EDF back billing

localshop

I changed energy supplier to EDF in 2011
The change went smoothly
After a few months of billing me for gas and electricity they stopped billing me for gas - although they still took the payments and I still sent in the readings.
I told them they were making a mistake but 'computer said I was wrong' and all was in order.
Because they were taking money for gas but not billing the account went into credit and they gave me a refund for 2 years.
In October 2013 my account was £1600 in credit.
In March 2014 they decide I was right and they are making a mistake and they whacked me with a huge bill for nearly 3 years of gas.
I phone up to 'have a word' and we start discussing the 'back billing code'
http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication/finish/3/703.html which says: "If your supplier is at fault, it will not seek additional
payment for unbilled energy used more than 12
months prior to the error being detected and a
corrected bill being issued." But EDF are adamant that they can charge me for gas used right back to 2011 - although as a goodwill gesture they will knock £75 off.

It looks to me as though they are not playing by the code - but before I bubble them to the ombudsman I'd like some opinions please - especially if they come from someone who knows what they are talking about .

many thanks

Bark01

Its fairly straight forward but you will need to prove you've requested bills for gas. In the end you've used the gas so you should pay for it and accept the £75 payment for your inconvenience.

localshop

Not sure it's my responsibility to ask for bills - the 'code' says it's their responsibility to provide me with regular accurate bills
I sent them meter readings and gave their reader access when requested and even told them i thought they were in error.........

As for paying for the fuel used i would have agreed before reading what the code says. The account seemed [by their reckoning] to be £1600 in credit in October and now [by their reckoning] is about £1000 in debt as a result of their 'incompetence. But to my simple mind it looks like when clearing up the mess they have made of my account they are only entitled to bill me back 12 months............ Have I misread? "If your supplier is at fault, it will not seek additional payment for unbilled energy used more than 12 months prior to the error being detected and a
corrected bill being issued." In this case it's taken the £1600 'credit' and is after a further £1000.

victor2

It does sound like you have done more than enough to point out the problem to EDF. I'm no expert on this, but from what I understand, the back-billing code (which EDF were involved with setting up) will apply, and you are correct in thinking they should not bill you back further than 12 months.
Ask them to explain in writing why your case seems to be exempt from the back-billing code. Even though it's not law, you would expect EDF to follow it. Make sure you have records of your readings supplied and any correspondence going forward.

Bark01

localshop wrote: »

Not sure it's my responsibility to ask for bills - the 'code' says it's their responsibility to provide me with regular accurate bills
.

First point of the code:

When does the back-billing principle apply?
Each case is looked at on its own merits; however,
the 12 month limit for back-bills may apply in these
examples when your supplier has:

• Failed to bill you at all and you have requested
bills from them;

localshop

They haven't 'failed to bill me at all'

They sent bills for both fuels for the first 6 months
and then they sent bills for just electricity

I have no proof that I told them they were not billing me for gas
but surely sending them meter readings must count for something
- I wasn't just doing it for giggles

Wolf3

I have had a similar experience with a different supplier and took my complaint to the Ombudsman after failing to reach an agreement. From what i'm reading in your OP you had agreed a payment level for your gas and electricity when you originally transferred. When their Bills put you in a large amount of credit and this back to you, they should have investigated why you had this outstanding credit especially when you say you had some conversations about the fact you had only received bills for your electricity only.
The Omudsman agreed with me and the energy supplier finally agreed to billing code on our account. I would suggest you raise an official complaint with them and ask for their complaints handling procedures. In your complaint i would state your unhappy with their offer of a goodwill gesture and believe the billing code should apply as you did not change your payment arrangement and failed to provide an accurate bill for your Gas consumption. This has been exacerbated by the fact they credited the money back you had provided for your gas usage. If they had not refunded this money you would still be in credit over this period.
One of my fellow posters advises regularly to send a letter of complaint, with the letter highlighted complaint but you can still raise this with a telephone call. The only suggestion i would make is to be firm but fair. If your still not happy with their offer, i believe its 56 days before you can request the Ombudsman be involved, but i would ask you have the complaint raised from when you originally spoke to them and they offered you the £75 goodwill gesture.

Hope this helps

insanegloss

If you've continuously paid throughout the time, this is counted towards the previously 'unbilled' consumption. You do not get the period for free if you've already paid towards it.

Bark01

localshop wrote: »

They haven't 'failed to bill me at all'

They sent bills for both fuels for the first 6 months
and then they sent bills for just electricity

I have no proof that I told them they were not billing me for gas
but surely sending them meter readings must count for something
- I wasn't just doing it for giggles

You were billed for the first 6 months and then after that you were not billed at all for gas. This is where the back billing rule starts.

It doesn't matter if you've provided readings or not as you have not been billed, this is covered in points 2 & 3 on the link you provided.

• Billed you using estimated meter readings and
instead of valid readings provided by you or a
meter reader;
• Billed you incorrectly by mixing up meter
readings, and failed to act upon information
available to put this right;

If you don't pay for what you've used then the rest of us have to pay it for you.

dogshome

Broadly, the Back-billing Agreement comes into play where the supplier has failed to issue bills for over a year, even though the customer made efforts to get the supplier to issue bills over the un-billed period.
BUT
The B-B Agreement is in place to save customers from 'Bill Shock' when a supplier fails to bill for over a year - However, where a customer has been paying D/Debits, they will have built up a large credit that is offset against the bill, which nullifys or reduces any 'Bill Shock'

The fact that EDF returned credit to you does not count - You have now recieved one bill going back almost 3 years, and that's 'Bill Shock' with bells on - Write to EDF heading the letter Complaint , claiming Back-Billing relief
for all the gas supplied prior to 12 months back from the date on the bill you have had