Energy Backbilling

Jock46

Looking for some help and advice on how to deal with this energy situation.

After my provider mistakenly changing the meter on my account I was in a constant battle with them to rectify their error. When they eventually said it was corrected they then used the wrong meter readings to back date it and sent me a bill for over £5000. I complained and had no response and eventually had to go to the ombudsman. They then ‘back billed’ me and my final bill was £300. In  back billing calculations they omitted the credit my account was in and a payment i had made totaling £684.83. They have said because it was outwith the back billing year (5 days outwith) they are able to keep it.  So by them using back billing regulations i am worse off. 

During all this time i was paying my direct debit every month and submitted meter readings. 

The time frame for this is 26/8/22  changed meter on account. 

7/7/23 Account supposedly corrected but wrong readings used and bill for £5100 sent out. 

31/8/23 final readings given as moving out. 

Back billed from 11/9/22 - 1/9/23. 

How can it be right that i am financially worse off by a significant amount due to their error and then their failure to sort out my bill in a reasonable amount of time. Is there anyone that can advise me on what else i can do? 

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

I see you have already been to the Ombudsman. Has your nameless supplier implemented the Ombudsman's recommendations?

Are you challenging the meter readings or calculaton method used? What does the Ombudsman say when you take this to them?

Please can you explain exactly how you have been left worse off?

Jock46

Thanks for your reply! 

I am challenging the calculation method used. I feel i would have been better off if i had been billed using the correct meter readings from 26/8/22 to 1/9/23. 

I was told because i have been back billed they are allowed to not include the credit my account was in on 26/8/22, or my direct debit payment on 1/9/22 as they fall outwith the year of back billing. 

Qyburn

Not quite sure I follow but the back billing rules allow they to apply any credit or payment that they already hold. They just can't ask for new money from you to cover usage more than 12 months ago and not previously billed.

Jock46

Thanks for taking the time to reply! 

Sorry, its all so confusing trying to explain as so much has happened. I’m a newbie so unable to attach screenshots to try help explain. 

26/8/22 is the last date everything was correct on my account. Account balance £458.02 credit. 

Back billed from 11/9/22 to 1/9/23. 

Total Usage £2614.02
Total payments £2312.92
Final balance £301.10

 I requested breakdown of this and note the £458.02 not included, also direct debit of £226.42 on 1/9/22 not included. 

Ask why, told by Eon because they fall outwith the back billing period. 

Ombudsman says ‘the regulator allows suppliers to keep such payments but remove anything additional that would be due to the back billing situation’ 

Qyburn

OK so I think you say youre you're in agreement about the prices and charges, so you think that figure of figure of £2,614.02 is correct.

Against that should be credited your original credit balance of £458.02, payments that they acknowledge totalling £2312.92 and the DD of £226.42 which wasn't included. That should leave a credit balance of £383.34 owing to you.

Is that correct to your understanding?

QrizB

What about the period from 26/08/22 to 11/09/2022? Is there a hole in your billing?

Eon need to provide you with bills for the entirety of the period you've been with the hem, not missing a bit out.

Jock46

Thanks for taking the time. 

Yes, i would say that was what my predicted energy usage costs for the year was so that all seems correct. 

I also forgot to say that the ombudsman requested compensation of £275, which they took off my final bill. So leaving a total of £26.10. 

My understanding is as you said above with the final figures. I wouldn’t expect them to add the credit etc if it was from a year or so before, but it is from 5 days before the start of their back billing date and my direct debit a day before. 

Jock46

@QrizB

My account was billed ok up until 26/8/22 until they tried to fit a smart meter. The engineer had 3 with him and all were faulty. Eon changed the meter on my account at this point mistakenly. 

I then spent months getting nowhere trying to prove that it hadn’t been changed and to correct it. When they finally did accept that it hadn’t been changed they used estimated meter readings from 26/8/22 instead of the actual readings that had been provided for that date. That then created a bill for over £5,100. 

I could see from the statement they sent that the readings they used were incorrect and wildly off and sent multiple emails asking for them to look into it, but they didn’t. That’s when i went to the ombudsman. And then they back billed me. 

Sorry, it’s all quite a saga!