Objection to a utility bill

Published byDocMuse

A bill for electricity, water or heating that does not match actual consumption is challenged in writing with the supplier, before paying under protest or letting it reach disconnection. The objection identifies the invoice, the meter reading and the ground. Keep proof that you filed it — that is what halts further action on the account.

Preview

This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.

Common questions

Do I have to pay the bill while I am disputing it?

An objection by itself does not stop interest accruing and is not a ground for non-payment. The usual approach is to pay the undisputed part and object to the difference, saying so expressly in the objection.

What should I ask the supplier for?

A breakdown of what was charged for the period and the readings it rests on. Without them you are arguing with a final figure; with them you can see whether an actual reading was taken or an estimate was applied.

What if the bill covers a period before I moved in?

Then the issue is the account rather than the bill — transferring it is dealt with separately, with a reading as at the date you moved in. Put that date in the objection, because it divides someone else's consumption from yours.

Can they cut me off while the dispute is running?

They can, if the debt is unpaid and the deadlines have passed. So file the objection quickly, in writing and with a reference number, and pay the undisputed part — reconnection is slower than disconnection.