Npower not been billing us

buckswizz

Hello
My wife switched to a dual fuel account with Npower back in June 2011. Although she has been billed every month, as expected, for our electricity they have not billed her since setting it up for the gas supply, since June when she set it up.

She is worried she will get a big bill for arrears at some point, and has rung them on numerous occasions to try and get someone to sort it out, and been told they will. They never have.

I had a feeling that a bill/invoice not collected after 6 months was unenforceable - does anyone know if this is correct? hope so, because if it is as it's recurring, every month outstanding becomes over six months and hopefully not payable!

Premier_2

buckswizz wrote: »

Hello
My wife switched to a dual fuel account with Npower back in June 2011. Although she has been billed every month, as expected, for our electricity they have not billed her since setting it up for the gas supply, since June when she set it up.

She is worried she will get a big bill for arrears at some point, and has rung them on numerous occasions to try and get someone to sort it out, and been told they will. They never have.

I had a feeling that a bill/invoice not collected after 6 months was unenforceable - does anyone know if this is correct? hope so, because if it is as it's recurring, every month outstanding becomes over six months and hopefully not payable!

You will have to pay for what you have used.
As you are aware that you are not currently being charged, you should be putting the money aside for the day the bill does land on your mat.
If you really can't pay, the supplier will often allow you to repay over the period the debt accumulated (which they love as it means you are guaranteed to stay with them for that period too)

Edit: the statute of limitations which you appear to have completely confused yourself over is 6 years (in England & Wales) not 6 months

WhiteHorse

Bear in mind that once they discover that you've not paid, they may make an adverse entry on your credit history.

It's their fault of course, but these things happen. Best to write to them (that's your proof and defence), setting out their failings with regard to the billing.

Oh, and yes, you will have to pay.

buckswizz

Thanks for the fast feedback, it's a wonderful life isn't it, because if they overcharge you they can, it seems take their own sweet time to pay you back. No wonder they've been fined heavily for poor customer complaint handling. The £2 million fine has to be paid for by someone and guess who that is ultimately

buckswizz

forgot to say, she's now decided to go back to Southern Electric so I guess at switchover they will discover their mistake and bill her.

chanz4

they sure will,so how many times have you chased the bill?

macman

The switch will be refused if the account is more than about £200 in debit.

Cardew

Premier wrote: »

Edit: the statute of limitations which you appear to have completely confused yourself over is 6 years (in England & Wales) not 6 months

I suspect the confusion is more likely to be the 12 month backbilling clause???

macman

Though the OP does refer to 'bills not collected'. However this isn't the case-no bill appears to have ever been raised-so nothing to collect.
So as you say, it's back-billing that is more relevant here

chanz4

they have until july to bill him before that comes in, so the switch will flag it

macman

Which makes a fairly convincing case for not switching until 12m is up...