How do I dispute a bill?
What to pay while it is disputed, how to escalate, and the free ombudsman route people forget exists.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 45 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
Put the dispute in writing, pay the part you agree with, and say clearly that the rest is disputed. Then follow the company's complaints process to deadlock and take it to the relevant ombudsman — which is free.
Disputing well is mostly about creating a paper trail and following the process in order. Skipping steps is what leaves people stuck, because the ombudsman will not look at a complaint the company has not had a proper chance to resolve.
Step by step
- Work out exactly what you are disputing.The reading, the rate, the period, a specific charge. "The bill is too high" is much weaker than "the meter reading on 3 March was estimated and the actual reading was X".
- Gather the evidence first.Meter photographs, previous bills, the contract, correspondence. A dispute with dated evidence resolves far faster than one without.
- Put the dispute in writing.Email or the complaints form. State the account number, what is disputed, why, and what you want done. Phone calls leave no record.
- Pay the undisputed portion.Important. Withholding the entire bill can lead to debt collection and credit file damage even if you are right about part of it. Pay what you accept and say so explicitly.
- Ask them to put the disputed amount on hold.Most providers will suspend collection activity on a genuinely disputed amount. Ask for confirmation in writing.
- Escalate through their formal process.Most have stages. Ask for it to go to the next stage rather than repeating the same conversation with the same person.
- Get a deadlock letter or wait out the time limit.Once they say they can do no more, or after the sector's time limit — often eight weeks — you can go to the ombudsman.
- Go to the ombudsman.Energy, communications, finance and property all have one, and it is free to you. Their decision binds the company if you accept it.
Tips
- Photograph your meter monthly. It costs nothing and it is decisive evidence in almost any energy billing dispute.
- There are limits on how far back suppliers can back-bill for unbilled energy in many cases. If you are presented with a very large catch-up bill, check that.
- Keep everything in one folder with dates. Disputes are won by the person who can produce the timeline.
Common mistakes
- Withholding the whole bill — It risks debt collection and credit file damage even where you are partly right. Pay what you accept and dispute the rest explicitly.
- Disputing only by phone — There is no record. Companies frequently have no note of the call, and the ombudsman wants to see the correspondence.
Questions people ask
Should I pay a bill I am disputing?
Pay the part you agree with and state clearly in writing that the rest is disputed. Withholding everything risks collection action even if you are right.
What if the company will not resolve it?
Take it to the relevant ombudsman once you have a deadlock letter or the sector time limit has passed. It is free and their decision binds the company.