SWALEC unjust bill

Cerys1

SWALEC, for about a year, sent bills and eventually disconnection letters/letters threatening legal action etc to my home address but to a different name. That was preceded by an odd letter from Customer Services saying that 'someone has told us that you have moved out'.

I repeatedly phoned/wrote to say that I was not the person named in the bills/letters and that my family hadn't moved and wasn't planning to.

In the meantime, I stopped getting bills in my name.

Nil response until I finally managed to speak to someone gave me the name of the person who had allegedly moved into my property and the agency which had informed SWALEC of the same. It was a rental agency - common name - and I had no luck tracking it (after many calls). SWALEC gave me no additional help, still persisting in sending letters to this person to my address.

Finally, this stopped. For months I have tried to get SWALEC to talk to me about what a fair bill might be for this period. I am fairly certain, as one of their people once suggested (though now it is being denied) that at least a portion of my bill for that period belongs to this other person - who knows what subterfuge (if any - I have no proof) went with this story. Now, in addition to ongoing bills (fair enough), I have this whacking great (well over £1k) bill that was once in this other person's name.

During the dark days when SWALEC was not responding to me and was continuing, in spite of protestations, to send bills etc to this other person, it also got Experian involved - trying to track this person for the bill. Now, I think, they have told the credit agency of their error but they've not written to me to confirm nor have they entertained the suggestion from me that a) the bill is negotiated so this nonsense can end and b) that they compensate me for the distress that this caused, for the many calls I had to make and for linking my address to a credit agency (no smoke without fire ...).

SWALEC is now getting heavy - collections (recovery) won't really help - CS pass me back to collections and I am getting regular texts and letters threatening disconnection because I will not pay the huge bill. Of course I'll pay a fair portion but not until it is properly discussed and SWALEC take responsibility for their original error and indifference towards my calls/letters to them informing them of the true position.

I think a SWLAC rep called at my house today - I didn't get to the door in time but saw a van move away.

What to do now? Any suggestions very gratefully received.

jonesy1976

did you take a reading the day you moved in? if so they have to use that to create your bills for the last year - if not they could use your current consumption rate to estimate an opening read for you.

First though i would get ofgem involved as you have given them opportunity to fix this and they obviously haven't. Opening a case with them should stop the disconnection proceedings as well.

push for compensation for the phone calls and distress too.

jalexa

Cerys1 wrote: »

Of course I'll pay a fair portion ...

Some of the post I follow but not the above. What are the *exact* circumstances of your occupancy of the billed property and why there might be a "fair portion" of the bill to pay?

Its almost impossible to give meaningful help without exact dates and exact meter readings.

Cerys1

Thanks both for your replies - I will contact Ofgem and continue to push for compensation from SWALEC.

I move into the property in 2004 and paid from thereonin until early in 2008 when the name on the bill was suddenly changed. For about a year SWLAEC took no notice of my protestations that I hadn't moved out, I will still living in the property and willing to pay my bills. It would not surprise me (or perhaps SWALEC if they thought about it) that someone used my address/invented the name of a property rental agency to avoid payment of their own bill or some such fraud. I don't honestly know as SWALEC have done nothing, it seems, to investigate although they were prepared to go to credit ref agencies to go after the person who they thought was in fact living here.

By 'fair portion', I mean that I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for that period of about a year when the bills were in someone else's name. Of course, my family and I consumed gas/electricity but the bill for that period is very high - and I expect that it includes a portion of this other person's former bill. Again, I don't really know as the company has decided to chase me for all of it rather than investigate.

Thanks.

jalexa

Cerys1 wrote: »

I will contact Ofgem and continue to push for compensation from SWALEC.

Before you contact Ofgem you should discuss the issue with the Energy Ombudsman service. http://www.ombudsman-services.org/energy.html though I am a little worried at the passage of time closing that avenue. Forget "compensation" (for the moment), you need to concentrate on the case.

One specific thing I would strongly recommend is that you make a £10 Subject Access Request of Swalec requiring provision of all information held, specifically including a copy of all bills, correspondence and phone logs.

Info here... http://www.ico.gov.uk/


One other point, for the benefit of others and going forward, never stand for a "I repeatedly phoned/wrote to say.." situation. If a regulated organisation, e.g. utility or bank, fails to address an issue 100% to your satisfaction - at the first time of asking - immediately raise a formal complaint - in writing or by email - strictly in accordance with the organisation's complaints procedures. Then after 8 weeks you are entitled to ask the relevant Ombudsman scheme to consider the issue.

spiro

To put your story into simple bullet points:

• Moved into property 2004
• Bills came in your name which you paid.
• In early 2008 bill started coming in someone elses name.
• You told SWALEC serveral times that you still lived there.
• You have not paid a bill since ealy 2008
• You now have a 'back bill' for over £1000.

Now my points:

• Between 2004 and 2008 did you write to SWALEC stating you still lived there?
• Have you ever raised a formal compliant (in writing) with SWALEC?
• When and if did the bills get switched back into your name?

You need to raise formal complaint and allow the supplier to investigate before you can take it any higher.

DVardysShadow

Cerys1 wrote: »

By 'fair portion', I mean that I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for that period of about a year when the bills were in someone else's name. Of course, my family and I consumed gas/electricity but the bill for that period is very high - and I expect that it includes a portion of this other person's former bill. Again, I don't really know as the company has decided to chase me for all of it rather than investigate.

Thanks.

You should pay for what was recorded on your gas and electricity meters, not a penny less and not a penny more. If you argue in £££, you will never know if you are paying towards someone else's bill. If you argue in meter readings, this should not arise.