Hello,

We were with E-On from April 2007 until 22nd September 2008 for gas and electricity but never received a bill for electricity...

In February 2009 (some 5 months after we had left them) we received a bill for for around £1000 which we deemed too high and did not pay but were then informed we had a loss adjuster dedicated to our file. This person told us of the trouble with our case and explained the catalogue of errors on their part, on the part of our new provider and a neutral 3rd party... anyway, he eventually told me the rules of the Billing Code which I recall to be as follows:
e.g. from today, 26/06/09 we can only be billed for the period of today until 22/09/09 (a year to the date we left E-On) and so the nearer to 22/09/09 we get the less we get billed?

Can anyone clarify that this is correct as it is my understanding having read the Code myself.

If this is the case would you say that £400 is reasonable as a bill to cover this period (3 months) as I feel it is quite high?!

Thank you for your help.

bhay:

Nightmare does seem the right word.

A few points. Most (but not all) suppliers subscribe to the ERA Code of Practice. Some suppliers have their own code and you haven't said who your new supplier is. Regardless of which code, no supplier can charge for unbilled energy consumed more than 12 months previously.

When supplies are switched what should happen is the gaining company asks the customer to take a reading on the transfer date. This reading is passed by the gaining company to the losing company. You didn't say whether you were asked and whether you complied. Can't be categorical about the code without knowing the answer to that point. Its important to understand there is only one transfer reading and it appears on the losing company's final bill and the gaining company's initial bill. So being a refusnik doesn't necessarily get you out of paying it may just shuffle the reading to a different bill.

I have no idea whether £1000 was too high or whether £400 is reasonable. Have you never read your meter? Be aware that the Billing Code does require customer cooperation. How can you "deem" a bill to be too high without knowledge of your consumption, something you haven't mentioned.

Regarding the interpretation of the Code with respect to the 12 months rule, EON have no interest in any consumption after the September 2008 transfer date and transfer reading . I don't think the interpretation is clear. It could be that EON are entitled to charge from September 2007 until September 2008. Or perhaps only from Feb 2008 until September 2008. Only the new supplier is entitled to charge for energy consumed both after September 2008 and additional to the transfer reading.

As you say a nightmare.

Hi bhay,

The billing code calculation should be applied from the date you received the amended statement from E.ON. So (without seeing all the information) on first look I'd say the bill is dated 26/06/09 therefore E.ON can charge for consumption back to 26/06/08. Anything prior to 26/06/08 is cleared by E.ON.

What this means is, as you moved out in September 2008 the charges will end in September 2008. So the period E.ON are billing you for in this example in actually June 2008 to September 2008, you technically are paying for 3 or so months worth of energy.

What date did the account start bhay? An idea of the start date would give me a good idea of how much I'd expect you to be left to pay, £400 maybe to high.

Again bear in mind I'm talking without seeing all the figures and dates so I may be incorrect, but I hope this helps a little.

Brian