Final Bill.

[ImLostAgain]

I'm probably being over cautious here but I have just recieved an email from my old electricity supplier asking for payment for an overdue balance. I left this company in April 2019. Their email addresses me by my full name and has the correct account number. It seems an awfully long time to me to wait for payment. Before I contact them I'd just like to know what others think. Am I being over cautious, is an 18 months time gap for payment normal?

[shoota]

Sounds doggy to me...

[shoota]

Erm, dodgy...

[jim360]

I don't think it's possible to be too over-cautious about such matters. It may be legitimate, it may not be -- on balance, I think it probably isn't. But in either case you should certainly check with the company.

[Mamyalynne]

Check all the figures and readings (if any) in the E Mail before you contact them in the usual way.

[AuntPollyGrey]

I'm sure this was on the Marin Lewis programme last week -
you can pick through this article which states final bills must be given within six weeks of ending your contract with a supplier.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2018/06/mse-victory-as-ofgem-looks-to-compensate-consumers-for-late-switching-bills/

[237SJ]

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-back-billing-guide-your-rights

[ToraToraTora]

I have experience of this with another company. I changed from Virgin to sky in 2015 and thought nothing of it. 2017 I signed up for Clearscore the credit rating app from Equifax and looked through my credit history, to my horror I had about 18 months worth of late payments as it turned out to Virgin. I contacted them and they said they had an outstanding about of something like £17, the residue of when I closed the account. I paid it and the late payment marks stopped appearing. They never billed me originally and on the call the person was as baffled as me. So just saying it may not be dodgy some of these companies have a shambolic administration. In my case it was what Virgin inherited from NTHell (as they were known). May be worth getting your clearscore report may be a similar situation.

[THECORBYLOON]

The link given by LPG shows the bill can be issued after more than six weeks but the supplier has to give £30 compensation.

[THECORBYLOON]

APG rather than LPG which is a type of fuel...

[bobbinwales]

A had something similar but it was only about 8 months after. Turns out my final bill a paid was just my electric which was paid by DD then I stopped the DD. They had then put a final gas bill on my online account a few months later but had removed my access login as I was longer there customer so a never knew. They never wrote to me or rung me. The first a knew was when a debt collection company rang me. It was all sorted and they gave me £60 compensation for there error which more or less payed off the debt.
Anyway, dont reply to the email. They should of written really. Ring them or message them and see if its genuine. If its there mistake you shouldnt after pay due to the length of time

[ImLostAgain]

Well that's strange, I came back to thank you all and my question had disappeared!
Anyway I've looked through your links and tried to contact them (that's jumping through hoops!) and eventually rang them. The email is genuine. They apologised for the length of time getting in touch but said this is not unusual, yeah right. They were very nice except they kept telling me it would probably affect my credit score if I didn't pay. Since it is just under £20 I'm very tempted to not pay. Nah, not really, I just want rid of them.
So, thanks all.

[Canary42]

This just shows how we're now governed by the Corporates Club - do what they say or they'll blackball you, and their members will not deal with you, or charge over-the-top for doing so.

Acting according to Credit Rating is not regarded in law as unfair discrimination.