Enerygy Ombudsman

hanspans · 15 October 2014 at 9:14PM

Hi
I wonder if someone can assist, I am at my wits end.

I have lived in my house for 1 year, since I moved in Npower has supplied Elec but, despite being the supplier, say that my gas is not with them. After much discussion, I went to the Ombudsman who agreed to sort and ordered 150 pounds compensation.

This was three months ago, and it is still not sorted. On the final letter, it says 28 days, but the resolution is still not complete and its three months later.
I have asked the Ombudsman to reinvestigate but no answer.

Is there a complaint proceadure for the Ombudsman?

Thanks

cklass · 15 October 2014 at 9:35PM

Yes, their complaints procedure is outlined on their website:

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/service-standards.html

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/unhappy-with-our-service-form-os.html

hanspans · 15 October 2014 at 9:59PM

Do you have any experience of complaining to the Ombudsman?

naedanger · 15 October 2014 at 10:37PM

hanspans wrote: »

Do you have any experience of complaining to the Ombudsman?

I have experience of complaining but have not yet completed the process. My complaint with the Ombudsman is very similar to yours. Basically they upheld my complaint against npower in early June and gave npower 28 days to comply. Npower have still not complied for no good reason (in other words their failure to comply is not for any reason outside their control).

My complaint with the Ombudsman is twofold. Firstly they have not answered correspondence and secondly that they have done very little to help ensure npower comply with the agreed remedy.

I am at the stage of going to the Independent Assessor, having followed all the previous steps. However when I last called the Ombudsman they refused to give me the Independent Assessor's contact details, promised to phone back within 3 hours and did not do so. (To be fair when I called was before the end of the timescale for this stage of the process. However I wanted to be ready to go to the Independent Assessor as soon permitted, if the Ombudsman's MD failed to reply.)

I will be calling them again early next week and if they refuse to follow their own process I will go to Ofgem.

I would encourage you to complain, following the process given in the link supplied by cklass. Put things in writing and keep copies of everything, and proof of posting when relevant.

Terry98 · 16 October 2014 at 6:20AM

From The Guardian a few days ago...

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/oct/11/scottish-power-ombudsman-bills-compensation

nPower · 16 October 2014 at 4:27PM

hanspans wrote: »

Hi
I wonder if someone can assist, I am at my wits end.

I have lived in my house for 1 year, since I moved in Npower has supplied Elec but, despite being the supplier, say that my gas is not with them. After much discussion, I went to the Ombudsman who agreed to sort and ordered 150 pounds compensation.

This was three months ago, and it is still not sorted. On the final letter, it says 28 days, but the resolution is still not complete and its three months later.
I have asked the Ombudsman to reinvestigate but no answer.

Is there a complaint proceadure for the Ombudsman?

Thanks

Hi hanspans

Thanks for your post.

Whilst I can't comment on the Ombudsman's complaint process, I'm disappointed to learn the actions required from npower haven't been completed. If you can contact me using the details on our profile with your account details and query info, I'll be more than happy to take a look at this for you. I can also ask one of npower's designated Ombudsman Team to liaise with the Ombudsman to find out why there's a delay in responding to you. When you email, please mark it for my attention and quite MSE so I can make sure this is picked up correctly rather than forwarded on.

Regards

Jess

naedanger · 16 October 2014 at 5:24PM

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi hanspans

... I can also ask one of npower's designated Ombudsman Team to liaise with the Ombudsman to find out why there's a delay in responding to you. ...

So npower is willing to pursue the Ombudsman to find out why the Ombudsman is not pursuing npower.

Why don't npower just do what they have agreed with the Ombudsman and save all this bother?

And why do customers need to complain on public forums before npower takes any interest?

footyguy · 16 October 2014 at 6:19PM

hanspans wrote: »

Hi
I wonder if someone can assist, I am at my wits end.

I have lived in my house for 1 year, since I moved in Npower has supplied Elec but, despite being the supplier, say that my gas is not with them. After much discussion, I went to the Ombudsman who agreed to sort and ordered 150 pounds compensation.

This was three months ago, and it is still not sorted. On the final letter, it says 28 days, but the resolution is still not complete and its three months later.
I have asked the Ombudsman to reinvestigate but no answer.

Is there a complaint proceadure for the Ombudsman?

Thanks

Did you call the person who was investigating your complaint and came up with the resolution?
Their direct contact info would have been given to you.

Presumably you haven't spoken with him/her, so I suggest you make that call without delay.
If the individual is claimed not to be available, ask to speak to their manager.

That is essentially the first step of complaining about the ombudsman anyway
(There are some more steps if necessary, but once you have done this, then your complaint about the ombudsman service will hopefully no longer exist

)

footyguy · 16 October 2014 at 6:22PM

naedanger wrote: »

So npower is willing to pursue the Ombudsman to find out why the Ombudsman is not pursuing npower.

Why don't npower just do what they have agreed with the Ombudsman and save all this bother?

And why do customers need to complain on public forums before npower takes any interest?

I think what the nPower rep is trying to say is that nPower will need to liaise with the ombudsman to explain why they have not complied with the earlier agreed ruling of the ombudsman.

It should not affect nPower doing what has been agreed
(unless there is some kind of dispute over what has been agreed to be done, such as the OP not having accepted in writing within 28 days the resolution offered by the ombudsman)

I don't quite understand the ombudsman's ruling myself as the way I read it, the dispute was about the fact nPower claimed not to supply gas to the OP (when presumably they did). Therefore no gas bills would have been produced by nPower for the OP for the last year. The OP will still have to pay for the gas supply (which it seems the ombudsman ruled was supplied by nPower) so any compensation would be used to offset the gas bill the OP should now have received.

Perhaps there are ongoing disputes about the opening and closing reads of the meter which is causing the delay, and which the supplier would need to inform the ombudsman about
(unless those were also settled by the ombudsman as part of the overall complaint)

hanspans · 16 October 2014 at 8:46PM

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the support and advice. Cant seem to see that 'thanks'button looks like its been removed, but thanks so much.

hanspans · 16 October 2014 at 8:49PM

hanspans wrote: »

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the support and advice. Cant seem to see that 'thanks'button looks like its been removed, but thanks so much.

naedanger wrote: »

I have experience of complaining but have not yet completed the process. My complaint with the Ombudsman is very similar to yours. Basically they upheld my complaint against npower in early June and gave npower 28 days to comply. Npower have still not complied for no good reason (in other words their failure to comply is not for any reason outside their control).

My complaint with the Ombudsman is twofold. Firstly they have not answered correspondence and secondly that they have done very little to help ensure npower comply with the agreed remedy.

I am at the stage of going to the Independent Assessor, having followed all the previous steps. However when I last called the Ombudsman they refused to give me the Independent Assessor's contact details, promised to phone back within 3 hours and did not do so. (To be fair when I called was before the end of the timescale for this stage of the process. However I wanted to be ready to go to the Independent Assessor as soon permitted, if the Ombudsman's MD failed to reply.)

I will be calling them again early next week and if they refuse to follow their own process I will go to Ofgem.

I would encourage you to complain, following the process given in the link supplied by cklass. Put things in writing and keep copies of everything, and proof of posting when relevant.

Thanks for posting. I am sorry you are having similiar problems too. It is a nightmare. Cant believe there is so much trouble to pay a bill. I will follow your advice. Thanks so much

Enerygy Ombudsman

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free