their own keys for.