No Electricity Bills - Paying what I owe

flying_stamp

Ok, I've gotten myself into a bit of a mess with electricity bills. I haven't received one ever since I moved into my current home...I actually never really gave it too much thought until recently when the enormity of it hit me. So Ive thought about it a lot and got really stressed about what to do and I've realised that really I ought to come clean and pay for what I've used. I'm looking at about 5 years electricity with Scottish Hydro....


I dont have much spare money and being hit with a bill of that size obviously wouldn't be good if I had to pay for it all at once. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do? Would I be best to phone them and ask to pay it as part of a long-term plan and would they let me do this?

Any advice appreciated and you really don't need to tell me that i'm an idiot - I already know that :mad:

HalloweenJack

did you not recieve any letters with the address ` to the current occupier` or find any missed visit cards ? 5 years a heck of a lng time - any gas with that? or just all electric?

call them - if you havent receieved any sort of bill in 5 years then i do believe the back billing rules come into play - a max of 1 year back billing? i am very surprised that a key meter hasnt been fitted by now to be honest.

flying_stamp

No letters or bills, there were a few missed call cards for readings and a few times the meter did get read and I always expected a bill just after that but nothing arrived. BTW What's a key meter?

HalloweenJack

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lydiashiningbrightly/3016016875/

^^ from google

you pay money at a `paypoint` and they charge the key , you then insert this to the meter and voila you have electric

jalexa

flying_stamp wrote: »

I'm looking at about 5 years electricity with Scottish Hydro....

How do you know the supply is with Scottish Hydro?

In I way I hope not because Scottish Hydro are not signatorries to the Code of Practice for Accurate billing (and its "back-billing" measures). Possibly they have their own procedure but I'm not familiar with it.

Anyway, its not *certain* back billing would be limited to 12 months if the supplier can implicate customer neglect. I don't have enough info to form an opinion on that.

flying_stamp

They left a couple of missed cards when they came to do a meter reading and I'm pretty sure it said scottish hydro. It's completely my fault for being so irresponsible. I think I just need to make the phone call or maybe send them a letter asking for a bill. I'm not sure of the best way to go about it.

spiro

flying_stamp wrote: »

They left a couple of missed cards when they came to do a meter reading and I'm pretty sure it said scottish hydro. It's completely my fault for being so irresponsible. I think I just need to make the phone call or maybe send them a letter asking for a bill. I'm not sure of the best way to go about it.

The card may have been from Scottish Hydro meter reader, so not 100% that they are your supplier.

Did you move in 5 years ago and not contact the supplier? If so then the back billing code does not apply.

jalexa

flying_stamp wrote: »

I'm not sure of the best way to go about it.

OK, here is another possible angle, though it needs someone more familiar with legal process to comment or confirm.

Start putting aside money to cover your current usage and keep "mum" in the hope that "statute barred" limitations will come into effect.

flying_stamp

spiro wrote: »

The card may have been from Scottish Hydro meter reader, so not 100% that they are your supplier.

Did you move in 5 years ago and not contact the supplier? If so then the back billing code does not apply.

Ah ok, so my first step should be to write a letter to SH then and explain I haven't been getting bills and ask them if they are my supplier....I can't remember if I called them or someone else did it for me but i'm pretty sure they know my name, address and details - I called the number on the card and gave a meter reading a couple of times.

Jalexa, i'll look into the statue barred limitations thing you mention.
Thanks for your advice.

t0rt0ise

Call your area distributor first and ask who is your supplier. There's a list of distributors on this page. http://www.ukpower.co.uk/who-supplies-my-gas-and-electricity