Green Star suddendly demanding money after 2 years !

Ingrid_Scott

After a year with Green Star, I switched in October 2018. In March 2019 I received one of their standard "Your new bill is ready to view online" emails. I replied to their Customer Services saying I hadnt been a customer for 6 months and what was this email about. I presumed based on their track record of extremely poor customer services that it was probably sent in error. I heard nothing more so didnt log on to what I considered to be a closed account.
Now in October 2020, I got an email saying I owe them for a revised final bill - they claim that the email from March 2019 is a 'bill' and therefore issued within 12 months of the switch so they can claim it. I have started a complaints process with them.
I am interested in anyones views about whether their generic email does constitute a bill and therefore within the 12 months rule. They have offered to reduce the amount based on the time elapsed etc but to me they were so bad at customer service, its the principal now. 

molerat

I would say they have every right to chase you.  They e-mailed you to tell you there was a bill in your account and you ignored it.  The back billing code will not apply as they issued a bill within the appropriate timescales and they have until 2025 to chase you and possibly take you to court .

Gravedigger

Just pointing out that Green Star is now Shell. Make sure it's a genuine email

Cardew

Ingrid_Scott said:

 I presumed based on their track record of extremely poor customer services that it was probably sent in error. I heard nothing more so didnt log on to what I considered to be a closed account. 

To put it bluntly your assumption was wrong in two respects. It wasn't sent in error, and it wasn't a closed account.

Ectophile

What principle?

If they are emailing you about a bill on your account, rather than sending you paper bills, then I take it you were on an on-line only tariff.  You chose to ignore the email and not look at the bill they had posted on line.  That's not their fault.

UnclaimedEnergy

Green Star are in the process of transferring all of the customers over to the Shell Energy platform now - so are likely doing last minute chases on outstanding balances before they close off the systems.

If you owe them money because you chose to ignore a final bill then you owe them money. This doesn't count as back-billing either because it was within the 12 months as they had said.

Ingrid_Scott

Thanks for the replies - thought id have some wiggle room as I didnt ignore it - I just treated their email with suspicion and they didnt respond to me or follow anything up