Eon next billing discrepancy sudden billing change

SavemcSaveface

Hi, I've been with Eon next on a fixed rate tariff with a smart metre since August last year. Regular monthly statements and been up to date with payments around £100-£125 a month. I recently signed up to switch to a new tariff starting in August at the end of my fixed period. For some reason, that has triggered something within their system and they have now backdated and amended all my electricity charges to show a debit of over £400 additional costs. So far all they said it was an issue with day/night charges on the smart meter. I raised a complaint and they are due to call me back to discuss. I wanted to know if there was any legal standpoint that they have provided statements up until 21st May showing my usage and in credit. If for some reason they argue these charges are legitimate, whether I can refute them based on all their previous statements if it's their error? I can't see any issue with my statements it shows unit used/costs etc as would be expected. I just can't fathom how they can suddenly decide to charge me an additional £400. If it's an error on their part do I have to pay as it hasn't been budgeted for as I'm now 11 months into a 12 month fix and suddenly hitting me with these cost? I would know more when I've spoken to them but wanted to be pre armed with any useful information. I have printed all my statements off my acc. Many thanks Mark

molerat

It seems likely they may have been billing you the wrong way round for day and night - have you checked ?  They can bill you for the correct use but they should not bill any additional amounts beyond the past 12 months,  your use falls inside that.

ngr49er

As you mention day / night charges, if you are on Economy 7 then check if your day / night readings have suddenly been swapped over.

This was an ongoing problem for me for the first year I was with them and often sent me from credit into debit, until I got the readings reversed.

This then meant some slightly confusing reversal bills, which made me set up a spreadsheet for readings / unit price, so I always knew what my actual credit / bills should be.

BarelySentientAI

SavemcSaveface said:

I raised a complaint and they are due to call me back to discuss. 

What did you complain about?  A complaint that "something has changed" isn't likely to end up being a particularly useful discussion.  You complain when they have done something wrong, to get them to put it right.

SavemcSaveface said:

I wanted to know if there was any legal standpoint that they have provided statements up until 21st May showing my usage and in credit. If for some reason they argue these charges are legitimate, whether I can refute them based on all their previous statements if it's their error? 

No, you have no legal basis for that argument.  And it's not "if for some reason they argue the charges are legitimate" - they either are correct or they are not - you just need to work out which.

SavemcSaveface said:

If it's an error on their part do I have to pay as it hasn't been budgeted for as I'm now 11 months into a 12 month fix and suddenly hitting me with these cost? 

Yes.  If you have used it, you have to pay for it.

SavemcSaveface said:
I just can't fathom how they can suddenly decide to charge me an additional £400.

I would know more when I've spoken to them but wanted to be pre armed with any useful information. I have printed all my statements off my acc. 

The useful information is on the statements.  What did the old ones say and what do the new ones say?  What has changed?  The statements tell you why "they can suddenly decide to charge you an additional £400".

Simple things first:

• Do the meter numbers on the bills match your meter?
• Do the readings on the bills match the readings on your meter?
• Do the prices on the bills match the prices on your tariff?

SavemcSaveface

Hi, appreciate the reply, The tariff actually has no day/night rates. It's just a single unit. The night reading previously has always been 0. When the initial change happened it shown a duplicate of the day rate in the night rate. My assumption was they had charged me twice for all my units both day and night. I've left them to resolve and kept an eye on my account. I can see multiple credit and debits occurring over the last week.  But I had a call today which I missed and an email to arrange a time to discuss, and when I checked my account it has ended up in exactly the same place owing them £360+. I've requested an up to date statement to explain the charges before I speak with them. Fundamentally though I'm assuming even if it's their mistake and error am I still liable as its within 12 months if its shown to be correct billing? I'm still dubious as cannot yet see where the charges have come from. Cheers Mark

SavemcSaveface

I complained about the fact they had added £400 charges onto my account without any justification. They haven't sent me a monthly statement since 21st May which showed I was in credit as I have been every month. They have retrospectively charged me for as yet undefined reasons and I have requested a statement from them to clarify. They suddenly had night reading showing as duplicated to my day readings on my online account. I fully expect it is their error and it won't be chargeable as my meter readings all  tally on every monthly statement, I have checked all that before I complained.

BarelySentientAI

SavemcSaveface said:

I complained about the fact they had added £400 charges onto my account without any justification.

SavemcSaveface said:

 they have now backdated and amended all my electricity charges to show a debit of over £400 additional costs. 

That's two very different statements.

Either they have randomly added £400 of charges without justification or that have made some changes which result in £400 of additional charges, in which case the changes are their justification.

I suspect you mean the latter, but you are disputing that the changes are correct.

As you then say:

SavemcSaveface said:

They have retrospectively charged me for as yet undefined reasons and I have requested a statement from them to clarify. They suddenly had night reading showing as duplicated to my day readings on my online account.

So not "undefined reasons" at all.  You suspect a duplication of readings resulting in double counting.

Supplier systems are dumb.  Call centre staff work off scripts and prompts.  Complaints are dealt with by flowcharts.  Even at the level of the Ombudsman, all they do it look at what each side says and pick which they believe.

We ask for what seems like pointless clarifications because they are the things that make sure the right set of scripts, prompts and flowcharts get used.

A complaint that "you have added £400 without justification" will get you the answer that "the readings say we should charge you £400".  Not helpful for anyone.

A complaint that "you have read my meter wrong and are charging me for too many units" might get an investigation into where the readings have come from and how they have been used, which could end up with the result you wish.  Much more useful.

SavemcSaveface

I do indeed suspect potentially duplicated readings, however that hasn't been clarified by anyone at Eon nor has a monthly statement been provided as has been the case in every other month. My statement date was 21st of the month. When my statement wasn't sent 21st June I checked on line and the "random" charges I refer to are £400 of transactions added onto the account with no information/ detail / explanation or justification. Thereby "unjustified" in my perspective as they aren't accompanied by any statement or in fact any detail where they have been generated from. I can only surmise duplication as the most obvious possible answer. I'm aware how the ombudsman works as I have already successfully had them judge in my favour with a previous billing dispute with EON Next. Also I understand the systems used are beyond dumb, as I had to overturn an early exit penalty charge on my account when all I had done was click on their website the list of available tariffs to compare unit rates. This apparently generated a charge on my account for switching tariff when I blatantly hadn't. I have a very low expectation on EON Next systems and billing.