Back-billing rules

sami4137

Cardew said:

As said above back-billing rules have no relevance to your issue.

Presumably the Feb 2021 date was when the old occupant left and paid the bill to that date??.

Was the start reading for your Feb to April bill estimated or actual?

Was the 15 March 2021 date, when you moved in to the property, the date you became responsible for the property?

If not, who should have paid the bill between Feb and March 15 2021?

I’m not sure when the previous tennant left because I bought the property so became the legal owner the same day I moved in. I’ve sent them a council tax bill to prove this. I’m not sure if it was an estimated or accurate bill tbh. But I believe the previous owner is responsible for the bill up to the 15th March 

pochase

Is their meter reading for the start of the contract the same as the meter reading when you moved in?

What is the date they start invoicing you?

If the meter readings are the same, we are just talking about standing charges, so a maximum of 50p per day without knowing what region you are in. So what you owe them would be amount on the bill minus x x 50p, x being the days between their start date and the day you really moved in.

sami4137

pochase said:

Is their meter reading for the start of the contract the same as the meter reading when you moved in?

What is the date they start invoicing you?

If the meter readings are the same, we are just talking about standing charges, so a maximum of 50p per day without knowing what region you are in. So what you owe them would be amount on the bill minus x x 50p, x being the days between their start date and the day you really moved in.

The previous owner rented the property so they were with the energy company that sent us the bill. When we bought the property and moved in, we told them we was switching supplier but would be willing to pay for the usage from the 15th March onwards as that was when we were legal owners. I asked for the revised bill but they never sent it to us. 

I assumed back-billing would be in our favour as they never sent us the corrected bill from the date I took over ownership to the date we switch over companies which was in April. 

According to ofgem it states “ You can’t be charged for gas or electricity used more than 12 months ago if you have not been correctly billed for it“
it’s been ongoing for over a year and they still haven’t sent me that bill 

MWT

sami4137 said:

comeandgo said:

No, you can’t use back billing rules in your situation.

Can you explain why? I purchased the property so the completion date is the same date I got the keys and moved in which is the 15th March. Why can I not use the back-billing rules when they have never sent me the corrected bill that I asked for and told them I would be willing to pay? 

The back-billing rules protect you from additional billing more than 12 months in the past, but it sounds like you are expecting to receive a smaller bill than the one you have received, so back-billing isn't going to be of any use to you.

Just calculate what you actually owe and pay that along with a complaint.

Cardew

Well it would appear that the previous tenant would be liable for the period before you moved in. Or if the tenant moved out before 15 March, the previous owner and/or tenant will be liable.

Did you give the energy company the meter readings for 15 March?

pochase

You still have not answered the question what is wrong with your bill.

Is it just the standing charge or is there a difference between the end meter reading of the tenant and your first reading?

How much is the bill and by how much do you believe you are overcharged?

sami4137

You still have not answered the question what is wrong with your bill.

Is it just the standing charge or is there a difference between the end meter reading of the tenant and your first reading?

How much is the bill and by how much do you believe you are overcharged?

The whole of the bill is not mine to pay. I am not liable to pay for anything used before 15th March because I was not the owner of the property. The problem is the bill needs to be split between me and the previous owner because they’re over charging me- trying to charge me for the full bill when I wasn’t the owner and wasn’t even living in the property 

sami4137

The bill covers a 3 month period from feb to April. I said I would pay from March 15th onward but they would need to send me the revised bill. They haven’t split the bill and sent me the revised, they just keep sending it to debt companies to try and recover the full amount, despite me telling them numerous times that I didn’t become legal owner until 15th 

Reed_Richards

So do that!  Split the bill and pay what you owe.  It's not rocket science to make the calculation but maybe Citizens Advice would help if you cannot manage that yourself.

pochase

Please read my question again.

What part of the bill are you complaining about? Just the standing charge or is there a discrepancy between the closing meter reading of the tenant and your opening reading.

If it is just the standing charge we are talking about £11 to £12 for the standing charge from 1st of February to 15th of March.

How much is the bill you did not pay?