When the time comes to sort our drawers and cupboards, we are often tempted to do a little cleaning and get rid of old papers that we haven’t consulted for years. In the middle of all the administrative paperwork, various invoices can quickly accumulate to the point of getting lost and wanting to throw everything in the trash. Be careful, because your electricity bill remains a very useful document to keep with you.
Why should you keep your electricity bills?
The electricity bill has multiple applications in the short term. It can in particular be used as proof of address when a copy is requested in your procedures, as can also be a telephone bill. Its validity generally does not exceed six months, however, which does not mean that your invoice will lose all interest beyond this date. The electricity bill retains a proof value which will be essential for you in your dealings with your electricity supplier, in particular EDF. You will be asked for an original copy of your invoice, for example, in a dispute procedure or to contest a regularization request that you think is unfair. Any reimbursement request sent to your electricity supplier must also be accompanied by an electricity bill to support your request.
A duration listed on your electricity bill
Any litigation procedure between an electricity supplier and one of its customers must be carried out within five years from the date of the necessary dispute. It is therefore essential to be well protected to keep your EDF electricity bill with you for five years. This notice also appears on most standard electricity bills. Please note that this five-year period also applies to gas and water bills. Please note, however, that in the context of an unjustified regularization request, the legal deadline for claiming payment cannot exceed two years, and not five.