SE send bill 4 years late

Koibs

Hi folks

I sold my house 4 years ago, settling my electricity bill with Southern Electric (I think I was in credit and got a cheque from them). Just this month I received (via parents address) an amended final bill for Aug 2008 - Jan 2009 of £188.72. Is this legal? Do I have to pay?? I'm guessing the depressing answer is yes, but it seems ridiculous...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

Fire_Fox

They have six years unfortunately. Do you have any records from that time, did you supply the meter readings yourself and check the final bill carefully? You have little to lose by querying the bill.

dogshome

This 'Late Adjustement' Bill should be a proper bill, showing Start Dates, End Dates & Meter Readings - A letter or statement that just shows an amount of money is not good enough.

Obviously you need to compare this bill with the original Final Bill which you are unlikely to have kept, so:
WRITE to SE heading the letter Complaint, pointing out that you are an ordinary householder and that their expectation that you would still have Utility paperwork from a house you sold 4 years ago is unreasonable, and that you require them to supply a copy of their original Final Bill, so that you can check the veracity of the new bill before paying it

Koibs

Thanks for this. I binned all my old bills a while ago in a moment of de-cluttering enthusiasm so have no records. I guess I'll have to pay up but, as you say, there's no harm in querying it!

Thanks again.

Koibs

From what SE sent me it looks like they think the rebate was incorrect and I owe them the difference, but the calculations don't really add up (and of course I don't have my meter readings from back then to compare). I shall definitely query it! Thank you Fire Fox and dogshome for your replies.

Dobie

Hello.

I found this on the Energy UK website. It applies to residential customers but I'm not certain if it applies to final bill for a closed account as well as a live account.

I'd challenge on this basis and ask if the Billing Code applies. If nothing else, I think they ought to make an ex-gratia reduction in the amount outstanding.


Under what circumstances will suppliers agree not to charge customers for energy used?
If the supplier is at fault, and the customer has not received a bill for energy consumed for more than one year, then any outstanding amounts that relate to energy consumed more than one year ago will be cancelled.

Wywth

Dobie wrote: »

Hello.

I found this on the Energy UK website. It applies to residential customers but I'm not certain if it applies to final bill for a closed account as well as a live account.

I'd challenge on this basis and ask if the Billing Code applies. If nothing else, I think they ought to make an ex-gratia reduction in the amount outstanding.


Under what circumstances will suppliers agree not to charge customers for energy used?
If the supplier is at fault, and the customer has not received a bill for energy consumed for more than one year, then any outstanding amounts that relate to energy consumed more than one year ago will be cancelled.

It doesn't, as SSE do not subscribe to the Billing Code

They do, however, have their own code of practise which they claim at least meets the Billing Code in all respects.

The OP needs to provide more concrete information about the matter to be able to advise whether or not SE will likely accept that this falls under their own code of practise.