£1.5k elec bill!

[gpthit]

Hi all,

 

We moved to a flat in Sept 08 where the electric was being supplied by the building conpany's generator free of charge, in Nov 08 we recieved a letter from the builders saying that the generator was being removed and we would connected to the mains as soon as this was done. No letter or any other contact was made to us or the other 5 tenants in our block from the electric company.

 

A couple of the tenants rang the supplier and were told that the builders were still paying for the electric even though it was now on the mains supply.

Fast forward to Dec 09 when we leave the property, a week later we get a bill(at the flat) dated back to Nov 08 for 1.5k!! No other tenant has received any bill now or at any time since moving in, surely this can't be legal??

 

Just to clarify, we have had no correspondence of any sort from the supplier since moving in, no bills, nothing!

 

Please help

 

G.T.

[postggj]

this has been sorted in another thread i believe

 

if the utility fails to do a bill for longer than 12 months, they can then swing for it

 

dont take as gospel but ime sure ive read it

 

 

got it

 

have a nose

 

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/utilities-gas-electricity-water/236986-6000-electricity-bill-6yrs.html

[gpthit]

this has been sorted in another thread i believe

 

if the utility fails to do a bill for longer than 12 months, they can then swing for it

 

dont take as gospel but ime sure ive read it

 

 

got it

 

have a nose

 

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/utilities-gas-electricity-water/236986-6000-electricity-bill-6yrs.html

 

Thanks for that but it's a slightly different scenario to mine and I'm still not sure if they have the right to bill me for this period; the 20th Nov 2008 to 5th Dec 2009, this is only a couple of weeks over 12months so can they charge me from the 12months minus the couple of weeks or not at all as I've had no bill in over 12 months??? (or any other contact for that matter).

 

Thanks

[ozzywizard]

Sounds to me that you coulds be getting charged for the whole block of flats.

Do you have your own unique meter, if so what reading is on this meter and is it the same as on the bill. does the bill show the start reading, should be 00000 and on a date that is not disputable to you and within the last 12 months. ... as post said it has to be within the last 12 months even if only out by a day it makes the bill unenforceable and they need to rebill to produce an accurate bill. Which company is it that sent bill as need to ensure they are come under the billing code ? . . .

[nottslad]

the most you would get taken off this bill under the billing code is the few weeks under the 12 month amount, so not very much, possibly pressure for some form of payment for poor customer service?

[gpthit]

Sounds to me that you coulds be getting charged for the whole block of flats.

Do you have your own unique meter, if so what reading is on this meter and is it the same as on the bill. does the bill show the start reading, should be 00000 and on a date that is not disputable to you and within the last 12 months. ... as post said it has to be within the last 12 months even if only out by a day it makes the bill unenforceable and they need to rebill to produce an accurate bill. Which company is it that sent bill as need to ensure they are come under the billing code ? . . .

 

There is a meter for my flat and the readings do tally up, I've got no problem paying for electric that I've used but I do think it's a pretty bad stunt for them to wait a year then bill us, as I've also said no one else in the block has been billed at all. The company is e-on.

 

Thanks.

[gpthit]

the most you would get taken off this bill under the billing code is the few weeks under the 12 month amount, so not very much, possibly pressure for some form of payment for poor customer service?

 

To be honest I would be happy if they just reduced the bill to a more reasonable ammount, if we were aware we were paying we would have been more careful with our usage and shopped around for a better deal so would have paid less in the long run. Isn't it e-on you work for??

 

Thanks

[nottslad]

yeah it is eon i work for...

 

To be honest I dont think any company would be willing to reduce the bill on that proviso though...

[dcdkpug]

dont quote me on this,ask them for a contract that they own the supply of electricity and also ask them who the owner of the electricity is and statements shouldnt have to be paid,only invoices under the bills of exchange act (i think it is)

[gpthit]

Hi all,

 

Just had a call from e-on, they admit to not billing me at the old address and say they can give no reason why this has happened. I quoted the billing code of practice to them but they are claiming it doesn't apply as the previous account for that address was under the builders name.

 

Just to recap; when we moved in (sept 08), the electric was being supplied by the builders generator and there was no mains supply. In November 08 the generator was removed but apparently the account with e-on for the block of flats was put in the builders name, e-on have just told me this and a neighbour rang e-on while we were living there and was told the same.

 

Does the code apply in my case? I think they're saying that it was up to me to contact them and because I didn't then the code doesn't apply.

 

Thanks.

[K3NNY]

Check the tenancy agreement does it mention UTILITIES

[gpthit]

Check the tenancy agreement does it mention UTILITIES

 

Can't find the original agreement but have a letter from Martin and co. that came with it and it states quite clearly that electric is "Generator".

[K3NNY]

any of your neighbours have a copy from around the same time

[nottslad]

the electricity supply will be down to a deemed contract, you used the supply and are therefore responsible for paying for the usage.

 

Whatever the agents may have written is a third arty dispute between you and them

[gpthit]

any of your neighbours have a copy from around the same time

 

A couple of them that moved in while the generator was there should have the same paperwork.

[gpthit]

the electricity supply will be down to a deemed contract, you used the supply and are therefore responsible for paying for the usage.

 

Whatever the agents may have written is a third arty dispute between you and them

 

Hi nottslad,

 

I'm not trying to avoid paying for what I've used, I'm actually querying why the bill is so high (approx 50% higher than similar properties I've lived in). I called back and asked what tarriff I was on and was told it was their "standard rate". The property had an electric boiler that should have heated up overnight on cheap rate electric but due to us not knowing we've been charged at the full rate, I really don't think this is fair.

 

I know you work for e-on, the property has a economy7 meter installed so why was it not on an economy7 tarriff? Could you also tell me who's legal responability it is to have informed us/e-on as to when it was connected to the mains and we were to start paying/set up an account with e-on?

 

Any help appreciated.

[nottslad]

there is a standard unrestricted tariff and an E7 standard tariff, so possibly you were being billed for E7 but on the standard rates?

 

Was it an all electric property and how was the property heated, because if the bill is covering a year then it actually isn't all that high for an all eloec ppty with storage or panel heaters

[gpthit]

there is a standard unrestricted tariff and an E7 standard tariff, so possibly you were being billed for E7 but on the standard rates?

 

Was it an all electric property and how was the property heated, because if the bill is covering a year then it actually isn't all that high for an all eloec ppty with storage or panel heaters

 

The property was all electric, had central heating that run off an electric boiler that stored up heat over night. There was only me and the girlfriend living their and we both work, although there were days when I was in in the day during the week. Just seems a lot for a 2 bed flat in my opinion and is deffo more than I paid in a previous similar property that had storage heaters.