Eon backdating - is this fair?

chocolatelabrador

Hi everyone, 

I have lived in my house for nearly 3 years and have always paid my bills on receipt on eon. 
Living in a new build I have a gas and an electricity meter that send readings automatically to the provider... or so I thought!

Earlier this year eon asked to mend a faulty meter which they did and came and provided me with a monitor for indoors as well.
I have been in around £500 worth of credit with them (even though I pay on receipt so I don't know how) for a few months and so have let the bills be paid from this credit. 

I have now received a £800 bill from them saying that they have mis-calculated the energy I used over the last 2.5 years and want this payment within 7 days.

Where do I stand with regards to the fact that :
a) they have provided me with faulty smart meters in the first place
b) how do I even know the meters now aren't faulty and haven't sent inflated readings to the company.
c) do I legally have to pay amount this at once

Please - any advice welcome!

Keep_pedalling

If you look closely at your bills you will probably find that they are all estimated ones, is this the case?

Scot_39

A) its also your responsibility to check that smart meters are providing readings correctly by checking bills and or on line account portal readings.

Iirc EOn Next general T&Cs demand meter readings monthly these days - if not operating smart meters.

So were any bills during that period based on actual readings or estimated.

Are you able to read meters - or on their Priority Services register as unable to.

Your in credit and paying on demand needs further explanation- unless you had genuinely been overpaying or they then drastically cut past estimates at one stage - e.g. at an interim physical reading from meter.

B genuine significant meter calibration faults- under or over reading - are I believe from supplier reports fairly rare vs the upto c10% in some reports of smart meters that simply do not communicate those readings to suppliers.

Given the old meter gone - its too late to pay for a test now anyway.

C)  Pay Now  - possibly NOT

Firstly backbilling might apply - but it isnt as simple as last 12m cut off.

The fact you were in credit - complicates it as they can use that credit up to pay for underestimated usage beyond the normal 12m cut off for increasing units billed.

Does the final bill c£800 include actual swap out readings from the old meters ?

Did they distribute those extra units fairly - or just bill them over a fairly short period ?

(My mum - elderly disabled on psr - had a £7xx catch bill for 2.5 years when SG ignored real readings - inc 2 psr related professional meter reader visits.  Their first bill was for 1 year usage demand over 7 days since last bill at current and at time higher tariff rates than period average for immediate  payment.  After 3m of complants  insisting on accurate billing - took 2 rounds to get within £10 of my draft sent with first complaint once had all 4 sets of readings - and after some compensation for their failures - around £125 iirc in total - we paid balance of at c£45-50 pm on DD over 12m - over and above that year's bills).


You need to check the new bills are compliant with modern backbilling - suppliers have made mistakes in past and Ofgem sent warning letter openly.

Citizens advice or local council/ debt charities might be able to assist.

You may also be able to agree a voluntary repayment schedule without any debt repayment plan style complications.

Either yourself or again with help.

Say over 12m - seen some posters here say got allowed 24m without formal debt plan despire 4 figue demands in the £2k zone after 4 years  - but again citizens advice or an (energy) debt charity can often help with levels and negotiations with suppliers.

EssexHebridean

Be really careful if asking for a payment plan - this is likely to earn you Arrangement to Pay markers on your credit file - not something you want to risk! 

WiserMiser

Why do you pay on receipt of bills?  This usually costs significantly more, typically around 7%.

Better to pay by Direct Debit.

Best of all, pay by Monthly Variable Direct Debit; IIRC E.On will do this if you ask.  There won't be any credit or debit building up and you'll have a better idea of how much your energy is costing.  You'll always be in full control, although of course bills will be higher in winter and lower in summer.

Scot_39

EssexHebridean said:

Be really careful if asking for a payment plan - this is likely to earn you Arrangement to Pay markers on your credit file - not something you want to risk! 

Sorry if got that wrong.

We were told by SG as long as it was only for a max of 12 months - it would just be a DD correction - and there was no implications for mum#s credit file.  So we took the interest free loan rather than me just paying the bill lump sum as demanded.  I just paid her by SO for the 12m instead ahead of DD being taken.

But then the OP isn't on DD to begin with.