Left Octopus and can't get my money back

Sailbad

Sorry for butting in here but I thought the back billing rule meant that you could not be charged for unbilled energy used more than 12 months ago if you have given accurate meter readings.
I read this on Ofgem's website..
"You should only be charged for any unpaid consumption during the last 12 months if you have not had an accurate bill for this consumption before."

brig001

Further down the same page:
Suppliers cannot use this to recover any shortfall for a period longer than 12 months ago

QrizB

Sailbad said:

Sorry for butting in here but I thought the back billing rule meant that you could not be charged for unbilled energy used more than 12 months ago if you have given accurate meter readings.
I read this on Ofgem's website..
"You should only be charged for any unpaid consumption during the last 12 months if you have not had an accurate bill for this consumption before."

A common misunderstanding.

OP has been with Octopus for a period of three years, during which time they have made payments to Octopus. Sufficient payments that, in their opening post, the thought that Octopus owed them £400.

Octopus have recalculated their bills and now say that the OP owes them £800.

If back-billing applies in the OP's situation (and it's not at all clear that it does), Octopus can only ask for new money for energy consumed in the past 12 months.

Any money previously paid can be allocated to earlier bills. Any money paid by but then repaid to the OP can be unwound.

Sailbad

That's a good reason for never letting your account get into credit. Always pay by variable direct debit.

brig001

Wouldn’t make any difference in this case as they have re-calculated all of my bills and said that they are all wrong, so now I owe them money 

Sailbad

Studying the back billing rules on Ofgem's site, I cannot see why you could be charged for incorrectly billed energy used more than 12 months ago, as long as they have accurate readings.

MWT

Sailbad said:

Studying the back billing rules on Ofgem's site, I cannot see why you could be charged for incorrectly billed energy used more than 12 months ago, as long as they have accurate readings.

They can be charged up to the balance on their account after reversing any refunds that might have been made, so it is never as simple as a 12 month cut-off.

Sailbad

Does it actually say that anywhere on the Ofgem site?

QrizB

Sailbad said:

Does it actually say that anywhere on the Ofgem site?

No.

There are lots of details of the rules that aren't on the site.

Sailbad

Do you know if anyone has contested it with the Ombudsman?