Cricket Club forced to stump up over bill

May 9 2010 by Ian Robson, Sunday Sun

CRICKETERS were thrown into a spin after getting an electricity bill for £11,297.

Members of Felling Cricket Club were bowled a bouncer when Eon demanded the money.

Some of it was written off – but the players are still left with the headache of paying the balance.

Now a row has broken out because the clubhouse was on the highest tariff.

Treasurer and secretary David Robinson told me: “I am now in my fifth year of dealing with the finance of the club and cannot believe the amount of electric Eon say we have used.

“Since I took over in 2005, the electric has been paid by direct debit altered to suit the demand.

“We had been paying £200 per month recently.

“I could not believe my eyes when a statement came in last year saying we owned more than £11,000.” David contacted a firm of auditors, who managed to get £4,000 knocked off.

He said: “They got the bill reduced on condition I paid £582 per month for two years.

“The audit company say they had us on the highest tariff since the meter was put in at the clubhouse in 2005.

“How did they not pick up this problem when they changed the direct debit payments?”

That’s what I put to Eon when I asked for an explanation of the club’s plight.

But I did not have any good news for the lads.

Eon admitted they had used estimated and incorrect readings to calculate the bills. But they blamed the club for providing the wrong figures.

A spokeswoman said: “Due to access issues we were unable to gather meter readings and bills were based on estimated meter reads.

“In February 2007, the customer provided a meter reading which we accepted in good faith and on which we based ongoing usage.

“We continued to send estimated bills along with letters promoting alternative tariffs, but did not receive any contact from the customer.”

Then, she admitted, it all kicked off. She said: “In May 2009 we were able to gather an actual meter reading which showed there had been an error with the previous meter reading given and was the reason for the large bill.

“This issue was discussed with the auditor who concluded that the charges were correct but had we billed on accurate readings the club would have contacted us to discuss alternative tariffs.

“It was therefore agreed that a substantial amount be deducted from the account.

“We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.”