Late demand for money

ZiggyZ18

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

MattMattMattUK

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier ...

Your balance never moves between suppliers during a normal switch. You have to settle any outstanding payments to your previous supplier or, if in credit, will receive a refund.
From the sound of it, you were billed by your old supplier when you left but haven't paid. Is that the case?

Astria

If you paid the previous provider via direct debit then they would typically take any debit directly within 6 months of you leaving. If you cancelled the DD then you need to make a manual payment. When I left EDF they informed me on the leaving bill that they would attempt payment on a certain date and I left it until that date before cancelling the DD.

So it all comes down to when you were billed: If you were never billed correctly you could argue.

But if you were billed by just didn't pay then you need to settle the debt.

I've only ever had a debit carried over when a supplier went bust (GNE->EDF)

[Deleted User]

Pre-payment meter debt can, I believe within limits, transfer to a new supplier. 

OP - when you moved out did you contact the supplier and provide them with a meter reading/s and your new address?

DE_612183

well looks like zigg has gone - joined the forum, made a post and left never to return again to find out the answer to their question...

k_man

DE_612183 said:

well looks like zigg has gone - joined the forum, made a post and left never to return again to find out the answer to their question...

The OP was only 2 hours ago!

ZiggyZ18

DE_612183 said:

well looks like zigg has gone - joined the forum, made a post and left never to return again to find out the answer to their question...

I've been working so not had chance to look at answers - I didn't expect an immediate response

ZiggyZ18

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

I moved from Green network energy when they went bust to EDF - ofgem decision not mine. EDF are now saying I owe them money - £159. I have subsequently moved to Green through the MSE energy club and had (apparently wrongly) assumed the balance would move to Green. As they have gone bust I can't check as they have closed their App. I've now been moved again by Ofgem to Shell who have increased my direct debit from £81 to £224 per month - much more than the quoted 54% price cap. I'm confused with the process as I honestly thought when you switched the balance moved with you

Astria

ZiggyZ18 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

MattMattMattUK said:

ZiggyZ18 said:

Is it acceptable for an energy supplier to say I owe them money 15 months after leaving them? I switched to a new supplier and I assumed that as part of the switch my balance would move to the new supplier but in this case it hasn't and now I'm being told I owe money from March 2021. I can't check with the new supplier as they went bust so I have no access to my records which were on their App

It depends on the circumstances, normally it would fall under back billing rules, however as you mention it was from a supplier who went but those rules no longer apply. Which supplier is it that is trying to claim the money, did you submit a meter read when you left them and how much is the amount? 

They may be willing to settle for less to avoid the hassle of enforcement, they may not. 

I moved from Green network energy when they went bust to EDF - ofgem decision not mine. EDF are now saying I owe them money - £159. I have subsequently moved to Green through the MSE energy club and had (apparently wrongly) assumed the balance would move to Green. As they have gone bust I can't check as they have closed their App. I've now been moved again by Ofgem to Shell who have increased my direct debit from £81 to £224 per month - much more than the quoted 54% price cap. I'm confused with the process as I honestly thought when you switched the balance moved with you

The balance only moves with you if the supplier goes busy and Ofgem moves you. If you move yourself your balance does not transfer.

Your direct debit amount has nothing to do with the quoted 54% price cap which is based on the average amount, if your usage is higher or they are claiming back debt then your payments can be substantially higher. They will explain the reason behind the increased DD though -typically they can get the assumed usage wrong and so you could ask them to reduce it.

QrizB

ZiggyZ18 said:

I moved from Green network energy when they went bust to EDF - ofgem decision not mine. EDF are now saying I owe them money - £159.

When did EDF first issue you with a final bill? It should have been within six weeks of you leaving them.

I've now been moved again by Ofgem to Shell who have increased my direct debit from £81 to £224 per month - much more than the quoted 54% price cap. I'm confused with the process as I honestly thought when you switched the balance moved with you

Green went bust because they were selling energy to you (and their other customers) at a loss. When you joined Shell there would have been an immediate increase in prices, and that price increased again by a further 50% or so in April this year.

Your new DD of £254 will reflect both those increases plus an element to make up for any previous underpayments.

If you can give us a full breakdown of your Shell account balance and your typical annual consumption we can run the numbers for you.