ESB Standing Charge

MistyCheese

I hope I can explain this properly.

I moved to a new flat back in May and rang the ESB to inform them. I also gave them my new address to send my final bill. The new place doesn't use ESB so I wasn't going to need a new account.

For a while I was still checking the mailbox of the previous flat and among the mail was an ESB bill so I just took it and started paying it off. This was an ESB bill in my name so I just took it to be the final bill, sent to the old place instead of the new one.

But recently I ordered somthing online and I accidentally forgot to update my address so the parcel went to the old flat. (With landlord permission) I checked the mailbox and found another ESB bill addressed to me. It turns out they had been charging me a Standing Charge for the months of May, June, July, August and September. It has now been cancelled, so there won't be any more charges, but I'm still liable for the Standing Charges for those 5 months.

Is it at all possible I could amend this? I know the ESB are having a bad time financially but surely I shouldn't have to pay for their mistake? I'm not having the best time financially myself(!) I was thinking maybe if I send them a copy of my current lease would that be proof that I moved out in May? Although that wouldn't prove that I rang them to inform them I was moving. Do I have any chance of having the 5 months of Standing Charges writen off or am I going to have to pay up?

All help appreciated.

Victor

Do you have an itemised phone bill that would list the exact time of call?

It seems like their mistake if you told them, they need to sort it. Write to them. If they don't sort it, there is an appeals process.

MistyCheese

Thanks Victor. Unfortunately my phone is Pay As You Go and the history doesn't stretch back to May.

I'd be worried that they would just say something alomg the lines of "So, you called us in May? What does that prove?"

Would a copy of my lease be a way to go? It would surely prove that I was not living at (previous address). Although that's still not proof that I contacted them to ask them to cancel. It's a shame you have to record all phone calls to utility companies but it's what I'm going to do from now on.

Davy

Have you asked about the bills, did they say you still have to pay them?

Have you asked have they record of the call, it may have been recorded.

Victor

Davy wrote: »

Have you asked have they record of the call, it may have been recorded.

You can ask for the recording under the Data Protection Act.

MistyCheese

I rang ESB to query the 5 months of Standing Charge. I told the lady that I'd moved out in May and she said "Well, you have to tell us that." To which I replied that I did, back in May. She said they had no record of it.

The guy I spoke to in May had said "Yep, no problem" when I rang, which I took to mean "Your account will be closed off".

I guess I should have suspected something when the "final bill" was sent to my previous address but, to be honest I didn't even think that they would just not cancel the account. It didn't enter my head. I thought I'd rang them to cancel and they'd cancelled.