Billing and payments complaints: We can help.

Billing and payment complaints in the energy sector.

If you have an unresolved billing and payment complaint about your gas or electricity supplier, we may be able to help. We are approved by the energy regulator Ofgem to independently handle disputes between companies and their consumers.

The most common types of billing issues are about:

1. Disputed account balance.
2. Disputed gas or electricity usage.
3. Billing delays.

The most common types of payment and debt issues are about:

1. Direct debit set at incorrect level.
2. Debt recovery practices.
3. Failure to set up direct debit.

Do you have a complaint about your credit file?

If you have a negative entry on your credit file that you believe has been placed incorrectly, you have the right to query this with the company. Once you have queried the credit file entry, if you remain dissatisfied with the company’s response you may be able to escalate your case to Ombudsman Services for investigation.

It is important to remember that in order for Ombudsman Services to become involved, your case must meet our acceptance criteria. This means that your complaint must be ongoing for at least eight weeks or you have received a letter from the company signposting you to Ombudsman Services. It is important that you raise your complaint with the service provider and not just the debt collection agency.

Part of our acceptance criteria is that you must have allowed the company the opportunity to try to resolve the issue. If you have not raised your complaint to the company and have just been in contact with the debt collection agency, the likelihood is that the company is unaware of your complaint.

Billing and payment complaints in the communications sector.

Have an unresolved billing and payment complaint about your mobile phone, broadband or tv provider? We may be able to help. We are approved by Ofcom to independently handle disputes between consumers and communications providers who are signed up to our scheme.

The most common types of billing and payment complaints are about:

1. Disputed charges (UK)
2. Recurring package charges
3. Credit file

Do you have a complaint about back billing?

A back bill is a ‘catch-up’ bill sent to you by your gas or electricity supplier when you haven’t been correctly charged for your energy use. Back bills can be for any amount but there is a principle in place defining when and for how far back your supplier can charge you.

Since 2007, Ofgem has directed that all domestic energy suppliers stop back-billing customers for previously unbilled energy used more than 12 months ago, if the supplier was at fault for not having sent a bill to the customer. Each case of back billing is looked at entirely on its own merits and individual set of circumstances.

The principle is not intended as a means for not paying and so may not apply if you:

1. Have been using the gas or electricity supply and have made no effort to make payment - this includes moving into a new property and not letting the supplier know that you are the new homeowner or tenant.
2. Have avoided paying.
3. Have not allowed meter readings to be taken or have failed to provide them.