Hi. My case is that I do not know who is my supplier and no one knows even Transco. On their record, my house does not exist. I am now thinking to let my house out and I have other side of worry if the tenant use the gas not carefully thinking it it free then I may get the huge bill under my name one day. So I have been investigated the matter although I have not resolved yet. But I can share my findings and though with you.

As long as I am awear, the gas company can bill you only 1 year back which is a law I found out around spring this year so do not think it has been changed. Secondary, I do not think EDF can charge you for the account belonged to someone else name. The bill is not issued to the house number but the residence name. I think you should report to Consumer Direct. Unfortunatelly, Energy Watch does not exist any more so you need to go to Consumer Direct now. Hope my comments would help you a bit.

hi all,

well after some considerable arguing via letter after letter, they reduced the bill to £1000, then after rowing about that and telling them I'm simply not prepared to pay for their mistake so I'll see them in court, or maybe not as I was considering moving and as the outstandng bill was not in my name in my eyes I owe them nothing; they removed all backdated amounts owed and took the bill from the first reading I gave them back last november 2007. They took 6 months to produce the initial new £628 bill, and I queried that as we could not guarantee the meter is actually working correctly and that figure was rather high, but they didnt reply to that letter, they recently sent another bill for £845. Thats from last November so not a bad result overall but still useless in the 'help the customer' department.

Energywatch were also useless-they spoke to me with a real attitude and then put me through to the very people (edf) I had a complaint with who had an even bigger attitude problem as I was complaining about them!!!

Gotta fight them all the way and if your getting nowhere, call them try to get a specific person to deal with your specific case, then write and tell them you are not paying anything past 1 year as thats the code of conduct which they must abide by. Get as many bodies you can behind you and if it takes a solicitor then go for it. It will probably cost money but you'll save in the end because these people think they own the world and can do what they want when they want to us little people but they cant get away with it all the time!

I wish you all the best. James. :-)

LeighTheTiler,

Energywatch has now closed its doors and handed over to Consumer Focus.

Have you spoken to either the Energy Ombudsman or Consumer Focus?

Consumer Focus - 020 77997900

Energy Ombudsman - 0845 055 0760

Hope this helps.

Hi
I know it was a while since you last posted but we are currently going through a similar experience with our electricity supplier, E-on. What was the outcome of your 'disagreement' with the supplier?

After 4 years of regular (at least twice a year) meter readings by a company employed by E-on we have just been hit by a £1500 bill!
Apparently they have been estimating our usage even though they had our correct readings. I have statements that they sent 1 month after reading our meter in June 2007 indicating that we were £200 in credit when in fact we were at the time £1000 in debit!

Hope you might have some useful advice as I have contacted Energywatch only fo rthem to pass us on to E-on.

Thanks
Leigh

Just an update, but the bill came in at £1091. They removed £91 for the confusion and trouble caused...!

Not happy with that as they say they've backdated the bill from when I moved in and took it from the reading I gave them after the weeks readings.

From what I can see they have not abided by this 1 year backdating rule (They have told me they are volunteers in this and dont have to abide by it!) so I think I'll ask for a further reduction of half that amount and offer to pay it there and then and I can leave this silly company!!

If they dont agree I'll take it up with the ombudsman....

Watch this space! :-)

Ok... Just spoke with Angie at EDF, She says they're quite within their rights to backdate the billing from when I moved in four years ago as they have been billing the address (although not me! They also only have my say-so as to when I moved in here so thats neither here nor there!) and she also said they're volunteers of the fair trade act so have no obligations to help me or this situation!

I reminded her there is no outstanding bill in my name at this address and if they want to be funny I'll move out and they'll get nothing...

Going by my daily readings we've calculated an average usage of 22 units per day. (Is that high???...) They said if I agree to that they'll backdate it and arrange a 'goodwill payment towards the overall bill' and I need to sign something etc etc. I've told her to put it in writing and show the the amount they're proposing (as advised-thanks guys) and I'll look into the laws surrounding this and get back to her when I have a conclusion.

I will call the ombudsman when I receive the overall bill. Expecting it to be £1500 or more

Still bemused as to why they waited 4 years before trying to find out why the bill has not been paid... This could've been dealt with so much sooner.

Not sure whats happening with the gas account now, didnt give me time to discuss it again.

I'll Keep you updated. :0)

Just to keep updated...

Angie at edf (put onto her through energy watch) did not call me back last thursday -as they promised- to make a note of the meter readings I tool all week each day so they can work out an 'overall average'...

Getting tired of chasing this now. Gonna call em monday and tell them to sort it this week or I'm not paying anything and I'll simply move out and leave the unpaid bill in the previous tennants name -thus not incuring any black marks on my credit record!

Didnt appreciate the £1570 bill sent to the previous tennant just after they took the last meter reading neither! (I am now opening all the previous tennats letters just in case theres anything else outstanding!)

I'll update if/when this gets sorted or if I take it further. Thanks for your kind help so far guys. Much appreciated. :0)

james178,

Energywatch should have sorted this out for you and EDF should be fully aware that they can not backdate for more than 1-year.

The other issue is that, as you said earlier, the account isn't/wasn't even in your name.

If Energywatch are being any help then try these guys...http://www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk/

EDF are absolute muppets, I have had bad dealings with them in the past and they are clueless. As ConmanKiller says, stand by your rights, and speak to the CAB and EnergyWatch to get a case started on this. Dont accept anything in your name, challenge everything, refuse to do anything unless you get it in writing first, and generally make it as difficult as possible for them. Also you might want to outline your case in a letter sent recorded delivery to EDF energy, explain the Energywatch as above, and suggest that you're happy to pay your last year's bill (suggest a figure to them and offer to pay it there and then) include a record of all contact you've had with them, and suggest that any further demands for the full amount will be construed as harrassement and you will seek further action in the courts to resolve the matter.

Good luck and please keep us posted on events as they unfold.

"Angie at edf says I gotta take meter readings each day for 7 days and she'll ring me on thursday next and then work out an average over the 4 or so years I've lived here and provide the bill."

Why dont you cut off your elec and gas for a week so it will be really really low? :)

Also dont forget

"According to Energywatch, suppliers can only backdate bills for one year where they have failed to send you a bill, this applied from July 2007 extract below. It used to be two years but changed to one year last July."

Sorry pal but without me actually doing it for you, then you just have to stand firm by your rights above, about the backdating rules which have been explained and which will be further reinforced by Energyatch if you need re-assurance.

Simply tell them you know your rights and you are not prepared to pay anymore than you are liable for.

...Right, been onto energywatch, not much help there as the woman was confused by all the stuf above so she put me through to edf!!!

Angie is now dealing with it and called me back when she said she would, only to tell me as far as they're concerned southern electric have made 2 attempts in the past to take over this account and have twice failed... (Proves I tried to go over to them in 2004...) Because southern have no record of me and I have no record of payments made -to anyone (see above) Im stuffed! Angie at edf says I gotta take meter readings each day for 7 days and she'll ring me on thursday next and then work out an average over the 4 or so years I've lived here and provide the bill.

She also said they may let me go to another supplier once a payment plan is in place to recover the outstanding amount. I now am facing a £2k leky bill which I thought was paid. I'm not going to get the money from my ex and am now feeling rather sick!!

Good news though, apparently, ebico have taken over the gas on 28th March although edf have still not let it go for unknown reasons. I've asked angie to close that account ASAP as its going to create even more confusion trying to get reimbursed what Im paying them if I'm paying ebico too...

(and breathe............ Grrr :o/ )

Still not sure I'm supposed to be paying this-especially all of it from 4 years ago??? Dont they have an obligation to make sure the property tennant is the bill holder or something? I mean, to leave it 4 years to start kicking up about money owed as they've not received a payment during that time is "simply not on!"

Any more help or advice would be grately appreciated. Not sure what sort of bill to expect-can they knock it back for four years or does this new 1 year rule kick in somewhere?

HHHHEEEELLLPPP!!!!!

Have called edf twice now and been told cathy will call me back ASAP as she's dealing with it, but to date nothing.

Cant see why i should chase a bill thats not mine but for the sake of not receiving debt collectors at my door and the black mark on the finance records at my address that goes with it.

Ebico have said they'll take over my gas from last month but have since said edf are waiting for a meter reading-even though they have it registered as a card pre-payment meter!... Beggers belief sometimes dont it!!

So, I'm onto energy watch today to see what they say as I'd like to be loaded with brain ammo for when I finally get in touch with cathy at edf.

To top things off my girlfriend and I have split so no chance of getting anything from her bank to prove the payments were coming out of her account and where too. There goes 8 years :( (I suppose she'll enjoy a nice summer holiday with her new bloke with that money when its returned from cyberspace! Why aint england got a "judge judy"?!)

Right, trying to not be suicidle so fighting all the way. If I'm not back in five days... keep waiting!! lol. Thanks guys.

Sounds like good advice, thanks again. I'll get on to them monday and see what they say.

Thanks buddy, be safe and well. James :o)

Do I owe these people all this back-dated money? They have said they'll transfer the account into my name but I dont want it-nor the £1244 bill attached to it-which is in someone elses name!!

No of course not, you do not want it in you're name either.

I bet they want you to accept it..... that would be a real nice easy way for them to hold you accountable for someone-elses past usage and debt. !!!!!

The advice you have been given all along is spot on, do not get pushed into accepting what you are not liable for, either wait for Scott to reply or contact energywatch.