Back billing for business customers

[BankFodder]

Apparently there is a voluntary code of practice in place which now limits back billing to 3 years for micro-businesses.

 

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication.html?task=file.download&id=5196

 

A micro-business is a business with less than nine employees.

 

Apparently many of the suppliers have adopted back billing practices for micro-business customers which are better than the three-year maximum.

 

If anyone has any comments or examples to show, please post them here.

[nottslad]

This is a positive move as it was previously 6 years in line with statute of limitations. I know EON amended theirs to one year, in line with the domestic billing code. IMO all suppliers should be a max of 1 year, although I'd like to see this reduced further due to the pressure it puts on finances. 6 months should be ample time to get things sorted

[E.ON Company Rep: Malc]

This is a positive move as it was previously 6 years in line with statute of limitations. I know EON amended theirs to one year, in line with the domestic billing code. IMO all suppliers should be a max of 1 year, although I'd like to see this reduced further due to the pressure it puts on finances. 6 months should be ample time to get things sorted

 

Spot on nottslad. Where we're at fault, we'll now only back bill our small and medium sized enterprise customers (including micro businesses) for up to one year from the date the problem was fixed. As you say, this brings our back billing standards in to line with those that apply to our domestic residential customers.

 

Malc

[steviehowie]

Malc,

 

as I post in another thread earlier I know of an EON case where a final bill so I include back billing and bill reversal has still not occurred in 24 months.

Now that against SLC 27.17 for a final bill to be sent within 6 weeks. It is just indefensible, don't you agree?

 

Stevie

 

Spot on nottslad. Where we're at fault, we'll now only back bill our small and medium sized enterprise customers (including micro businesses) for up to one year from the date the problem was fixed. As you say, this brings our back billing standards in to line with those that apply to our domestic residential customers.

 

Malc

[steviehowie]

Malc,

 

 

as I posted earlier I am aware of an EON case where the final bill including back billing and or bill reversal has not been presented to the customer in over 24 Months. Indefensible don't you agree?

 

 

Stevie

[E.ON Company Rep: Malc]

Hello Stevie.

 

Impossible to give an opinion without seeing the details. Please ask the customer to contact us. Following a full review, we'll certainly apply back billing rules if it's the right thing to do as per our Standards of Service. Contact details are on our website. We'll be happy to hear from them.

 

Malc

[steviehowie]

Hello Stevie.

 

Impossible to give an opinion without seeing the details. Please ask the customer to contact us. Following a full review, we'll certainly apply back billing rules if it's the right thing to do as per our Standards of Service. Contact details are on our website. We'll be happy to hear from them.

 

Malc

 

 

Malc ,

 

 

the law(s) of the UK are clear SLC 27.17 requires a bill within 6 weeks of termination. So does the Electricity and Gas (internal Markets )regs 2011.

 

 

There is no opinion that's the law(s). So a customer still awaiting a final bill after two years is indefensible?

This could damage there business or be abused by the energy company to suit their own hidden agenda.

 

 

What is wrong with energy companies complying with UK law?

 

 

Stevie

[E.ON Company Rep: Malc]

Afternoon Stevie. Can't comment on the specifics of an individual case other than what I said earlier. No idea of the circumstances so any comments could potentially be totally wrong.

 

This thread is about back billing for business customers. To keep on topic, following a full review, back billing rules will be applied if we're at fault for a customer not receiving an accurate bill. As above, we'll now only back bill our small and medium sized enterprise customers (including micro businesses) for up to one year from the date the problem was fixed. In these cases, customers will only be charged for 12 months usage before the date of the fix and then anything afterwards.

 

If you know of someone who needs help or advice about an issue with E.ON Stevie, please ask them to contact us so we can look at what's been going on. If they prefer, ask them to start their own thread so we and other posters can concentrate on their concerns. As far as I'm aware, Helena or I have responded to all the other recent E.ON related threads on CAG. Mods, if you're reading, please flag up anything you think we may have missed. Happy to take a look.

 

Malc

[nottslad]

Malc ,

 

 

the law(s) of the UK are clear SLC 27.17 requires a bill within 6 weeks of termination. So does the Electricity and Gas (internal Markets )regs 2011.

 

 

There is no opinion that's the law(s). So a customer still awaiting a final bill after two years is indefensible?

This could damage there business or be abused by the energy company to suit their own hidden agenda.

 

 

What is wrong with energy companies complying with UK law?

 

 

Stevie

 

27.17 relates to domestic customers and states 'reasonable efforts' not that 6 weeks is the max timescale. 2 years is ridiculous, but quite often the things causing the delay aren't due to the losing supplier ie if data flows from the gaining supplier are not received, agreed read disputes etc

[E.ON Company Rep: Malc]

27.17 relates to domestic customers and states 'reasonable efforts' not that 6 weeks is the max timescale. 2 years is ridiculous, but quite often the things causing the delay aren't due to the losing supplier ie if data flows from the gaining supplier are not received, agreed read disputes etc

 

Thanks for mentioning this nottslad. As you say, this particular clause refers to final bills for domestic customers whereas this thread is about Micro and Small to Medium businesses. Industry rules and regulations differ for businesses although, as above, we've recently brought our domestic and small business back billing policy in to line in as much as, where we're at fault, we'll now only back bill for one year from the time a problem is fixed.

 

Thanks again nottslad and have a good weekend.

 

Malc