Back Billing do I have to pay

Tracey147

I have just received a bill for over £1650 from First Utility that we left 3 years ago , when switching we gave them and our new company readings. We followed up asking for final bill and was told they waiting for new co to finalise, chased again and got an informal letter saying it might be this BUT no actual bill. NOTHING THEN for over 2 1/2 years, I complained about bill and now they say OK , it will be just £140 , fine you might say but why should I pay after all this time , when I didnt do anything wrong ?? :eek: Thank you

dogshome

It's my understanding that the 'Back Billing Agreement' only applies to domestic customers, not businesses

For FU to drop a demand for £1650 to £140 is remarkable, ( they are not a supplier known for their largesse, quite the reverse in fact ).

It would be as well to pay this a.s.a.p by cheque, with a letter that carries a copy of the cheque saying that it is in full and final settlement of Account No xxxx, as agreed by *phone, *letter or *Email *Whichever is applicable

PaschalFun

dogshome wrote: »

It's my understanding that the 'Back Billing Agreement' only applies to domestic customers, not businesses

For FU to drop a demand for £1650 to £140 is remarkable, ( they are not a supplier known for their largesse, quite the reverse in fact ).

It would be as well to pay this a.s.a.p by cheque, with a letter that carries a copy of the cheque saying that it is in full and final settlement of Account No xxxx, as agreed by *phone, *letter or *Email *Whichever is applicable

Yes, I believe the back billing principle only applies to domestic customers too, but I think thge OP is a domestic customer.

Having said that, I can also see why you think the OP may be a commercial customer.

Perhaps the OP could come back and clarify this when they have more time?

Also, perhaps the OP could post the latest bill (a legible image please) that indicates an original demand of £1650 has now been reduced to just £140, as there certainly seems something extraordinary going on here that has not been mentioned by the OP, and with sight of the bill, we may be able to assist further.

OP - have you asked the supplier if you need tp pay?
And if so, what was the reply?

Tracey147

We are domestic customers and the bill of £1650 relates to gas and electricity backdating to March 2014 and estimating up to present day .

wavelets

Tracey147 wrote: »

We are domestic customers and the bill of £1650 relates to gas and electricity backdating to March 2014 and estimating up to present day .

Why are they estimating up to present day when you said you left them 3 years ago???

Confused.com

Surely you have been paying your new company since you left FU, hopefully based on the start readings you provided

You should not be being billed for the same supply twice, by 2 seperate suppliers.

Tracey147

I complained to company hence revised to £140 because we have been supplied and paying another company , only have email so far of revised amount and am awaiting call from backbilling team at First Utility to see what next. My original thought still stands that after all this time without bill or contact till now I should NOT have to pay anything .

Tracey147

Exactly, can you imagine my shock at it landing on my door mat

wavelets

I think we need to have sight of that bill, please, as suggested earlier by PaschalFun

Tracey147

We left FU and went to Scottish Power , then switched from them to Ovo last year , lack of contact from FU shows in the fact that even though they got leaving readings ftom us they didnt sort out final bill when i kept chasing in 2014:mad:

victor2

Tracey147 wrote: »

We left FU and went to Scottish Power , then switched from them to Ovo last year , lack of contact from FU shows in the fact that even though they got leaving readings ftom us they didnt sort out final bill when i kept chasing in 2014:mad:

Back-billing is a code of practice rather than a legal requirement, but FU do claim they follow it.
Assuming the revised £140 bill is correct in that it uses the readings you started with at SP, you do technically owe the money for utilities you did actually used while a customer of FU.
However, nothing to lose by asking them why doesn't the back-billing code apply. Do you have any record of when you were chasing the bill in 2014? If so, give them that information in support of your question.
Do all correspondence in writing or by email, so that you do now have a record.

Tracey147

Why does seeing bill make difference ?