Powergen/e-on back dated gas charges since 2005

[5layer]

Hello everyone,

Your help is greatly appreciated and sought after.

We moved to our current property on 31st January 2005 and have been with Powergen/e-on supplying our gas and we paid the bills on a quarterly meter.

In May 2007 I decided to change suppliers after a comparison online showed another supplier to be cheaper. I signed up online and a few weeks later received a letter from P/e-on asking for the final meter reading, which I rang up and supplied, only to be told that the final bill would be £790.

As you can imagine I almost fell off my chair. After a lot of going from one department and another I was finally told that since the day we moved in 31/01/2005, we have had estimated bills.

When I pushed them further to tell me why no one had read the meter in all this time I was told that the meter was inaccessible. The meter has always been located in a white lock up type box under the bay window to the outside of our property.

There was no way I could pay that huge an amount of money and change suppliers. So I have been stuck with P/e-on on a Pre-Payment meter paying off arrears at £10 a week on a very high tariff. They will not offer a better tariff to me as I still have outstanding arrears. As you can see I am being penalised twice for someone else’s mistake.

I have read some of the other posts and there is some sort of governing body setup which states that since 2006, back dated bills can only be claimed for 12 months??

I would like to know what options are open to me and how to try and get some or all of this money back as I’m on benefits.

Apologies for it being so long but wanted to get all info and facts correct.

Thanks

[mree]

The back-billing rule won't help you on this occasion I'm afraid, as it only covers situations where no bills at all have been sent and the utility company is at fault. In this instance, you have been sent bills, they've just been wrong.

You won't be able to get a reduction on this amount (unless you get hold of a high-up supervisor in a very good mood), but as you're on benefits you will be able to have the weekly collection rate reduced to about £3. You'll need to discuss this with the supplier's collections team.

[5layer]

At the time the engineer set the amount of £10, he said this is the lowest he could do and to get in touch with customer services.

Since then I have on many occasions tried to get the weekly arrears amount of £10 down to something like £5. As per there request even sent of proof on 2 separate occasions and still nothing.

The other matter concerns the fact that until the arrears are paid off, they will keep me on there higher tariff. Any ideas about this?

Are they correct in setting a higher tariff when you have arrears bearing in mind that I’m on a pre-payment meter?

Thanks

[5layer]

Originally Posted by mree

You won't be able to get a reduction on this amount (unless you get hold of a high-up supervisor in a very good mood), but as you're on benefits you will be able to have the weekly collection rate reduced to about £3. You'll need to discuss this with the supplier's collections team.

Any one know of a high-up supervisor or director for Powergen/e-on??

Any help would be brilliant.

Thanks

[Bizzman]

Hi

Your benefits office should be able to negotiate for you, there are linked departments between them and suppliers. The rate should be £3.00 p.w. as stated previously, so it should not be any hassle.

I really don't like like idea of estimated reads on an accessible meter box. If I were you I would pursue this to the end, as that is what has created your problem.

To me, that is "unbilled" as there is no reason why it shouldn't have been.

This scenario is getting more typical of these bullying tactics, forcing people into debt where previously there wasn't any.

Good Luck!

[5layer]

Hi All,

Does anyone have a good point of contact with e.on that they are aware of that gets things done??

If not then I will be writing to the e.on CEO UK Dr Paul Golby.

I will keep you posted as to what happens.

Thanks

[ozzywizard]

Pauline and Stuart (sorry cannot give surnames on a forum) are the section managers on prepayment based in Bolton. they are the managers of the managers.

To be honest from your posts this is somthing a normal CSA should be able to deal with, if not then a team manager should deal.

[ozzywizard]

A more comprehensive reply.

In May 2007 I decided to change suppliers after a comparison online showed another supplier to be cheaper. I signed up online and a few weeks later received a letter from P/e-on asking for the final meter reading, which I rang up and supplied, only to be told that the final bill would be £790.

As you can imagine I almost fell off my chair. After a lot of going from one department and another I was finally told that since the day we moved in 31/01/2005, we have had estimated bills.

Double check these dates and if they were all estimated, if so this is over 2 years, the supplier should of had an actual reading in a two year period or the bill is not enforceable.

The meter being inaccessible is not acceptable if the meter is outside and this must of been an assumption from their part rather than being based on an engineers report.

On a prepayment meter you are charged a standing charge of about 18 pence a day as this is a prepayment tarrif, you are not charged more for being in debt apart from the debt collection rate, this can be found on your meter settings screen 25,26 and total amount on 27 (press and hold in button A untill it bleeps then scroll through the menu's)

Mree is correct regarding the unbilled charges, these charges are billed but they may not be lawfull if based on estimations for over a 2 year period.

You will remain on that tarrif untill the meter is changed, again nothing to do with your debt.

As previously advised if you are on benifits then the collection rate will be dropped to 3 pound a week.

[Auntie Scam]

Hi

Does anyone know if this 12 month max backdating rule mentioned above also applies to other utilities Co's?

In my case it is the Water Board who I have just realised haven't been billing me for over 3 years. The law of common sense seems to say its their own stupid fault for not billing the address and managing their business effectively, but I'm sure its the little guy who gets clobbered and has to cough up as usual - well they have dividends to pay and massive bonuses for fat cats!!!

Any insight would be gratefully received.

Thx

[pelham9]

Gas and Electricity but not water.