Can you switch supplier if you dispute fuel debt?

brightondave

Just wondered has it ever been known that somebody who disputes an amount that an energy supplier hasn't collected or even chased the user for, has gone ahead and switched supplier because the the suppliers intransigience?
Basically to keep the disputed debt separate and start anew with a fresh supplier. Any advice appreciated.

Neil_Jones

Probably depends on the circumstances. Presumably if the provider's been given all the readings under the sun and then their system doesn''t do anything with them, that's their fault.

However it's probably fair to say that if you know you owe Supplier X a few hundred pounds and they haven't bothered to bill you for it, if you start a switch they will suddenly notice the issue, rectify it and issue a huge bill.

But on the other hand if the debt has come about because a user hasn't read meters, bills are all estimated and the direct debit has been far too low for far too long, that's an entirely different thing.

brightondave

This has been brought to my daughter's attention in the last few months.
She originally was put on an online electricity account a good few years ago and the way she found out that a good few years money wasn't being collected was there was a solicitors letter sent to her address asking the executors of the estate of herself(she hasn't died) to arrange payment of the debt which is a few thousand now.
No previous letters, no court letters, no visits from anybody and no paper bills?
(They say, because its an online account) which she has never looked at or checked.
After the solicitors letter there have beenvarious representations and phone calls which are never returned, also a sar which was returned way late. Even a letter
to head of customer services (sent recorded)outlining the above asking relevant questions and that's not been replied to. The company in question have been totally inept and useless and we've had enough now, so I was thinking that by switching it would trigger a response and also save our daughter from having a key meter fitted to recover the disputed debt.
Would this work?

Neil_Jones

Something's not right here.

Your opening post implies the debt is on the part of the supplier, but your follow up implies the debt is owed by your daughter - that seems to suggest this is a latter scenario I posted about first time round.

Onine accounts do not generate paper bills or paper correspondence, that's the whole point of them being online. Emails are normally sent with account updates. This sounds like it may be a case of setting up an account and either not providing a valid email address or one that was never checked and may have now expired in any event.

You can attempt to switch if you like but if your daughter owes, using your words, a few thousand, don't be surprised if it gets blocked.

matelodave

How did your daughter think she was paying for her energy then? or has just just thought that if I keep stchumm no one will notice.

Most people after a few months would realise that they either haven't had a bill, no one has asked them for money or that a direct debit hasn't been taken from their bank account.

There does sound as though there's been some strange goings on

Streaky_Bacon

You almost certainly won't be able to switch.

Does your daughter now have copies of all the bills that the supplier claims to have issued?

If not, she should log into the online account now and download copies of everything.

The back billing rules may well apply in this case, even if you daughter has never sent meter readings or engaged with the supplier.

The first step is to find out what was billed and when.