EDF Energy sent final bill almost 2 years after ending contract!

janeymates

I signed up to EDFs Blue price promise in August 2010, this ran until September 2013. I changed tariff in September 2013 to M&S Energy..there were some initial issues with M&S not receiving the opening reading confirmation from EDF but this was sorted out after a couple of months.

Since then I have changed again to Extra Energy and am now embarking on a switch to EON.

Most of my account was run online with bills, meter readings etc done online. In August this year 2015 I received an email from EDF saying I had an important message in my account, but as it was so long since my account was active I could not access it. I went online and had an 'online chat' with an advisor who told me that it was an overdue account letter and had probably been sent in error and just to ignore it. Thinking nothing of it I did just that.

In September I received a red letter stating that my final electricity bill was seriously overdue! I telephoned and a lady agreed that I had never received my final bill back in 2013 and she would send me a copy. As I was about to go away on holiday it was agreed that I wouldn't be able to look into it until my return at the beginning of October and she said she would arrange for someone to contact me then and I would get no more letters...

Of course when I returned home I had another 2 overdue letters and eventually had a telephone call so I explained everything and the lady did not seem surprised but did seem frustrated that no-one had given me that call back. She assured me that I would get no more letters and she would ring me back in a weeks time. I am still waiting that phone call.

Today I have received a notice to say that they will be beginning legal action if I don't pay this bill immediately.

I have checked all my previous correspondence, meter readings etc and do not dispute that I did owe the final bill - which I never received (£130.04) I just find it ludicrous that a period of 2 YEARS has passed without any contact whatsoever and now they come knocking on my door (not literally) for this amount.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

thanks in advance, sorry for the long rant!

gt94sss2

Have a look at the back billing code and see if it applies in your case.

In general, energy firms should not bill domestic customers more than 12 months late..

Regards
Sunil

janeymates

gt94sss2 wrote: »

Have a look at the back billing code and see if it applies in your case.

In general, energy firms should not bill domestic customers more than 12 months late..

Regards
Sunil

Thanks Sunil,
I think this backbilling code may apply to me.. looking into this further, thanks

modsandmockers

janeymates wrote: »

In September I received a red letter stating that my final electricity bill was seriously overdue! I telephoned and a lady agreed that I had never received my final bill back in 2013 and she would send me a copy

They cannot expect you to pay a bill which they have never sent. You need to be able to check its accuracy. The back-billing limit assumes that you made some kind of effort to find out how much you owed. I think you should lodge a formal complaint (EDF's complaints procedure should be detailed on their website) and if necessary refer it to the ombudsman after the specified period of time. I wouldn't bet any money on it, but if you initiate a formal complaint, then EDF should hold their fire on any debt collection procedures. If you can hold your nerve, then I think EDF will give up.

janeymates

Well, i've read up on the back billing code and telephoned the Edf helpline to tell them that I wanted to complain about the period between emailing me in November 2013 to tell me I was going to get a bill and then them emailing me in August 2015 to tell me I owed them £130 (but still no bill was received until September).

As soon as I mentioned the back billing code, the guy said he would lodge my complaint, gave me a reference number, looked back at the history on the account and then said they would cancel the bill!!

Of course I have asked for this in writing! I'm sure that they wouldn't have volunteered this information had I not brought it up..so thanks everyone for the info. :T

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

janeymates wrote: »

I have checked all my previous correspondence, meter readings etc and do not dispute that I did owe the final bill - which I never received (£130.04) I just find it ludicrous that a period of 2 YEARS has passed without any contact whatsoever and now they come knocking on my door (not literally) for this amount.

Why? Any other business has 6 years (5 in Scotland). I bet you would have no qualms if you were in business about claiming an unpaid debt.

In any case you're covered by the back billing code, but the faux outrage is a little trying. IMHO.

modsandmockers

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

I bet you would have no qualms if you were in business about claiming an unpaid debt

If the debt remained undiscovered for two years, most businesses would write it off. The bad publicity and the slim chances of recovery would potentially be more costly than the write-off. Energy suppliers, of course, operate in a different bubble altogether where bad publicity is normal, and therefore not perceived as a problem.

janeymates

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

Why? Any other business has 6 years (5 in Scotland). I bet you would have no qualms if you were in business about claiming an unpaid debt.

In any case you're covered by the back billing code, but the faux outrage is a little trying. IMHO.

I don't believe I said I was outraged?? far from it, and after 2 years you cannot so easily claim outstanding money in business although you are right I would chase it - after about 3 months and when invoices have been provided. The point I was making was that in 2 years there was no contact until the bill came through my inbox..and then I couldn't open it as my account had been closed off.

macman

Yes, you can claim money 'in business' as easily up to 5/6 years as you can in 3 months. Why is it ludicrous? EDF have several million customers and they doubtless have regular trawls through the system to uncover unbilled final accounts such as yours, as does every supplier.
In the meantime you've enjoyed two years interest free credit