Unpaid utilities
Question
I moved into a new house a while ago and we haven't been contacted by a gas or electricity supplier to pay the bills, even though we've chased them. Someone mentioned that if they don't contact us after a certain amount of time we wouldn't have to pay the arrears. Is that true? Or is this just wishful thinking?
Answer
This isn't an uncommon situation. It's probably due to the fact that there is now a multiplicity of supply companies who employ a single meter reading organisation to read the meters in a particular area. In circumstances like this it only requires a minor blip in the system for you to be missed out.
The supply company has a legal responsibility to read your meter once every two years and they can back-date bills as far as six years. The Energywatch website has a range of information about bills and how you can make the company send you one. It would be useful for you to contact your supply company, in writing, explaining your situation. If you do this, remember to keep a copy of the letter for your records.
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Question answered by CAB
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