Backdated bill

pochase

What part of the £220 is for paying back the outstanding debt?

CanNeverThinkOfAUsername

Also, make sure she is on the PSR (Priority Services Register) as some suppliers have been switching customers to prepaid who are in debt. If she is on the PSR this will make it harder for the supplier to do this: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-extra-help-priority-services-register (I'm not trying to scare you, just want to make sure all bases are covered)

Johnjones76565667

pochase said:

What part of the £220 is for paying back the outstanding debt?

Ah that’s a good point-it’s probably just her current usage isn’t it? I’ll definitely look into that. 

Thanks for everyone’s help-it’s been really useful to have a sounding board!

macman

If the DD was already set at the correct level to cover both gas and leccy, and continued to be drawn, then an absence of gas billing would not result in any debt. Quite the opposite: she would be substantially in credit. 
Once a gas bill was finally produced, that should have used the credit to rebalance the account. So this alone can't be the reason for an £800 debt.
It's more likely that the debt has built up because they have failed to raise the DD last year when prices soared by more than 100%? What was the DD set at last year?
It's not reasonable to expect to recover the arrears in just 4 months, so negotiate that up to nearer a year; an extra £65 per month. With the £67 EBSS credited, she shouldn't notice the difference, at least until the end of March, when her usage will fall massively.
They will not push her to pay it all at once, nor will they use bailiffs: that would require a CCJ. You just need to agree a reasonable DD level.
Is she on the Priority Services Register?

Johnjones76565667

She is on the priority services register so we’re hoping that offers her some form of protection from being forced into a pre payment meter. 

Her direct debit was £65 and it just never increased. I mean looking back it was naive for us not to question it but hindsight is a wonderful thing! I think we always just assumed because of her extra pensioner additions like warm home discount I think it’s called? it was all covered and there was no indication that anything was incorrect-she was always in credit actually. She only lives in a little one bedroom place so we’re not even sure if the bills are correct as they seem rather large but that’s a whole other story!
We’re hoping to negotiate on the direct debit and spread it out for her.
I really appreciate everyone’s help today though!

macman

Is this bill based on actual readings? The WHD is only £150pa so that and £65 pm wouldn't begin to cover a typical energy bill.
Get the account set up online, with her agreement, and check that she is not being billed on estimated reads before you negotiate anything.
Get smart meters installed and she won't have to worry about estimated bills.

Johnjones76565667

macman said:

Is this bill based on actual readings? The WHD is only £150pa so that and £65 pm wouldn't begin to cover a typical energy bill.
Get the account set up online, with her agreement, and check that she is not being billed on estimated reads before you negotiate anything.
Get smart meters installed and she won't have to worry about estimated bills.

Ha! This whole saga came
about because of smart meters! When eon changed to eon next there was a break in the supply and the smart meter stopped sending gas readings across!! Everything was completely fine until then!