£18000.00 bill !!!!

tripled

It depends. The best bet is ask to speak to a manager in general enquiries, if they refuse to help contact energywatch. Make sure you do it before they pass it to a debt collector though, that's the point it goes on your credit file. You should also demand a sizeable discount as they are at fault for not billing you properly.

anniecave

If you agree to pay the original supplier it definately shouldn't affect your credit rating.

Some companies will give you a discount if you pay immediately, or a repayment plan for payment in full, they don't have to give you both unless there has been a real lack of attention.

If it's just an underbilling issue, you could have read the meter if they were sending you estimated bills, so it is something that could have been avoided.

You could ask for both a discount and a repayment plan though, no harm in trying!

rosscobley

As long as you are out of contract they cant stop you leaving them. You can only block a domestic customer from leaving for debt. Get the prices that other people are paying and tell them you want them matched and that you want 4 years to pay the debt back as that is how long they are back billing you

Gal

edthedead wrote:

Am I right in thinking that as long as you are making an effort to pay there is nothing they can do to recover the money in one lump i.e. say you'll pay them back at £10 a month or something... I did this when i got over paid by an ex-employer and they accepted it...

Sure someone out there will corret me if I'm wrong!

Anyway, no court is ever going to think it is reasonable for them to expect you to pay that amount back in one lump... if it get that far (which I hope it doesn't)!

I think thats incorrect.

It has to be a reasonable amount - They will setup an arrangement but whether thats over 6-8 years is another matter. In the cases I deal with I can only agree to 36 months at most.

Its a joint fault - Powergens for not billing you correctly - Yours for not checking the bills for 6-8 years and realising they were estimated readings.