Heeeeeelppppp!!!

kellysmelly30

We switched our energy supplier from british gas to southern electric 2 years ago. We had our gas meter taken out by southern electic and was told we would have a duel bill for both gas and electric and pay 1/4ly.
The first bill came and I paid it and to be honest I didnt pay much attention to the amount I was paying or what I was paying for- I just went online and paid it and so on for the next 2 yaers.
Wellllllllllllllll.... I just got a bill from them for £824 as we havent been paying for our gas. I just assumed as we were supposed to be having a duel bill that I was paying for it.
The gas meter is at the front of my house so no-one needs to be here for them to read it and also they never even sent me estimated bills or asked me for a meter reading!!!!

We have two children and Im currently on maternity leave and just dont have that sort of money lying around!!!

Has this happened to anyone else???If so what outcome did you have???

Can anyone give me some advise on what to do???:(:(:(

midgetessa

I would raise a complaint and ask for a discount....if no joy....ombudsman. Worked for me.

Also (and I could be wrong about this), when I was in a vaguely similar situation to you years ago, I'm sure I was told that in such cases there is a cut-off point in the past beyond which they cannot demand repayment of bills they have only decided to generate now. I was with SP and as I recall they could only demand a years worth of 'back bills'. Check this out. In my case I ended up with an apology and a reduction of a year's gas bill down to £100 (via ombudsman).

midgetessa

Remember there is a procedure.....verbal complaint....which is then elavated.....then if no joy you are in 'deadlock'....at which point the ombudsman may well help you.

There is a reasonable solution to this and you shouldn't have to pay for their incompetence.....don't be fobbed off or frightened by them....they will try anything to avoid the ombudsman which costs them a lot of money.

Will be handy if you can dig up your original paperwork about dual-fuel and the billing t&c's.

spiro

What period does the bill for £824 cover?

If they have failed to bill (their fault not yours), then the Billing Code only allows them to back bill for 12 months.

Do your previous bills mention gas and elec or just elec?

kellysmelly30

spiro wrote: »

What period does the bill for £824 cover?

If they have failed to bill (their fault not yours), then the Billing Code only allows them to back bill for 12 months.

Do your previous bills mention gas and elec or just elec?

It covers from 24th March 2009 to 27th June 2011.

Ive just looked at a previous bill and it only says electricity... im sooo stupid I should have checked.:(

Mr_Gearoid_Lane

Kelly, I don't see that you're stupid at all. If they didn't send you a bill for your gas then how could you pay it? Surely they would've sent bills and reminders? I'm a bit surprised they haven't cut you off already if you haven't paid a gas bill in all that time. Did they email you a bill or send one by Royal Mail or what? If they haven't billed you I'd fight it. I'm not sure what you mean when you say you had your "gas meter taken out by Southern Electric"? How can they know how much to bill you for if you don't have a gas meter? Did they simply move it? Spiro seems to have the sort of advice you want to hear - they can only back-bill for 12 months. Yes, I'd fight it. Say you are only prepared to pay for the last 12 months usage, and that you'll spread the payments over 2 years, maybe £20 a month or whatever you can afford.

mattcanary

I think Kelly means she had a gas prepayment meter. I assume it was taken out and replaced with a non prepayment gas meter

kellysmelly30

Mr_Gearoid_Lane wrote: »

Kelly, I don't see that you're stupid at all. If they didn't send you a bill for your gas then how could you pay it? Surely they would've sent bills and reminders? I'm a bit surprised they haven't cut you off already if you haven't paid a gas bill in all that time. Did they email you a bill or send one by Royal Mail or what? If they haven't billed you I'd fight it. I'm not sure what you mean when you say you had your "gas meter taken out by Southern Electric"? How can they know how much to bill you for if you don't have a gas meter? Did they simply move it? Spiro seems to have the sort of advice you want to hear - they can only back-bill for 12 months. Yes, I'd fight it. Say you are only prepared to pay for the last 12 months usage, and that you'll spread the payments over 2 years, maybe £20 a month or whatever you can afford.[/QUOTE

Sorry I didnt make it clear... what I mean was I had a prepay meter that was switched when we changed to southern electric X