Deceased Parent Nov 2021 - Electricity was switched off, but still got charged £70PCM!!Mums Flat. ***Resolved with EON***

[sean110869]

Hi,

 

My mother died in November 2021

 

when I contacted her supplier she was in credit to the tune of three hundred pounds, following her death, I switched off all her appliances and the fuse box but somehow her bill was around seventy pounds per month.

 

I queried this and was fobbed off,

then raised a complaint in July stating that I wanted an explanation as to why the electric was being charged when it should not be even being used. She was in an over sixties flat with separate meters in a cupboard some two stories from her property

 

her fellow residents have advised me that my mum is not the first to have had bills for empty flats and others have complained.

 

So far the provider has written off the debt and the standing charge but I have just confirmed that following my complaint the meter reading has now magically not changed.

 

Any ideas as to what I can do next as I do not think bar the standing charge that I should have been deducted the credit let alone end up owing money. 

[sean110869]

thanks for the reply 

[sean110869]

Its an electronic meter which is one of the reasons why I don't trust it not sure how they work but I am pretty sure easily hacked or manipulated

[sean110869]

yes as they were always estimated 

[sean110869]

dx - the reading on the meter did move with all the appliances switched off as I did not switch off the fuse box as we were trying to sell the property so wanted lights and sockets so we could clean it.  I thought the initial bills from the provider was due to this activity plus letting a family member stay for a month while mum was in hospital and then until her funeral.

 

I only took a few readings initially in response to receiving an astronomical estimated bill. It was only when these showed a monthly bill of seventy pounds roughly when the flat was empty that I began to query what was going on.

 

I only realised the charge was ridiculous after a few months had passed, as I was working six days a week, dealing with probate, insurances and all that a death entails. When I raised my initial query in March 2022 the provider wrote to me and said they could not deal with me until letter of administration was sent in. This despite them having moved account into my name as executor. Getting the admin letter took nearly seven months from mums death as there had to be an inquest into why mum died, 

 

From March until June the bill was being eaten away and I could not provide meter readings as provider closed my online access and refused to speak to me.

 

Once the register had approved probate I sent letter in with a complaint, with the loa, but was fobbed off again, sent another letter in threatening public humiliation to them.  got a reply saying will credit account down to zero but nothing about the credit amount and could I please send readings per month which I have just done.

 

What annoys me is the twists and turns the provider has made to prevent me from dealing with this and the fact that now following my last complaint the meter seems to be magically working as it is not recording any electricity consumption which would be right given the fact I ended up switching not only the electric off via sockets etc but also the main fuse box.

 

I do not have a problem paying standing charge as we all have to. My problem is where has all the other charges come from, which the provider seems unwilling to explain or confirm.

 

I would like the credit back but not sure what to do next other than follow up on the complaint and say breakers off - no movement on meter,  breakers on - electric consumed despite flat being empty and no one in it. 

[sean110869]

Just a quick thank you to all those people who helped me with this on here,

 

was resolved with Eon refunding the majority of the charges to me minus the standing charge,

 

never admitted an error but still backed down, probably cheaper to settle with me as an individual than the whole block of flats,