Just need thoughts on the following

rebel_2

Hi Guys

These are the facts; should I complain about 'backbilling'?

Monthly payments made as per contract via direct debit.
Meter readings given to supplier each month.
No bills produced for the 12 months.
Supplier sent emails to say bill's were ready - no bills generated.
Credit build up on account - issue raised with supplier - no response.
Didn't look at complaint for 9 months - but didn't address it - deleted email message from account.

Many Thanks

System

rebel wrote: »

Hi Guys

These are the facts; should I complain about 'backbilling'?

Monthly payments made as per contract via direct debit.
Meter readings given to supplier each month.
No bills produced for the 12 months.
Supplier sent emails to say bill's were ready - no bills generated.
Credit build up on account - issue raised with supplier - no response.
Didn't look at complaint for 9 months - but didn't address it - deleted email message from account.

Many Thanks

Have you any evidence that you actually asked the supplier for a bill when one wasn't received?

Backbilling does not lead to a 'write off' of the first 12 months of bills. For example, if you haven't had a bill for 15 months then you might get them to 'write off' the first 3 months.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-bans-suppliers-backbilling-customers-beyond-12-months

PS The Code was only voluntary unitil May this year and not all suppliers were signed up to it.

rebel_2

Hengus wrote: »

Have you any evidence that you actually asked the supplier for a bill when one wasn't received?

Backbilling does not lead to a 'write off' of the first 12 months of bills. For example, if you haven't had a bill for 15 months then you might get them to 'write off' the first 3 months.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-bans-suppliers-backbilling-customers-beyond-12-months

PS The Code was only voluntary unitil May this year and not all suppliers were signed up to it.

Yes I have evidence - I'm just going by Page 8 Scenario 5 -

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication.html?task=file.download&id=6632

System

rebel wrote: »

No bills produced for the 12 months.

The Code that you are quoting from no longer applies. It was overtaken by Ofgem introducing new rules earlier this year.

Backbilling is all about bill shocks. You have been paying by DD so arguably there is no shock. Even if the rules were applied in your favour, you still have to pay for the previous 12 months of usage. It follows that any backbilling would be backwards from the 30th September 2017.

rebel_2

Hengus wrote: »

The Code that you are quoting from no longer applies. It was overtaken by Ofgem introducing new rules earlier this year.

Backbilling is all about bill shocks. You have been paying by DD so arguably there is no shock. Even if the rules were applied in your favour, you still have to pay for the previous 12 months of usage. It follows that any backbilling would be backwards from the 30th September 2017.

Does that mean that suppliers don't have to provide monthly bills? and can bill you when they like?

The suppliers give you options as to how often you'd like to be billed; monthly, quarterly etc.

System

rebel wrote: »

Does that mean that suppliers don't have to provide monthly bills? and can bill you when they like?

The suppliers give you options as to how often you'd like to be billed; monthly, quarterly etc.

Suppliers do not have to provide monthly bills, and many do not. You need to look at the terms and conditions attached to your contract. If you signed up for monthly billing, and have complained about the lack of any bills, then I have to ask why haven’t you escalated your complaint on to The Energy Ombudsman for resolution? No one is going to write off the last 12 months of energy usage when they are not legally obliged to do so. That said, in your shoes, I would expect an apology and some small amount of compensation for poor customer service.

wavelets

rebel wrote: »

Does that mean that suppliers don't have to provide monthly bills? and can bill you when they like? ...

Yes. Traditionally suppliers only billed every quarter (and some still follow this course)

As long as the supplier bills every 12 months, there is little you can do about it (and even less if you are paying regularly by direct debit, although I suppose you could ask for a refund of accrued credit on the account, and that would probably result in the supplier then providing an up to date bill
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/
)

rebel_2

Hengus wrote: »

Suppliers do not have to provide monthly bills, and many do not. You need to look at the terms and conditions attached to your contract. If you signed up for monthly billing, and have complained about the lack of any bills, then I have to ask why haven’t you escalated your complaint on to The Energy Ombudsman for resolution? No one is going to write off the last 12 months of energy usage when they are not legally obliged to do so. That said, in your shoes, I would expect an apology and some small amount of compensation for poor customer service.

The Services Ombudsman is dire; they can make any judgement they like; actual example:

When you report a fault to BT the 106,000 employees will tell you that they check a faulty line from the exchange to the home. However, the Services Ombudsman is the only one that can say they check the faulty line from home to the exchange; who knew?

System

rebel wrote: »

The Services Ombudsman is dire; they can make any judgement they like; actual example:

When you report a fault to BT the 106,000 employees will tell you that they check a faulty line from the exchange to the home. However, the Services Ombudsman is the only one that can say they check the faulty line from home to the exchange; who knew?

I am not sure that your example moves this discussion any further forward. Suppliers are required to sign up to Energy Ombudsman Services as part of their Licence approval. It is the only way that a consumer can escalate a complaint without taking the matter to Court. The Energy Ombudsman's Decision is binding on the supplier but the complainant is free to reject it. If you are looking for someone to come forward and tell you that you are entitled to free energy for a year, then my view is that you are going to be disappointed. The supplier has your money: it is unlikely to pay any of it back until a bill of some description has been raised. As I said, they may agree to a small sum of compensation for poor customer service.

rebel_2

Hengus wrote: »

I am not sure that your example moves this discussion any further forward. Suppliers are required to sign up to Energy Ombudsman Services as part of their Licence approval. It is the only way that a consumer can escalate a complaint without taking the matter to Court. The Energy Ombudsman's Decision is binding on the supplier but the complainant is free to reject it. If you are looking for someone to come forward and tell you that you are entitled to free energy for a year, then my view is that you are going to be disappointed. The supplier has your money: it is unlikely to pay any of it back until a bill of some description has been raised. As I said, they may agree to a small sum of compensation for poor customer service.

My post about the Services Ombudsman was just my own personal experience of complaining to them. As for expectations of free energy; only if I generate my own.

matelodave

AFAIK the backbilling process was to avoid energy companies from sening ginormous catch up bills to customers who've underpaid.

If you've been paying a DD and they've got your money and you are in credit then I feel that there's little incentive for them to write off any energy that you've used. I reckon the best that you'll mange is to get your credit back and possibly a token payment because they've not sent you a bill.