Do you have to pay inaccurate bill?

johnweir123

Hi there, 

Just moved into a new house and the energy company has back-billed us for electricity.  

They've produced daily statements covering the period and I've added up the totals and they don't match what we've been billed.  Not a rounding error... it is out by a significant margin. 

They've also missed 2 and a half months of bills entirely. 

It's a big bill and which is why I've decided to investigate and I was surprised to see so many errors. 

Given the bill is so inaccurate I have to ask the question whether or not they can force you to pay it... send around the leg breakers, etc.   Can they?  Or do they have some sort of duty / obligation to make it mostly correct? 

Robin9

By "new" I assume new to you rather than "new build".

Go back to the supplier and request the missing data - until you have that you are working on incomplete data.

Have you the readings from the day you became responsible and today ?

Netexporter

You're only liable from the day you took over the property. Did you submit a reading for that day?

johnweir123

The property has been in my name for some time before moving in so can't question the billing period.  Just the accuracy of it.  I am liable for the period. 

Yes, new to me rather than new build. 

I have a meter reading from day one and a meter reading after moving in but there are meter readings missing from between and the company has sent some daily summaries but when totalled up they don't match the bill. 

Robin9

Have you a spreadsheet which pulls all this together ?  Can you share it please - use Actual Figures and no estimates

Mark_d

johnweir123 said:

Given the bill is so inaccurate I have to ask the question whether or not they can force you to pay it... send around the leg breakers, etc.   Can they?  Or do they have some sort of duty / obligation to make it mostly correct? 

If you don't pay the bill, this will be recorded on your credit report.  The supplier can prevent you from switching supplier and would have a good cause to have a pre-payment meter fitted.  The debt may be passed to a debt collection agency.

My advice would be to pay the bill but continue to challenge the correctness of the bill.

debitcardmayhem

Since you have meter reads from when you became responsible, read them now and do some simple maths maybe a spread sheet, and dont forget the standing charges, and VAT

p00hsticks

debitcardmayhem said:

Since you have meter reads from when you became responsible, read them now and do some simple maths maybe a spread sheet, and dont forget the standing charges, and VAT

Not necessarily that simple unless you have reads for each time the prices changed.....

Robin9

p00hsticks said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Since you have meter reads from when you became responsible, read them now and do some simple maths maybe a spread sheet, and dont forget the standing charges, and VAT

Not necessarily that simple unless you have reads for each time the prices changed.....

(Unless you have a Smart)  there are going to be a lot of guesses involved by both the OP and the supplier.  The supplier will have to  apportion the consumption between estimates - which will be there very time the tariff changed, -, cancel bills and issue new ones.  All likely to be very confusing.

MP1995

Raise a complaint challenging the bill, keep it factual and no emotion.

Ask them to adjust and refill or issue a deadlock letter I they do not agree then present your case to the Ombudsman service.

To not pay, rather than following the complaints procedure, will only add complication.

johnweir123

All useful comments, thanks.  It is a smart meter.  Not sure why they've missed big bits of the bill out of the statement.