Fuel debt Nottingham Law Centre provides a specialist advice service to assist people with fuel debt. What we do Nottingham Law Centre is funded by the British Gas Energy Trust (BGET) to provide a wide range of specialist fuel debt advice services including: Budget planning Benefit/ income maximisation checks Energy supplier/ tariff switching Challenging bills Complaints to the Energy Ombudsman (where you have exhausted your energy companies complaints procedure, or your energy company has failed to resolve or respond to a formal complaint after 8 weeks) Negotiating with energy suppliers over affordable rates of repayment of energy debts Completing applications to Severn Trent Water’s “Big Difference Scheme” (for a reduction in your water bill), British Gas Energy Trust, and other grant giving schemes, e.g. Warm Home Discount and ECO schemes and energy companies’ Priority Services Registers Desktop Home Energy Efficiency Surveys and specific energy efficiency advice Generalist advice on subjects including housing, employment and discrimination, helping to overcome other barriers to financial well-being Challenging bills There are instances in which energy companies get customer bills wrong. This can be because bills are based on estimates and not readings, or for other reasons. In addition, energy bills are not always easy to understand. Unfortunately, many customers seem to find it difficult to get clear answers from their energy provider about how their bill has been calculated. Nottingham Law Centre’s fuel debt service can advise and assist with explaining bills, identifying errors, challenging the bills and if necessary with making formal complaints to the energy company and ultimately the energy ombudsman. Ofgem’s gas and electricity supply licences set out the conditions that all energy suppliers must adhere to in order to supply energy to domestic and non-domestic consumers. The Standard Licencing Conditions state: “Where a Customer requests an explanation of how their Bill or statement of account was derived the licensee must comply with that request in plain and intelligible language. Where a Customer requests the licensee to make available information on their energy billing and historical consumption either to the Customer or to any other person designated by the Customer the licensee must comply with that request to the extent that the information requested is available and as soon as reasonably practicable.” Where an energy company fails to provide an adequate explanation in line with the above conditions, it is possible to make a formal complaint to the energy provider. If the energy provider fails to resolve or respond to the complaint within eight weeks, the customer can then complain to the energy ombudsman. You can find information about the energy ombudsman here: https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy As it can be complicated and stressful to resolve disputes with energy companies, we can assist with negotiating with energy companies, and in making complaints to the energy ombudsman if needed. Energy debts Gas and electricity arrears owed to your current provider are a priority debt. If you do not pay your bill, the energy provider can seek to recover the outstanding debt using a number of different methods, depending upon your circumstances. If you are struggling with your energy bills, it is important to get advice sooner rather than later. Under their standard license conditions, all energy suppliers should agree to accept an offer of repayment in instalments at a rate that you can afford. Nottingham Law Centre’s Fuel Debt Service can assist with drawing up a financial statement, to help with budgeting and with negotiating with energy providers. The financial statement will help with budgeting and identifying appropriate options for resolving difficulties with payments, or paying back debt. We also provide advice on ways in which you might save energy, and thereby cut your energy bills. Priority Services register Energy suppliers each have a Priority Services Register to identify customers who are vulnerable and may need extra help. You can apply to be on the register by contacting your supplier. If your name is put on the register, you may be entitled to: help to read your meter or have it moved; large-print letters and bills; password protection agreed with your supplier, so you know that the person calling is from your energy supplier; advance warning when supplies are going to be stopped for a period; and priority reconnection if your energy supply is disrupted. What we do not do We cannot advise on energy debts for business customers or on business debts (if you are still trading). What to bring to your appointment In order for your adviser to be able to help you as much as possible, and for you to get the most out of your appointment, it is important that you bring the necessary documents. These may include: Login details for your energy account Proof of income for you and others in your household Letters or bills from anyone you owe money to including the approximate outstanding balance for each of your debts. However, please do not bring multiple documents that duplicate information. It is highly advisable to have a think about your expenditure prior to the appointment. This will not only ensure that we can make the best use of our appointment time but also the accuracy of the debt advice.