Energy Supplier has send a retrospective bill and changed my tariff

Jannalouise

I moved to UW at the end of last year through one of their reps that knocked on my door. I decided to change, and when we went through all the options and I signed up, I explained that I had a Smart economy 7 meter. The lady put me however put me on a standard variable rate, and I set up a DD to pay the bill upon receipt, and I was going to see if it was much different to previous bills.

Up until July I received bills and paid. Then in July i received a bill for over £900. Upon looking at the charge details, they had gone back to the start of the contract and re billed me for all my day usage and my night usage. So it turns out they hadn't charged me for any use during the night, and instead of charging me at the standard variable rate they have just rebilled at the economy 7 rates. I disputed the bill and they "investigated" and then just gave me a lump credit on my August bill. I don't dispute that i owe for usage missed from the night use,

I have repeatedly asked for a breakdown of the credit applied and it seems that is something they are unable to do, so I have escalated to a complaint level and am awaiting a response.

What I am actually unsure of though is, can they retrospectively change me onto an Economy 7 tariff, especially if its not the best one for me? I have worked out based on my last 6 months usage it would cost me on average over £50 a month more to be on the Economy 7 rate vs the standard variable rate.

Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks

Reed_Richards

I suppose they could do a retrospective change but they shouldn't.  Do you have anything in writing or on a bill or an email that confirms that you were put on a single rate tariff?

Jannalouise

Reed_Richards said:

I suppose they could do a retrospective change but they shouldn't.  Do you have anything in writing or on a bill or an email that confirms that you were put on a single rate tariff?

The email confirmation on set up just says that I am on the gold tariff, which is the same description as per the updated bill for Economy 7. Though the set up confirmation makes no reference to E7, day rates or night rates, just the one standard variable rate at a much higher rate than i paid, and different to what I have been rebilled at, so hard to reconcile that. I am guessing I may just have to accept, and then ask them to change me to a standard rate as the E7 is not the best tariff for me.

Reed_Richards

Maybe you were misled by the rep who knocked on your door; this is not unknown!  If the "Gold Tariff" would have left you worse off than E7 then I see no point in complaining.

Scot_39

Jannalouise said:

I moved to UW at the end of last year through one of their reps that knocked on my door. I decided to change, and when we went through all the options and I signed up, I explained that I had a Smart economy 7 meter. The lady put me however put me on a standard variable rate, and I set up a DD to pay the bill upon receipt, and I was going to see if it was much different to previous bills.

Up until July I received bills and paid. Then in July i received a bill for over £900. Upon looking at the charge details, they had gone back to the start of the contract and re billed me for all my day usage and my night usage. So it turns out they hadn't charged me for any use during the night, and instead of charging me at the standard variable rate they have just rebilled at the economy 7 rates. I disputed the bill and they "investigated" and then just gave me a lump credit on my August bill. I don't dispute that i owe for usage missed from the night use,

I have repeatedly asked for a breakdown of the credit applied and it seems that is something they are unable to do, so I have escalated to a complaint level and am awaiting a response.

What I am actually unsure of though is, can they retrospectively change me onto an Economy 7 tariff, especially if its not the best one for me? I have worked out based on my last 6 months usage it would cost me on average over £50 a month more to be on the Economy 7 rate vs the standard variable rate.

Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks

Worryingly, you seem more than a little focused on the term "standard variable rate" - perhaps to my mind at any rate misunderstanding the energy market.

As economy 7 also - at least to my mind (but am more than willing to be corrected and will apologise if wrong) - has a standard variable rate tariff at nearly all UK suppliers.

Or if you like - it's just means not a fixed rate deal - again those fixed deals available on single rate (or dual fuel with gas) or economy 7 basis at most suppliers.

One governed by it's own Ofgem default tariff level cap.

Just as for single rate electric and gas.  Often those 2 combined in the cap - as seen in headlines in media - into one nominal price.

Do you really mean that - or do you mean single rate (variable tariff) - did they say or did they actually in reality sign you up to a single rate. Did they cleverly use variable tariff and not say e7 or single rate.

Or worse still give a single rate price quote for doing so then not correct if you afterwards mentioned e7 just before signing etc in reality it appears not.

Some suppliers use a national database to select meter type and so tariff - single rate or multi rate e7 variable or fixed  - when giving on line quotes.

Some also use it when selecting tariff rates when you sign up - so even for those say already being billed single rate on an economy 7 meter at old suppliers can find put back on e7 variable tariffs at new. And have to get changed again (sometimes just a quick call, or email - but sadly not always)

Check any copy of anything you signed on the day - or any correspondence confirming the deal.  Or even the first bill statement - did it have 2 rates 2 registers allowed but only 1 populated with readings - or just the one.

Check the tariff name (at my supplier e7 and in my case e10 are in tariff names / titles on their variable tariffs)



If you have proof you were miss sold the deal - not put on the deal you signed for  - you may have an easy case re the £50  extra.

If you misinterpreted or heaven forbid a door to door agent misled you - dubious sales techniques not unheard of  - deliberately or otherwise, but all the paperwork (often deliberately minimal on the day)  is in order and you didn't challange and cancel on review / first oppertunity - then that's a horrible but hard fact of life. 

You might though still have a case, and a complaint worthy of reporting to tradings standards even, if believe were misled.  You may not be the only one in area by a particular agent - or wider area if systemic issue with UWs team literature or training / claims made  etc - to have been so.

[Unlike single rate Ofgem only set the total cap, if you like the average price (costed at 42% night split iirc) - but suppliers set their own day / night rate balance.
As you are clearly aware unless you use somewhere around a third plus (low 30s to low 40s when crunched e7 numbers depending on supplier, region, season even) it might not be the cheapest deal.]


But the real shocker here is them only billing for 1 register for over 6 months.  But sadly as less than 12m - I believe they can correct bills.

Were they successfully reading the Smart meter - again 1 or 2 readings (or do UW use 1/2 hourly ?) - or failing then you had to submit the 2 readings ahead of catch up bill.


Personally I would never take a deal from a door to door salesperson.  They have a dare I say it often a poor reputation of being more interested in sale with who is paying them - than securing the best deal for you.

UW iirc tend to cross sell packaged deals as well power, broadband, mobile ?? -  based on larger savings on 1 - like energy - so again a reason to be wary.  But others here do use them.  So maybe not that bad a thing.

Check your records.  

If feel misled - and should have been on single rate - make a complaint to that effect - with or even without proof might work.

Re them not billing night register - their error - so another complaint

(you might get small compensation - but the base level is only £25-50 in some cases orceach too).

But what you should be looking for if willing to stay (oorsimply cannot afford to clear debt in one go so as can leave to another supplier) - is something like say a share of the debt added to normal DD levels. (in past my mum had £600 demand due to catch up bill after supplier error - paid back with £50 pm extra on DD - no special debt type deal)

Scot_39

Jannalouise said:

Reed_Richards said:

I suppose they could do a retrospective change but they shouldn't.  Do you have anything in writing or on a bill or an email that confirms that you were put on a single rate tariff?

The email confirmation on set up just says that I am on the gold tariff, which is the same description as per the updated bill for Economy 7. Though the set up confirmation makes no reference to E7, day rates or night rates, just the one standard variable rate at a much higher rate than i paid, and different to what I have been rebilled at, so hard to reconcile that. I am guessing I may just have to accept, and then ask them to change me to a standard rate as the E7 is not the best tariff for me.

That's even more confusing.

And being charged at a lower rate makes above complaint potentially trickier.


On their Web tariff page- only mentions of gold are tied package deals

https://help.uw.co.uk/article/energy/tariff_information/what-energy-tarrifs-do-you-offer

Which suggest you bundled one more service for standard Gold..

Says variable rate - then adds a * footnote - saying fixed ????

As clear as mud - and enough to make me wary.  But you wouldn't have seen that on the day I guess.

From their FAQs they will change e7 smart to Sr.

But do you have a meter that currently switches any of your devices supply at off peak times (immersion heater, storage heaters typically - but if had nsh as only heating  e7 would normally be the cheap option) ?