Help Eon are ripping us off!!??

nadiafox

Hi all

Really hoping for some advice if possible!

We moved into our property in Feb 2013 and have recently learnt the estimations have been incorrect to date. (We had been paying a direct debit of around 99 per month for two of us - both work full time all day)

We have not been contacted since 2013 for a reading, As far as we were concerned we were making correct up to date payments each month.

In December 2015 following a reading in May 2015 we have been hit with two bills at £900 each.

The lack of contact and readings has now resulted in a hefty amount outstanding, which quite simply we cannot afford to pay back. We feel this is an oversight on Eons part and pretty shocking that we are being asked to pay over £2500.

We are a young couple and this is the first time we have owned a property - both thinking the lack of communication with the energy provider was normal.

We have tried absolutely EVERYTHING to resolve this, and now have been passed to a 3rd resolution manager. Meanwhile Eon are attempting to take £1000 out of our account each month and we really have no idea what to do.

Has anyone had any similar situations? We really don't know where to turn and we aren't in a financial position to seek legal advice either.

Any advice is really appreciated hoping someone can help!!

Thank you!

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Whilst I feel for you, the facts are you've used the energy, and now you have to pay for it. Suppliers are only mandated to read them once every 2 years. It's vital you submit meter reads to ensure accurate billing.

If eon won't accept a payment plan, the easiest thing would be to have a Prepayment meter installed. Eon will be happy to do this free of charge. This way the debt will be collected at a much slower rate than it would otherwise be.

Good luck.

System

It is a hard lesson to learn that estimated bills are just that 'estimated', and all monthly payments are nothing more than payments on account. Rather than blame the supplier, what is needed here is some humility. Most suppliers just want to be paid and, whilst they would like to be repaid immediately, will agree a repayment plan. The OP should also check that he /she is on their supplier's lowest tariff to minimise cost going forward. If the OP is looking for a write off of the debt, then I fear that the OP is going to be disappointed given that E.oN sends out frequent requests for meter readings - both by e-mail and on its bills.

backfoot

Hi Nadia,

For me, reading this I am a bit confused by your post. Maybe a few questions will help myself and other posters to offer you some advice.

nadiafox wrote: »

We moved into our property in Feb 2013 and have recently learnt the estimations have been incorrect to date. (We had been paying a direct debit of around 99 per month for two of us - both work full time all day)

Did you take an opening reading for gas and electricity in Feb 2013? If not, what was the opening reading on your first bill and were they actual readings or estimates?

£99 per month is a decent amount, getting towards £1200 pa. So I would not expect considerable arrears unless your consumption of energy is wasteful or your heating is inefficient. How was the £99 agreed or was it imposed by Eon?

We have not been contacted since 2013 for a reading, As far as we were concerned we were making correct up to date payments each month.

You have made payment by Direct Debit throughout, with no missing payments? That may or may not cover your consumption. They are purely payments on account, rather than actual charges.

In December 2015 following a reading in May 2015 we have been hit with two bills at £900 each.

Had you been asked either online or by letter for meter readings? What brought about the reading in May 2015? Eon or did you send it to them? Presumably you had been receiving periodic bills (probably quarterly) since Feb 2013? Were the Dec2015 bills the first after the actual readings? Were the two bills,one for electricity and one for gas? I presume you are on eon's standard tariff?

The lack of contact and readings has now resulted in a hefty amount outstanding, which quite simply we cannot afford to pay back. We feel this is an oversight on Eons part and pretty shocking that we are being asked to pay over £2500.

How have two bills of £900 escalated to £2500? Are the £900 bills the actual charges or the balances due to Eon?

We are a young couple and this is the first time we have owned a property - both thinking the lack of communication with the energy provider was normal.

We have tried absolutely EVERYTHING to resolve this, and now have been passed to a 3rd resolution manager. Meanwhile Eon are attempting to take £1000 out of our account each month and we really have no idea what to do.

Has anyone had any similar situations? We really don't know where to turn and we aren't in a financial position to seek legal advice either.

Any advice is really appreciated hoping someone can help!!

Thank you!

Eon have a very good Rep on this Forum and I am sure he will also offer some help and advice. In my experience on this forum, he is very helpful.In the meantime, if you answer some of the points above, I will try and help but at the moment, more information is needed.

Robin9

Can you post your ACTUAL readings from Feb 2013 and today please and confirm that you have paid £99 each and every month ie a total of £3564

E.ON_Company_Representative

Hi nadiafox,

Welcome to the forms, Malc is out the office today so I’ll be more than happy to give you some advice from our end.

There’s been some really good advice already been given on here, I’ve just got a few questions to ask.

When you moved in to the property and you contacted us to set up your account, did you give us the actual start readings?

Have our meter readers attempted to read the meter? Is the meter inside or outside?

Although our meter readers try to your read meters a couple of times a year, we’re obliged to read meters once every two years as Bluebirdman of Alcathays mentioned. It's always best to provide us with a reading as regularly as possible.

Without meter readings, we rely on estimates based on the usage history we have for the property. This can lead to inaccuracies particularly when circumstances change or people move in/move out.

There's several ways to send us readings including online via our website, through our phone app, by email or by phone. Readings can be sent through our social media channels too.

I understand this has come as a bit of a shock to you, but we’ll look to offer you a suitable payment arrangement to help out. If you’re still struggling to make that payment, maybe as mentioned a prepayment meter might be a better option for yourself.

Also it’s best to double check your tariff, you can do this on comparison sites to make sure you’re on the best tariff for you.

Sorry for all the questions, I hope this helps. If you need anything else please ask!

Amy:)

poppasmurf_bewdley

I get a regular email from Eon, telling me that a meter reader is due to call soon, but I can submit my own meter reading if I so wish.

Has the OP ever had one of these?

nadiafox

Hello all and thank you so much for your speedy responses! To clarify on some of your questions:

We did take an opening reading as soon as we moved in and provided this to Eon. The £99 was proposed by Eon as this was in line with the previous owners consumption. The previous owners were a retired couple at home all day, therefore we were assuming their consumption would be higher than ours if anything? I now realise we shouldn't have assumed this

As far as we were concerned we were making correct up to date payments each month of £99 since Feb 2013.

We had not been contacted at all by Eon for any meter readings, randomly someone knocked on the door in May to take one so he came in and did so. The meter is inside the property. We had flagged to our complaints resolution manager the lack of contact re: readings but they have not responded as to why we are only being contacted now. The December bills were the first bills after the May reading and the figure is inclusive of both gas and electricity. Believe we are on the standard tariff although we were not sent any documents/contracts at the time of moving in.

The total figured we owe is now at £2500. We had opened a complaint on the account and as its yet to be resolved we haven't paid any monthly direct debits since November so the amount we owe is building up. The £2500 is made up of the previous under payments and past 3months usage based on current consumption level and readings provided.

Since we raised the complaint on the account we have provided daily readings for a period of 5 days (bearing in mind readings provided were in December based on the current consumption Eon have subsequently billed us the extra.

Electric usage:
Start meter read: 23/02/2013 19190
Latest read: 14/11/2015 29579

Calculated average per day based on this is 10.45 with total usage of 10389 over 994 days.

Gas usage:
Start meter read: 23/02/2013 1557
Latest read: 14/11/2015: 4570

Calculated average per day based on this is 3.03 with total usage of 3013 over 994 days

We have also asked on 3 occasions for a smart reader to be set up, we are yet to receive a response on this either.

Thank you so much for all your help we really do appreciate it

molerat

Both those readings are pretty average (if a metric gas meter) and £99 pm should just about cover it. Please give the kWh reading and unit reading for the gas from a bill and tell us if your gas meter is metric or imperial - on the dial it will state cu m / m3 or cu ft.

E.On have a very good on line facility and entering monthly readings will provide a monthly bill. Checking estimated bills are correct will save a lot of pain. I am afraid you have to take equal blame with the supplier for this. The best thing to do is to get them to agree to spread the debt, if correct, over the same period as it accrued. And make sure you are on a competitive tariff - you will be stuck with E.On for a while but that does not mean you cannot make savings.

There is only one way E.On are possibly ripping you off and the answer to my question above will prove or disprove that.

macman

Why can't you just post your annual kWh usage from your annual statement and save everyone from jumping through hoops? That is the figure that is key, not a daily average. You can't pro-rata 994 days down to a year, because it depends if the winter period is included in the part-year.
As pointed out above, quoting gas meter units is no help unless we know the type of meter-your annual statement is already in kWh's.
What resolution are you seeking? Your supplier is not going to write off the debt, or reduce it, because you have failed to provide meter readings or check your bills against meter actuals. So you need to agree a repayment of the debt that clears it in a reasonable period, say 2 years, and that is at least going to double your DD.

System

macman wrote: »

Why can't you just post your annual kWh usage from your annual statement and save everyone from jumping through hoops? That is the figure that is key, not a daily average. You can't pro-rata 994 days down to a year, because it depends if the winter period is included in the part-year.
As pointed out above, quoting gas meter units is no help unless we know the type of meter-your annual statement is already in kWh's.
What resolution are you seeking? Your supplier is not going to write off the debt, or reduce it, because you have failed to provide meter readings or check your bills against meter actuals. So you need to agree a repayment of the debt that clears it in a reasonable period, say 2 years, and that is at least going to double your DD.

I know from experience that E.oN phrases its assessment along the lines of 'estimated usage over the past 12 months'. If the OP hasn't been providing actual meter readings then it is possible that this at best a guess.