Green energy that’s all about people

Bill – if you pay for your energy as you go along every month, you’ll receive a bill from us to pay.

Statement – If you pay via a fixed Direct Debit every month, we’ll send you a statement for you to reference.

To make things simple, when we use the term ‘bills’ throughout this page, we’re referring to both bills and statements.

You’ll see:

• How much energy you’ve used since your previous bill

• How much money you owe, or how much credit you are in

• All payments made to your account since your previous bill.

Credit vs Debit

If you’ve used less energy than you’ve paid for, then your account will be in Credit. A minus symbol on your bill (-£2.57, for example) shows a credit balance.

If you’ve used more energy than you’ve paid for, your account will be in Debit.

When you sign up with us, we’ll look at your energy usage over the year and balance your monthly payments accordingly. This approach allows you to build credit during the warmer months for use over winter, so you avoid bill ‘shocks’ when it’s cold.

If something has changed (for example we’ve received a different meter reading or we’ve resolved an issue with your account), we may send you a replacement bill. This will show your up-to-date account.

What does ‘balance brought forward’ mean on your replacement bill?

Any payments you’ve made between the date of your old bill and the date of your replacement bill will show as ‘balance brought forward’ rather than ‘payment received’ as these payments have been credited back to your account.

If you’re expecting a bill and haven’t received it, the most common reasons are:     

• We’ve recently taken over your supply We might be waiting for information from your previous supplier. This can delay your first bill by up to 6 weeks.

• We’ve recently updated your account If we’ve made a change, for example due to a meter exchange or tariff change, there might be a short delay in receiving your bill. As soon as your account is updated, we’ll get your bill out to you.

• You’ve recently left us It takes 4-6 weeks to send your final bill. If we’re still waiting for information from your new supplier, it could take longer.

If none of these apply to you and you still haven’t received your bill, please get in touch with us.

If you’ve requested a refund, you should receive this within 7-10 working days – subject to it being authorised by our billing team.

You can find more information on exactly how energy bills are calculated on the Ofgem site.

Let us know before you move, if you can. We’ll need to know the date that you’ll no longer be responsible for the energy supply in your current home (either the date your tenancy ends or the date your sale completes).

We’ll also need a last meter reading from you. You can take this no more than 5 days before you are no longer liable for the property.

We’ll also need your new address so we can send your latest bill to you.

You should follow the same process as above. If you don’t tell us you’re moving, we may continue to charge you until the new tenant or homeowner moves into the property. Please also remember to leave the key or card in the property when you leave.

If your moving dates is less than 2 working days away, please call us on 0141 8461520 (it’s a local rate number).

Remember to take meter readings as soon as you move in. This will ensure you’re only charged for the energy you use from that point on. The existing supplier will need these readings too.

We’ll send you a final bill confirming your meter readings and your closing balance within 6 weeks of your move.

Please talk to us.

Many of our staff have had past experiences of struggling to make ends meet. So, you could speak to someone who knows exactly what you’re going through.

We’ll talk to you about your individual circumstances and whether anyone in your household is vulnerable, and we can offer ways to help you pay any overdue or future bills.

Here are some of the ways we may be able to help:

• We may be able to offer a repayment plan in instalments, either for past debt or future bills

• We may be able to defer payments for a short period

• We could instal a prepayment meter, to give you more control

• If you are on certain means-tested benefits, we may be able to arrange for payment directly through the Fuel Direct Scheme.

We can also offer energy efficiency advice to help you reduce your energy costs and provide details of other support available, such as debt advice charities.

Please stay in touch with us

While we work on the right plan for you, please keep sending us regular meter readings. Please also continue to make payments as regularly as you can, even if these are at a reduced amount.

If payments are outstanding on your account and we’ve not been able to speak to you despite several attempts, one of our debt collection agencies will contact you to organise payment.

If you’ve been contacted, please get back to them using the details they’ve provided. They’ll work with you to explore the best route to clear any balance outstanding on your account.

Protecting your credit rating

You’re legally obliged to pay for the energy you use. If you don’t make regular payments, this could result in further action being taken against you which could lead to a negative impact on your credit rating.

We'll offer to install a prepayment meter in your home if you’ve declined our proposals for payment.

If we have been unable to make contact with you, we may arrange for a Debt Counselling Agent (DCA) to visit your property to discuss the options available.

They listen and consider customers’ full circumstances before acting. All their practices/processes are underpinned by the core principle of treating every customer fairly.

If you decline our offer of a prepayment meter, or if we continue to be unable to make contact with you, we may need to apply to a magistrate for a warrant to access the property and install a prepayment meter without your consent.

If we install a prepayment meter to help you repay your debt, we will advise you of:

• How much money you owe and why

• The amount of debt that we’ll recover through the prepayment meter each week

• Details of any standing charges that you’ll have to pay

• How long it will take to clear the debt at the agreed repayment rate

• How to operate your prepayment meter

• The amount of emergency credit available on your prepayment meter and how this works

• A telephone number for advice and emergencies; and details of any charges for replacing lost or damaged prepayment devices.

If it’s unsafe or impractical to install a prepayment meter, we’ll make a further attempt to agree a repayment plan, taking into account all information that we have about your individual circumstances and ability to pay.

We may also prevent you from switching away to another supplier until the debt is repaid.

However, if you have a prepayment meter and your debt is £500 or less, you may switch to another supplier provided they agree that you can repay the debt to them, rather than to us.

We will always try and avoid further action, but we may be required to take steps if you:

• Fail to keep to an agreed repayment plan

• Interfere or tamper with a prepayment meter

• Refuse to enter into a repayment plan when we’ve been unable to install a prepayment meter

• Are eligible for the Fuel Direct Scheme but refuse to make use of this.

Before we make any decision we’ll always consider your individual circumstances.

There are a number of bodies who can help with some independent advice, such as how to manage your finances. They can also signpost you to any benefits you may be entitled to.  

Citizens Advice – Energy

Consumer Service - Telephone: 0808 223 1133 Consumer Service Welsh Speaking - Telephone: 0808 223 1144 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy-supply

National Debtline

Telephone: 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org

Together Energy will occasionally need to enter your home or business to access your energy meter(s) or equipment. This will either be a Together Energy representative, one of our agents, or in an emergency, your local gas transporter or electricity network operator.

If we do ever need to send an engineer to your home, either to check a fault, do some repairs, or replace a meter, we want you to feel safe and in control.

All of our engineers will introduce themselves and give you the following information:

• Which company they’re from

• Proof of their identity

• Their name and ID number

• Their ID number shows:

  • The name of their organisation

  • A colour photo of the engineer

  • Their name

We sometimes use companies such as National Grid, SMS, and Morrisons to carry out meter repairs, readings, and replacements, so don’t be surprised if their name appears on their ID.

Together Energy, our agents, the gas transporter and electricity network operator will ensure that any person who visits your home or business on our or their behalf:

(a) has the necessary skills to carry out the task;

(b) can be easily identified by you as our or their representative;

(c) will use any password or signal that you have agreed with us or them in order to help you confirm that they are who they say they are;

(d) will be a fit and proper person to visit and enter your property;

(e) will be able to inform you, if you ask, of a contact point for any help and advice that you may need about your supply of electricity or gas.

Please check the above information to satisfy yourself the engineer is genuine. If you’re still unsure, give us a call on 0141 846 1520 and we can help you identify whether the person is a representative of Together Energy.

As part of your contract with us you have agreed to give us, our agents, the gas transporter and the electricity network operator, safe access to your property and the electricity and gas meters when this access is required.