Final bill using completely incorrect meter readings

Killing_Position

My energy provider went bust in October, at which point I was switched over to Shell Energy. My final bill from my previous provider included reasonably realistic estimated meter readings and a £100 credit balance. I moved out of the property in December, by which time Shell Energy hadn't sent me a bill. I took meter readings as soon as I found out my previous provider had gone bust and again when I left the property, both of which I sent to Shell Energy at the time. They have sent me a final bill that uses an opening meter reading (for October) that I took in January 2021 and a final meter reading (for December) that would be commensurate with the real values from around May 2021. They're also trying to continue charging me for January, despite the fact I've left the property.

I called them two days ago to request a final bill that:
a) Took into account the credit balance from my previous provider
b) Was based on the meter readings submitted for the dates in question
c) Was a final bill taking into account the fact I left the property in December

The bill they have sent me is for £275 and is not listed as a final bill. Based on my tariff and meter readings, I should owe about £130 for the two months, with £100 of that covered by my credit balance from my previous provider.

They have requested a tenancy agreement to confirm that I left the property when I say I did, which I can provide. However, they have refused to use the meter readings I submitted unless I can provide photos of the meters from those dates. The meters for the building are only accessible to the building concierge, who takes readings whenever requested, but consequently I have no access to the meter and couldn't take photos of it.

I'll provide the requested tenancy agreement, but where do I stand on the meter readings issue and how would people advise I approach this? I'm tempted to inform them, again, of the correct readings and my date of departure and inform them that I refuse to engage further until I have a bill that takes into account those numbers and my credit balance, unless they can provide evidence to the contrary.

tacpot12

I think refusing to engage further is unlikely to work out well. I would suggest you get a signed statement from the concierge that you don't have access to take photos and that gives the final meter readings that you have previously submitted to Shell Energy. The statement should affirm that the readings were taken by the person who is signing the statment and that they are/were correct at the time. (It should also list the date the readings were taken). 

Then I would refuse to pay any bill that does no use the correct readings. Make a formal complaint to Shell Energy, stressing your willingness to pay a correct bill and your unwillingness to pay an incorrect one. Then take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman if you need to. 

Thrugelmir

Why didn't you provide the meter readings to the administrators of your old energy company. Might have gone bust but stll need to tie up the final billings. 

Killing_Position

Thrugelmir said:

Why didn't you provide the meter readings to the administrators of your old energy company. Might have gone bust but stll need to tie up the final billings. 

I submitted them online to the company and, beyond January last year, they completely failed to acknowledge them. I was on holiday when the company went bust and asked for meter readings as soon as I got back, by which time Shell Energy had contacted me to ask me to send them to them. A Google search doesn't seem to bring up information about who the administrators are and I was never contacted by them, so I'm not sure I'd have been able to contact them at the time, even if I'd thought to do so.