Energy Giant EON Cancels £13,000 Bill Sent to Deceased Customer Following National Newspaper Investigation
Energy supplier EON has been compelled to cancel a shocking £12,960 bill it erroneously sent to the family of a deceased woman, following a distressing case highlighted in a national newspaper. However, the grieving customer involved reports that the company still owes a further £3,360 in a separate dispute over account credit, despite intervention from the Energy Ombudsman.
A Grieving Customer's Plea for Help Published in The Guardian
The case came to light when the customer, who lost both their mother and aunt to cancer, wrote a desperate letter to The Guardian detailing a protracted and distressing billing ordeal with EON. The individual explained that after their mother's death in 2015, their aunt became their guardian. In 2022, they discovered their aunt had been paying massively inflated energy bills for their shared flat.
Acting on this discovery, the customer closed the old account and opened a new one in their own name. An EON agent took meter readings, installed a smart meter, and issued a final bill showing the old account was over £6,000 in credit. As EON reportedly would not release this credit as cash, it was transferred to the new account to cover bills for the subsequent two years.
Disputed Deductions and a Shocking Posthumous Bill
The situation escalated tragically after the aunt's death in 2024. The customer states that EON then deducted £3,360 from the remaining credit balance, claiming it was for energy used since early 2022. Upon complaint, the customer received an even more astonishing document a month later: a bill for £12,960 addressed to their late mother, who had passed away nearly a decade earlier in 2015. This bill was for energy usage dating back to May 2021.
When the customer contested this bill, EON escalated the matter by involving debt collectors. The Energy Ombudsman was forced to intervene, resulting in the cancellation of the £12,960 bill. The Ombudsman also ordered EON to comply with back-billing regulations. Despite this ruling, the customer confirms that the separate £3,360 has not been repaid.
EON's Apology and Policy 'Enhancement'
Following the newspaper's involvement, EON issued an apology for its "shortcomings" in handling this sensitive bereavement case. The energy firm, which competes with major providers like British Gas, OVO, and Octopus, stated it has since "enhanced" its bereavement policy procedures.
In a formal statement provided to The Guardian, EON said: "We have applied back-billing protection to both the old and new accounts, cleared all outstanding balances, removed any negative credit reference data and issued a goodwill payment." This case highlights significant ongoing concerns about how large utility companies manage accounts and communicate with vulnerable customers during periods of profound personal loss.
