Switch2 bill after 2.5 years

Will2911

Good Afternoon,

Today I have received an email from a company who used to supply us energy 2.5 years ago. We previously lived in a rented flat and this company, Switch2, were our supplier of energy for hot water and heating, we had absolutely no option about this, it simply was the case. We moved out of the address in June 2016 and as far as we were concerned had paid off all our bills...

However this morning I have received an email from the company demanding £31 on a bill which is dated 4/8/16. I have replied querying this and saying that they were unable to do this as OfGem rules say that you can't back bill for something that was more then 12 months ago, they have replied saying that because they are a metering company they are not covered by OfGem and therefore they are perfectly entitled to do this. They have said that unless I pay this bill within 7 days I will be receiving a default.

I am now not sure what I should do and where I stand?

Any advice?

Merlin139

Did you give Switch2 a final read of your meter/s when you left the property?

Did they provide you with a Final Bill?

What does the £31 represent? Is it for energy used up to the date that you moved out? Balance owing?

The 12 month rule is when your current supplier fails to bill you for your usage despite you asking for it. If you get a bill 18 months later they can only bill you for the last 12 months. But if you don't make any attempt to call it up it does not apply.

Will2911

The final bill represents energy charges, However, we never had to supply them a meter reading, it was all done automatically. I believe they had a smart metre installed. We told the housing company that we were leaving, and they have in turn updated switch2.

Merlin139

Will2911 wrote: »

The final bill represents energy charges, However, we never had to supply them a meter reading, it was all done automatically. I believe they had a smart metre installed. We told the housing company that we were leaving, and they have in turn updated switch2.

So when you left you did not read the meter or did anyone else read the meter? The bill would give readings and dates of readings.

Have you confirmed with the housing company when they informed Switch2?

Terresa

Will2911 wrote: »

Good Afternoon,

Today I have received an email from a company who used to supply us energy 2.5 years ago. We previously lived in a rented flat and this company, Switch2, were our supplier of energy for hot water and heating, we had absolutely no option about this, it simply was the case. We moved out of the address in June 2016 and as far as we were concerned had paid off all our bills...

However this morning I have received an email from the company demanding £31 on a bill which is dated 4/8/16. I have replied querying this and saying that they were unable to do this as OfGem rules say that you can't back bill for something that was more then 12 months ago, they have replied saying that because they are a metering company they are not covered by OfGem and therefore they are perfectly entitled to do this. They have said that unless I pay this bill within 7 days I will be receiving a default.

I am now not sure what I should do and where I stand?

Any advice?

I suggest you pay the £31 you have owed for 2.25 years, or risk getting a default ... or worse :eek:
I'm surprised they haven't sent you one already - but they caught up with you now.

Back billing doesn't come into it. You were billed in August 2016 for energy you consumed in 2016. A supplier has 6 years before a debt is considered unenforcible... and you may have just started the the clock again by your message you sent.

macman

Switch2 operates communal or district heating schemes, where there is no choice of supplier (as the OP says), so back billing does not apply, and Ofgem has no jurisdiction at present.
So their reply to the OP is correct.