Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Paola]

Our energy supplier for some reason opened a new 2nd account on our house and have sent us a bill for just under £700, along with a welcome to your new home letter (we have been here for three years!) We pay by direct debt on our "proper" account, which is currently in credit. I called them when I received the first bill and was assured that the second account would be closed and could not understand why it had been opened in the first place. I then got a follow up letter saying please pay the outstanding bill. Again I called the supplier and again they said that it would be sorted. On friday I got a letter saying that it is now being passed onto a third party debt collector To say that I am furious is putting it mildly I feel completly helpless I called Friday late because I had been out all day and the departments that had to be spoken to were closed as they are only open normal office hours I asked for a manager to call, which has not happened I was promised a call today once the lady had spoken to the other departments I am not holding me breath

 

Who is it best to complain to?

[Joojoo]

Hi Paola

 

Try this http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/ They are the government regulator of the energy companies.

 

I really feel for you, as I've had all sorts of problems with them in the past and they really are a bunch of idiots. We are with E-on now and touch wood they seem be the better out of N-Power, British Gas and co.

[AnnieP]

Good grief! I guess you need to speak to customer services. I always find asking for the the "accounts closure dept" are best, as they usually try to stop you from leaving.

I am currently looking into swapping my energy supplier, but all current information is to wait for the last three big ones to follow all the other and put up their prices, as if you swap now, no doubt they will hike up the prices in the next couple of weeks and you could lose out.

Good Luck Paola. That is outrageous!

[Paola]

Thank you Joojoo it is ofwat that I was thinking about. It is Eon that I am with

 

Annie it is customer services that I am talking to They are as much use as a chocolate teapot

[Joojoo]

I think they are all pretty much of a muchness. Ofwat are definitely the right ones to try. I had a run in with NPower over a ridiculous bill a few years ago and just couldn't get anywhere with their Customer Services. I tried and tried to be put through to a manager but they are all cosseted by the call centre staff and you can't get to speak to them. The only way I resolved my problem was to go through Ofwat.

 

As for British Gas, despite being on a fixed direct debit each month they were taking random amounts on more than one occasion each month so they had to go.

 

Touch wood I haven't had any problems with E-on yet but I'm not holding my breath.

 

I hope you can get it sorted out (and quick). I know there used to a be a thread on the MSE website dedicated to problems with Energy Suppliers. Some of the stories on there were horrendous

[hilda-and-evadne]

I called them ... Again I called ... I called Friday late ... I asked for a manager to call, which has not happened ... Who is it best to complain to?

 

It is a nuisance writing letters but, usually, the reason things have deteriorated so far is that you have telephoned instead of writing to them. If you do make a telephone call instead of writing, you must make a written note of the date and time and name of person you spoke to etc. As someone else has suggested, I would take your problem to the Money Saving Expert forum and ask there. Also, I would start writing a letter that summarises the situation, with dates and times, as far as you can remember it.

 

Lastly: don't let any debt collectors over the threshold.

[Paola]

Lastly: don't let any debt collectors over the threshold.

 

I am trying to stop it getting to that stage I would never let them in. I spoke to them earlier and the 2nd account is in the process of being closed. I have been promised a call at about 5.30pm today to confirm it has defiantly been closed

[Joojoo]

Keeping everything crossed that you get it sorted. What a total nuisance for you Let us know how you get on.

[Paola]

She called me dead on 5.30 and assured me that the rogue second account was being closed. I said that I needed this in writing and she replied that the only way of me getting this is by writing to them first I will be putting pen to paper

 

I must say I do feel better for sharing with you guys, thank you

[Joojoo]

that is appalling!! What absolute rubbish. I would send them the letter with a self addressed stamped envelope for them to reply to you and then, when you've had the reply, forward the whole lot to ofwat and make an official complaint.

[Donna_0]

I had something similar happen to me, but it had been after renting my property out. It was a nightmare to say the least..I ended up writing a formal letter with a deadline for them to reply/ fix the situation or I would be taking legal action . This got their bottoms into gear, so maybe you should try it? (I know it sounds extreme but I would class what they are doing as harrasment and they have no right to make you worry when you are up to date with your bills)

 

-Barbara 28/07/08

-Margot 04/08/08

[mrsallen08]

Glad you have this all sorted out now. Stories like this always make me think of the elderly and what would they do or how would they cope? Ive seen articles before when this has happened and it always worries me about my own grandparents.

[MedusA]

Glad you finally seem to have got this sorted Paola. What a relief!

 

We had problems a few years ago with astronomical phone bills on our BT account. In the end we had to ask them to put a block on outgoing calls to prove our point that we weren't making all these calls. They finally worked out that our line had got crossed with the Engineers testing line!!!!!

 

We got an apology and a refund of the "estimated" amount, but I lost my faith in all the utilities after that.

 

I hope you asked them for compensation?

[Paola]

Not sure if it is sorted yet, will only believe it is once we have it in writing and the letters stop