Help, done a silly thing, at wits end

Oddjob

The woman said today that my father hadn't been billed for electricity either since 1996, he had Alzheimers, (he's dead now - died in 2002), but I am sure we were, got to try and find some, as I am sure that wasn't true. The problems started when I changed suppliers to someone who knocked on the door, can't remember the company now, think it began with 'C'?, that would have been around 2001 I think.
She was asking if I was the executor of the will - which I was, so hope they are not going to try to go back that far :eek: .
My dad always was meticulous about paying his bills as soon as they came.

Premier_2

Unfortunately for you, the 12 month back billing rule does rely on the willing co-operation of the customer to some extent.

Read page 3-4 of this document for clarification.
http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/documents/BillingCodeFAQs15Oct08.pdf

in particular:

(c) the Customer has not co-operated with attempts to obtain meter readings or resolve asset queries required to facilitate accurate bill production

Cardew

Oddjob wrote: »

Strikes me, left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing.

Correct!

Civil bills can only go back 6 years.

There really is no point in going through a 'What if' exercise.

Without them having sent bills over the years they are not in a strong position and any big bill can be challenged.

Wait and see what happens and take it from there.

Oddjob

Yes, waiting for the bill is all I can do, I've got to make an appointment for them to come and check the meter apparently.

I see what you're saying Premier, but they have not made any attempt to send me a bill, not even an estimated one addressed to 'The Occupier'.
Yet my argument is that they already knew who the 'Occupier ' is as I pay my gas bills to them.

I'll just have to see what they come up with.

** I forgot to say, thank you for your help ***

Oddjob

Well, they have finally sent me a bill having come to read the meter in April. They say I owe nearly four and a half thousand pounds!!!!:eek::eek::eek:
They've gone back as far as 1994.

I can't possibly pay an amount like that, I've got to get in touch with them. I'm going to quote the 12 month back billing rule to see what they say.

They've estimated a figure from the reading to when they sent the bill which was a couple of weeks ago and over estimated that. I still haven't used the amount they estimated it to be even now. I'm using less than 100kwhours a week.
I haven't a clue how to work out what I would owe them if they did only go back to 12 months as on the bill there are primary units of so much and secondary units with another figure for each of the billing points.

I am so glad I came on here and asked for advice, I would have been at my wits end if I hadn't known that I do have some negotiating power.

It still took them eight months from me originally contacting them, to them getting in touch wanting the meter to be read. They have never sent me any bills and they have only ever sent me letters addressed to 'the occupier' informing me of price increases etc. They must have known my name etc because my gas is from them, that is all up to date, as the electricity would have been if they had been sending the bills to me.

Will see what happens next.

Thanks to everyone who has replied.

devon_guy

The 12 month back billing is a myth. Martin was on Jeremy Vine on Friday and said that a utility company can go back as far as they want to reclaim unpaid bills. It's a myth that has grown over the years but it is not true.

hartcjhart

Make sure you go to your local CAB for help

MrsBartolozzi

Sadly devon guy is right. Listen to Friday's Jeremy Vine show on radio2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00k6nbd/Jeremy_Vine_08_05_2009/


Martin's on 1hr and 10 mins in. The people asking the question are advised to contact Ofgem, but make sure you get some help with this.

SwanJon

Don't agree with Devon Guy.
The rule exists - see premier's link above - so it's not a myth.
I work for Britidh Gas and I've seen plenty of accounts adjsuted because of this rule (some even on the first bill we managed to send out - I was as suprised as you are)
It relies on
- the company not producing any bills, in any name (otherwise why tell them you've moved in)
- the customer making some attempt to contact the supplier (as as happened in this case)

If they don't seem to be playing ball (as here), advise them you will be taking it to the energy ombudsman (link), who can make a final descision. Ofgem are the regulator and I don't think they will deal with individual cases.

IMO going back 15 years is taking the pi$$.

Oddjob

Thanks for the replies.

devon_guy - it isn't a case of unpaid bills, I haven't been sent a bill, there has been no bills sent in anyones name.
Even after I contacted them last June and they said that they believed that they were supplying the electricity, it still took them a further 8 months to get in touch regarding someone coming to read the meter and during that time, they still did not attempt to send me any sort of bill, not even an estimated one. I took a meter reading then and have not used the amount of electricity they have billed me for since then.
If they had been sending me bills, I would have paid them.

My gas is provided by the same company, who obviously have had my name all those years and I am on the electoral register as being at this address, so how can they argue that they believed the house was empty?