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paulh43

Can anyone please advise?

My girlfriend received a final gas bill yesterday (25th October 2017) from Extra Energy for the period 26th September 2015 to 12th November 2015! Firstly can they really send a bill 2 years after the billing period? This is the first she was aware that she owed anything to this company having thought that all outstanding bills had been paid when she switched supplier in November 2015. Secondly the bill is for an amount of £557.67 - with a standing charge of 68.499p per day at 48 days but worst of all she is supposed to have used 16889.1kWh in 48 days at a rate of 2.95p per kWh which is why the bill is so high.

When she contacted Extra Energy and said she was not aware that she owed them anything they said that is was her final bill for her gas and that because of them not being able to get correct meter readings this is why the bill had taken so long to send out. They have never contacted her to request a meter reading! when she asked how they got to that figure the woman could not explain so she asked to speak to a supervisor but apparently you have to wait 10 working days for a supervisor to call you back!

Finally - they are saying this amount needs to be paid by 31st October giving her 6 days to find £557.67!

My girlfriend is a single parent with 2 children so there is no way she can find that sort of money in 6 days. I can help her to pay it but my argument is that how can they get to this figure without proof of meter readings and how can they invoice somebody 2 years late?

Will i be able to contact this company of my girlfriends behalf? she has been through so much stress lately I want to deal with this is for her.

any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

Regards
Paul

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

You firstly need to check if the final meter reading from Extra Energy, on the bill to 12 November 2015, is the same as the start reading with her new company. That will establish if(or not) Extra Energy are using the correct final meter reading.

When you switch suppliers it is the new(gaining) company that request your meter readings and they send them to the losing company - Extra Energy in this case. The strange thing here is that Extra Energy would normally refuse to allow the switch with that amount owing.

The 16,889kWh figure could be accounted for by under-estimated meter readings being used and this delayed bill is a 'catch-up' bill.

The first thing to do is file a formal complaint with Extra-Energy(by phone and in writing) and then investigate if the bill is accurate and valid.

If nothing is settled you can eventually go to the Ombudsman.

paulh43

that's great thanks for your help.

I will keep this thread updated

System

Cardew wrote: »

The 16,889kWh figure could be accounted for by under-estimated meter readings being used and this delayed bill is a 'catch-up' bill.

.

That doesn't explain the extraordinarily high daily standing charge. Clearly, the written complaint route is the way to go with this one pointing out that all suppliers have a Licence obligation to use their reasonable endeavours to produce a Final Bill within 6 weeks of the transfer of a supply.