Money Moral Dilemma: Should I tell my gas and electricity supplier I'm underpaying?

REJP

Write to the Chief Executive Officer explaining what steps you have taken to sort out the problem. Keep a copy of the letter.
I had a similar problem, so put the estimated monthly payment in to my Bank's 5 percent per annum savings account. Made a tidy sum in interest before the problem was resolved.
Once sorted out, I moved to a new supplier at a lower tariff.
I had put up with the problem for nearly a year, my letter to the CEO resolved it in 3 days.
Good luck.

gloriouslyhappy

jgallcash wrote: »

Does this back billing only extend to gas and electricity or water companies too?

In terms of proof would the time and date of a call be sufficient? I'd be paranoid they couldn't verify the call via their records

I had an issue where I needed to prove I had contacted customer service in connection with an overcharge so I borrowed an iphone and took photos of the call register on my own iphone showing all the calls to customer service with date and time according to my iphone records. I made sure the photos showed the whole iphone then took more photos zoomed in on the details. I emailed the photos to myself and then on to their customer service department. After several weeks and a couple more emails, I got an apology and my credit card was refunded.

happyinflorida

I'd email as you've got a record then that you have contacted them and told them of the problem and that you have rung but received no further contact and that you want this problem sorting out pronto and compensation!

barwuf

Seems like a common sort of issue. I once had an electricity supplier which mixed up different rates. I told them a couple of times, but they didn't really want to know. A subsequent supplier continued the mistake, despite being told. I even tried to put their error right through online readings but of course their systems pointed out that I had made a mistake The only way I got away from the "problem" was by moving. If the mistake hadn't worked in my favour, I might have kept at it harder, but in the end moving was the easiest option!

Ebenezer_Screwj

Yes, I would sort it out now. They'll get you in the end and you'll be landed with a huge bill.

phillw

Ebenezer_Screwj wrote: »

Yes, I would sort it out now. They'll get you in the end and you'll be landed with a huge bill.

I would try to sort it out, but if they refuse to bill correctly then all you can do is put the money by to pay for a bill if it ever comes in.

NHANORAK

The last two times I switched I was in credit and had to chase and chase to get my money refunded. In one case I had to resort to outing them on social media. So given the choice, I'd rather pay a bigger bill when switching.

lindadykes

I'm going back over 25 years here when gas was only supplied by British Gas and electricity by, in our case, Northern Electric. We moved into a renovated property and used gas for central heating and cooking. From the start we got electricity bills, no problem but no gas bills. (Both were quarterley bills at the time). After the first gas bill failed to arrive I rang them and they told me we didn't have gas! I did explain that the gas fire, heating and cooker all worked fine but was told that "You don't have gas." I tried twice more over the next year but got the same reply so gave up! We eventually sold the house after 5 years of paying no gas. The new owner was also told they had no gas!

tgroom57

An option that hasn't been mentioned is the company online chat service (if offered). The couple I've used email you a transcript of the call afterwards, so you both have a copy of exactly what was discussed, and when.

The online complaint procedure worked best with British Gas, after numerous phone calls produced no effect- I wish I had used this at the outset. This was in the days before Resolver.

Dolly_DD

I had something similar happen to me a few years back now. I swapped suppliers and with the electricity I think it was, I was paying the direct debit each month for this and for the gas no bother. The problem came because the metre reading they used to start the account was wrong by a lot (around £200 worth in my favour). Well, I kept contacting them. They kept getting it wrong and on and on it went. You have to love NPower, not, yes I believe the N stands for not. I digress. In the end, I got fed up, went to the Ombudsman who were brilliant. They couldn't get NPower to sort it out either. So, in the end the Ombudsman gave me a statement saying that the matter was closed, and that I wouldn't be able to be approached, let alone pay for the unbilled units. Result. As the saying goes, it pays to be honest!