GRRR - E.on taken £3,200 out of my account 'by mistake'

nudnik

1carminestocky wrote: »

maybe you missed my earlier point so here it is again: Wouldn't you think it prudent for an energy company the size of Eon to have some safeguards built into its no-doubt hugely expensive super-computer whereby domestic bills over a certain amount (and I'm suggesting the certain amount should be waaayyyy less than £3,200 here) should be flagged up AND MANUALLY CHECKED BEFORE SENDING THEM AND CERTAINLY BEFORE EXTRACTING THE PAYMENT FROM THE CUSTOMER'S CURRENT ACCOUNT. Common sense, surely? Although I realise that common sense doesn't seem so common when we are looking at how energy comapnies work.

This is exactly what I asked them. To use some common sense and question their sums, especially since my previous energy supplier EDF (who E.on had given an incorrect final reading to) queried the reading as it was so completely different from the previous readings. Even though I actually gave them the reading myself twice, they said their meter reader had given a different figure. The E.on representative I spoke to told me that sometimes these meter readers will make up figures if they cannot be bothered to read a meter or cannot access a meter. Hence the £3,200 bill. Nice people eh, they probably work on commission:mad:

ccygirl

If E.on had not informed you that it was going to take that amount the you should be able to claim under the direct debit guarantee through your bank. The Bank should refund you the amount in full and then claim it back from E.on. Maybe that's why they are being so good about it, they know they should be refunding you!

Dannii_B

1carminestocky wrote: »

maybe you missed my earlier point so here it is again: Wouldn't you think it prudent for an energy company the size of Eon to have some safeguards built into its no-doubt hugely expensive super-computer whereby domestic bills over a certain amount (and I'm suggesting the certain amount should be waaayyyy less than £3,200 here) should be flagged up AND MANUALLY CHECKED BEFORE SENDING THEM AND CERTAINLY BEFORE EXTRACTING THE PAYMENT FROM THE CUSTOMER'S CURRENT ACCOUNT. Common sense, surely? Although I realise that common sense doesn't seem so common when we are looking at how energy comapnies work.

Why is it that people always assume that energy companies are always out to get people? There aren't people working for companies, manually entering readings into a computer and rubbing their hands together thinking of all the money they're going to glean from customer's bank accounts - it doesn't work that way. Genuine mistakes happen, systems fail, humans make typing errors etc. At least they were good enough to put it right for you.

It would be a different story if the meter reading was right, although it would probably still be the energy companies fault.

1carminestocky

Dannii_B wrote: »

Why is it that people always assume that energy companies are always out to get people? There aren't people working for companies, manually entering readings into a computer and rubbing their hands together thinking of all the money they're going to glean from customer's bank accounts - it doesn't work that way. Genuine mistakes happen, systems fail, humans make typing errors etc. At least they were good enough to put it right for you.

It would be a different story if the meter reading was right, although it would probably still be the energy companies fault.

What in the name of Sam Hill are you talking about?? Where did I say they did this on purpose to glean loads of wonga from the OPs account?? My point (which your little rant has conveniently glossed over) was that surely companies like Eon with their supposedly sophisticated computer systems should have in-built safeguards whereby HUGE amounts on domestic accounts are flagged up so that they can be manually checked BEFORE sending out. I'm actually suggesting ways in which Eon could have avoided looking like the total idiots this incident has made them look so my post was hardly anti-Eon. It was a constructive suggestion which you have followed up with a non-constructive rant.

Obviously, I don't know but I'm assuming from your post that you work in the industry? if so, your attitude to this sort of backs up my theory about the energy companies seemingly being not bothered about causing hardship. This is the most telling part of your post:

At least they were good enough to put it right for you.

:rotfl: Yes, it's VERY good of them to correct the fact that they took £3,200 out of a customers bank account in error, eh? Breathtaking arrogance...:mad:

nudnik

Dannii_B wrote: »

Why is it that people always assume that energy companies are always out to get people? There aren't people working for companies, manually entering readings into a computer and rubbing their hands together thinking of all the money they're going to glean from customer's bank accounts - it doesn't work that way. Genuine mistakes happen, systems fail, humans make typing errors etc. At least they were good enough to put it right for you.

It would be a different story if the meter reading was right, although it would probably still be the energy companies fault.

Well, the original jobsworth that I spoke to was like a clone from Little Britain. She initially said "oh well, computer has generated that bill so it must be right". I had to explain to her that the initial reading was wrong in the first place and she didn't understand what I was saying. I agree with 1carminestocky that there should be a way in which odd amounts are flagged up. It would have been impossible for me to spend £3,200 worth of gas in 3 months in a 2 bed flat as we only used gas for cooking. The fact that I managed to quickly reverse the DD just as it was about to debit my account is down to ME calling my bank and them reversing it pronto. It's scary that a big company like E.on can let this happen and is shameful profiteering in this day and age. Luckily I am a young person who is computer/technology savvy and regularly check my bills etc but imagine if this was a little old lady with no computer to check her bank account and then having to phone around and sort out this ungodly mess.

E.on will claim it was a mistake but I am sure they could have flagged up anomalously large bills like this if they wanted to. My old energy supplier who was sent the dodgy end reading even queried it with them but apparently they 'got no reply'.

Cardew

nudnik wrote: »

. It's scary that a big company like E.on can let this happen and is shameful profiteering in this day and age. Luckily I am a young person who is computer/technology savvy and regularly check my bills etc but imagine if this was a little old lady with no computer to check her bank account and then having to phone around and sort out this ungodly mess.

E.on will claim it was a mistake but I am sure they could have flagged up anomalously large bills like this if they wanted to. My old energy supplier who was sent the dodgy end reading even queried it with them but apparently they 'got no reply'.

Normally the 'all seeing, all knowing computer' is be programmed to reject meter readings that are way out of the normal pattern of usage. So this is some sort of safeguard for your situation.

There have been frequent cases cited on MSE of the readings from both meter readers and customers being rejected.

Presumably, as you joined EON in August, there was no pattern of usage to suggest the reading was unusual and the computer 'thinks' you live in Buckingham Palace rather than a 2 bed flat.

It just demonstrates the over-reliance on a computer!

1carminestocky

It should have b*gger all to do with usage patterns! I was suggesting that ANY domestic bill over a certain set amount (and certainly way less than £3,200!!) should be flagged up and checked manually. We are forever hearing about how efficient the privatised energy companies are compared to the 'bad old' nationalised days but happenings like this make you realise it's probably total bunkum...

Phlik

1carminestocky wrote: »

ANY domestic bill over a certain set amount (and certainly way less than £3,200!!) should be flagged up and checked manually.

Yup it should, but that costs money for extra staff. Much cheaper to let the customer carry the burden

Phlik

Pink_fluff

Obviously a shock to you, to have had all that money taken from your bank. But with all due respect, you are not out of pocket. So what 'compensation' do you expect to be given by Eon?

nudnik

Pink_fluff wrote: »

Obviously a shock to you, to have had all that money taken from your bank. But with all due respect, you are not out of pocket. So what 'compensation' do you expect to be given by Eon?

:rolleyes: There's always someone who has to be contrary on MSE forums, why is that?

Actually, I am out of pocket since I spent approx 30 mins on the phone to my bank (an 0845 number) and then another 30 mins on the phone to E.on and the previous supplier who E.on gave the incorrect final readings to (also both 0845 or 0870 numbers). I had to cancel several appointments to deal with all this mess too. Thankfully my bank were able to reverse it but said I would be fined for going overdrawn if I hadn't phoned up.

I would certainly like to be reimbursed for the calls I had to make and for them wasting my time. Most of all though, I would simply like an apology and a note taken by them so that this doesn't happen to some other poor soul. Its very impudent of me to expect this isn't it