The billing code

[cinders]

The code of Practice for Accurate bills (the Code) has been developed by the Energy Retail Association (ERA) with POwergen, British Gas, EDF Energy, nopwer and Scottish Power to address action raised in Ofgem's response to the Billing Super Complaint for domestic customers.

These companies all support the independantly-audited Code of Practice and are committed to the Code as a minimum standard of service for customers. The Code states that:

"From the 1st July 2006 where the supplier has been at fault in not billing a domestic customer the supplier will not send a bill which includes energy consumed more than 2 years previous to the bill being issued. From 1st July 2007 this period will reduce to 1 year" (Clause 3.5)

This Code is effective from 1 July 2006.

This policy does not apply to

• Business customers
• Customers paying on a prepayment meter (there is a seperate policy for PPM)
• Customers obtaining energy illegally (e.g. interfering with their meter)

2.1 Energy Consumption

2.1.1 A bill has not been sent in two years
Where the supplier is at fault in not billing a customer in the previous two years, we will not bill a customer for more than two years worth of consumption unless it's in the customer's favour; the consumption relating to the oldest period (i.e. the period older than two years) will be withdrawn.

For the purpose of 2.1.1, the supplier is at fault where they have made no attempt to bill or communicate with an existing customer during the previous 24 months.

Specific exclusions

The supplier is not at fault where

• A new customer has failed to notify the supplier that they are living in the property and we have sent letters to the address or we have continued communicating with the previous occupier
• The property is newly built and the supplier is unaware of its usuage
• The customer has deliberately taken steps to avoid a bill being sent

2.1.2 An inaccurate bill has been sent previously
Where the supplier is at fault in under-billing a customer by sending inaccurate bills, when issuing a corrected one, the supplier will not collect for any additional consumption (i.e. the shortfall between what was bills and what was used) that is more than two years old. This difference will be withdrawn if applicable.

Specific exclusions

The supplier is not at fault if

• The energy billed previously was based on incorrect information and the correct information was not available to them at the time (e.g. technical specifications of the meter (such as number of dials))
• For technical reasons, a bill issued previously has to be withdrawn and reissued

However, in these cases, the supplier will review each case individually and may apply a "poor service" adjustment to the account if it is appropriate.

For the purpose of 2.1.2, the supplier is not at fault if they can demonstrate that they have taken all of the following actions:

• A. Read or attempted to read the meter at the premises within the last 24 months
• B. Provided opportunities for the customer to submit their own meter reading at any time on any day; and
• C. Any bills sent to the customer are clearly indicated as estimates (if applicable) and that these have been based on any previous history, or (if not available) on average consumption for a similar property.

2.2 Insufficient payments - Fixed direct debit and Regular cash payment

For customers who are paying on an agreed budget scheme, we will review their account at least once every 2 years to ensure that their payments are sufficient to cover their energy usuage. Where the supplier is at fault in failing to carry out such a review, we will not hold customers responsible for any deficit resulting from underpayments from any period older than 2 years (from the date when the account is next reviewed); the deficit resulting from the underpayment to the oldest period (i.e the period older than two years) will be cancelled.

Specific exclusions

Customers must have been paying the agreed installments; those that have missed payments or failed to pay the agreed amount will not be covered by this policy.

For the purpose of 2.2, the supplier is not at fault if we have carried out all the following actions in addition to A and B above:

• D. The customer has been correctly set up on the suppliers billing system and they have been sending statements showing actual or estimated consumption.
• E. The supplier has assessed the payment within the last 24 months based on actual or a reasonable estimate of the customer's energy consumption or the supplier has sent letters to the customer requestion a factual reading to enable them to reasses their payments.
• F. For direct debit customers only, the payments have been set up correctly and the supplier is taking the pre-agreed payments.

3. Poor service

Where the supplier ar enot at fault, customers are not entitled to have any amount of their energy bill cancelled. Should the supplier believe compensation is required due to service issues, this will be considered seperately as poor service.

4. Staff training

The supplier should endeavour to follow this policy and staff will be trained appropriately. If an error in the application of this policy occurs, the supplier will correct this as soon as they become aware of it.

5. Compliance

This policy will be audited both internally and externally at agreed regular periods. Customers who are unhappy about the way their account has been dealt with can follow the suppliers complaints procedure. If this fails to remedy the complaint, the customer can refer the dispute to the Energy Supply Ombudsman.

In line with actions agreed with the ERA, suppliers will record, monitor amd report their performance against the Code.

[ErikAlbany]

hi,
Great list. Thanks you very much
They very useful for me ! Keep up the good work
Thanks again!!!