I switched recently from Engie to Red Energy 2ish months after my last reading.
When I switched I received an email that stated:
Your energy account will switch to Red Energy on your most recent meter read if available, or on the next available date. You have a 10 business day cooling off period starting from the day after you receive this email.
I had assumed that as with past switches from past providers that as there was no recent meter reading that a fresh one would be done.
I have now received a $200 bill backdated to start two months ago, as they since did a reading shortly after. This wipes out Engie completely, who I had a $200 bill credit with.
My past experience has always been that the new meter reading is the start date, not the end date. Red Energy have just pointed to the wording above and have told me the 10 days cooling off period has ended (I got the bill after 12 days).
Is this standard to backdate a bill so much? I am not sure whether there’s anything I can pursue or if I just lost this round of the churn game, with a lesson learnt.
This exact same thing happened to me when I switched to RED.
I had already paid for 2mo of power with my existing provider, RED backdated to the last physical meter read instead of getting a meter read done. My old provider refunded all my 2mo worth of electricity payments and RED charged me for that past use at a higher rate… for power I had already used AND PAID FOR!
I called RED and they basically said tough shit. "your old provider refunded you". They could not understand why I was upset that I was being charged more money for something I had already used and paid for.
Never again. They can GTFO.