Electricity Board decided to refund my whole years bill??

[nickjonesuk]

Hi,

Electricity Board (not saying who) incorrectly read my meter (under-read if you understand me) and sent estimated bills over the year also. Coming to moving house we get a bill for £800!! gobsmacked, several queries on the phone and e-mail, promised call backs. So a week passes and I chase them up, they say the account is now in credit of £800 and they will send the cheque. So instead of me owing them that money, they now owe me it.

I don't know whats going on but it looks like somebody has made a mistake. but WILL they notice? Probobly, or maybe not. That property is going to stay empty for a good while as its in a bad state and the landlord doesn't know sh*t from clay, being family he told me he has no plans of renting it out in the future.

So I am assuming, the electricity board won't realise the mistake until somebody moves in and they setup a new account with a meter reading and realise there is about 8,000 Units not paid for?

How long is it before they can not ask for the money back from me?

What are your thoughts...Thanks.

[Clare_L]

The landlord will get the bill

[mree]

In a year's time they won't be able to bill you for this if it's their mistake which has led to the incorrect bill.

HOWEVER....

All it will take is for a meter reader to call at the property at any point in the next year, or if a new tenant moves in, for them to call with a reading. Either scenario will obviously produce a reading which doesn't tally with the incorrect read on your final bill, and will prompt the system to get a real person to look at it. This will result in you getting a bill for the full, correct, amount.

Another scenario is the l/lord eventually being held responsible for the difference, as it'll be his/her name on the bill until a new tenant moves in. You've mentioned the l/lord is family, would you be happy for this family member to end up paying for your usage?

[nickjonesuk]

I have given them CORRECT final readings several times, they have messed me around and been fairly incompetant which makes sense as somebody there has made a mistake. I will see what happens, money going straight into high interest savings account.

[Clare_L]

Also bear in mind that when you leave the property you will have to notify the company that you are giving up the tenancy and they will request final readings and a forwarding address to send you a final bill.

[nickjonesuk]

Hi Clare,

Thats what we have already done on several occasions, gave them correct final meter readings (we checked over again and again as the bill was £800!!), I initially wanted the £800 debt to be moved to my new account at my new address(this is about a month after living at our new address), one advisor said not possible, the other one said sure thing! but it never happened, and then I phone up and they say its in credit, I say send the cheque. So suppose I will just have to wait and see what happens and not spend the money. (until the safe period is over)

[patrickq1]

it will be worth your while to get an independant witness to sign and verify the meter reading when you are leaving the property this way i cannot be in dispute

[Clare_L]

Originally Posted by nickjonesuk

Hi Clare,

Thats what we have already done on several occasions, gave them correct final meter readings (we checked over again and again as the bill was £800!!), I initially wanted the £800 debt to be moved to my new account at my new address(this is about a month after living at our new address), one advisor said not possible, the other one said sure thing! but it never happened, and then I phone up and they say its in credit, I say send the cheque. So suppose I will just have to wait and see what happens and not spend the money. (until the safe period is over)

They may have transfered the debt to your new account but transfered it as a credit and not a debit, easy mistake to make, but no excuse for the supplier to make such an error. All you can do is be happy that you have given them your final readings and just hold fire until they go and refund the credit and then realise their error. If its Powergen, as a rule, any amount refunded over £150 is normally checked and double checked by management before authorised, purely for these reasons.

Hope you manage to get it sorted anyway.

Clare