Backdated Avro Energy Bill

AHorabin

Hello!

I am new to the forum but a recent experience has prompted me to join up and ask some advice, and hopefully stick around and offer any tips I can for others

We recently received a letter from a debt collection agency, with a historic bill of approx £350 for a 5 day period between 1st Feb - 5th Feb 2019 (!!) attached from Avro Energy who have since gone into administration.

We had joined British Gas just after this on the 6th Feb so it is plausible they tried to bill us for an outstanding balance but this was never received by ourselves (and also they consistently got our bills wrong during our brief period with them after we had bought the property and the previous owner was with them), and indeed I have email confirmation of settling our balances and leaving Avro some time in January 2019.

My question is - does this sound like back billing? And if so as there is no direct line to Avro Energy anymore this seems like an unusual situation where the Debt collection do not seem to care if it is back-billing or not, they are just chasing a historic debt and threatening to escalate matters, is there anyone we can reach out to for help in this situation?

Thanks! 

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

The back billing rules only apply to licensed energy suppliers; Avro lost their licence when they went into administration.

You need to check your Avro bills (opening and closing meter readings, and tariff) and see whether the DCA's claim makes sense. If it does, you'll probably have to pay.

If your records don't support their claim you'll need to dispute it.

pochase

You are saying that you joined BG on the 6yh of February 2019, and that you had an email confirming that you balances have been settled sometime in January.

1. did you receive an invoice for the time between January and 6th of February and did you pay it?
2. did you give a meter reading the day you switched over to BG?
3. is your opening reading with BG the same as the closure with Avro?
4.what are the meter readings in the bill you just received?
5. What were the readings for the bill you received in January

AHorabin

Many thanks for replies - A big issue I have is that Avro were very poor at communication and sent us very little by way of physical bills and even when they did they were addressed to the previous occupier even though we changed details.

Even if I am correct that we do not owe this amount, I have no way of accessing the historic bills to prove it, and nobody to phone to ask for them! And sadly I can't remember what happened with meter readings at change over, a lot has happened since January 2019! 

I can see me having to pay this...

AHorabin

Scratch that sorry - I have managed to access bills via Avro. it must have been temporarily down when I tried. Although It gets even more confusing as Avro do not seem to have recognised the payment I made in January to settle balances (which I do thankfully have screenshots and statements for, and an email to Avro)

Will compare closing readings with BG readings as advised and go from there - much appreciated all.