powergen - erroneous supplier transfer (long)

nemuchan

Has anyone had a similar experience to this?

Out of the blue in October, my dual fuel supplier powergen wrote to me saying they were sorry I was leaving them but best regards, etc.

I phoned them and they told me that another supplier had said that I was transferring my gas to them. I denied that I had requested this and powergen said they'd initiate an 'erroneous transfer' investigation. BTW when you phone powergen, they have an automated telephone system that has an option for unrequested transfer to another supplier!

Next I received a letter from powergen saying that British Gas had said that I'd requested a transfer of my gas supply to them but powergen would pass on my 'comments', not to pay any invoices I might receive from British Gas, and not to worry - powergen would transfer me back.

What struck me as rather peculiar is that I have never received ANY communication from British Gas. I would have expected a 'congratulations, you've transferred to us' type message.

Now, I've just received another letter from powergen saying that SCOTTISH POWER (!?) have accepted that the transfer of my gas supply to them was an error. Get this - it was due to them having acted 'without my CLEAR permission' . Dontcha just love the insertion of the word clear?

But - British Gas, Scottish Power !!!???

powergen add that once they've sorted out the transfer back they'll contact me to discuss options on how I'd like to pay them for the gas over the 'disputed' period. (???) I'm paying them by monthly DD, same as ever - so what do they have in mind regarding payment options? I'd like to be invoiced for the gas at the same dual fuel rate I've been paying for a couple of years thank you - what other options do they have in mind?

As I mentioned earlier, what strikes me as peculiar is that I have never received any communication from British Gas or Scottish Power.

I'll be on the phone to powergen in the morning but thought I'd see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

System

Yes i had something similar about 2 years ago. Swalec tried to snatch my account back 6 months after i left them. However, i did ring my current supplier straight away and managed to stop the transfer. From what the chap said, unfortunately it happens all the time. :mad: I did ring Swalec too, but they just apologised for making a mistake but i would have took it further if they had actually got away with it.

I have some pretty nightmarish experiences about changing suppliers and have now decided it just aint worth the bother.

Xbigman

I had the same problem at the beggining of this year. I told PG it was an erroneous transfer (to London energy) but they let the elec go anyway. I had it transferred back and simply kept updating my online readings.
PG called it back but instead of dual fuel online they set up a new elec account that was dear and made a mess of the readings. That was july. I pursued them for 4 months over sorting this out with numerous calls and emails. They moved the elec onto my dual fuel account but left the higher tarif in place. After that I noticed there were no discounts (worth £50 a year) appearing on my account. Then the tarifs went back up.

I never gave up but kept on at them until the bill was right. I have now moved to Ebico.

My advice to anyone transfering from PG; keep going and don't look back.
Regards



X

gotnobread

Hi Nemuchan,

You need to find out what Powergen mean by 'disputed period'. If this was a genuine Erroneous Transfer (ET), then in effect you have never left Powergen, whereas if some gentlemens' agreement was reached between Powergen and Scottish Power to move you back to Powergen, then you would technically have been with Scottish Power for a period. This is ok, because you didn't sign up with them, so you are not liable for their charges over the period you might have been with them.

If this was a genuine ET, then Powergen are entitled to bill you for the period where these shenanigans took place, because you were using their gas and had signed up with them.

Did Powergen stop your DD when they thought you were going to another company? If so, you won't have paid one or two months worth of payments - that's why they'll want you to pay now. This wasn't your fault so you've every right to pay off any debt balance accrued over a year - get them to divide any missed payments by 12 and add them to your ongoing monthly payments.

Cheers,
Gotnobread

nemuchan

Thanks for the comments everyone. Xbigman, what you describe is exactly the sort of scenario I was fearing might be about to happen.
I was not reassured when I rang PG yesterday and when I asked to discuss the letter was told that their computer system just that minute gone down and they'd ring me back. Yeah, right.
However, when I tried again today, I was told that my account will carry on as if nothing had happened. That's what I'm hoping - we'll see.
gotnobread, luckily (?) I had a dual fuel account and so I 'lost' only the gas and DDs to PG continued as normal. I hope that stands me in good stead for getting the same tariff continued. I haven't paid anything to Scottish Power. One of the things that has struck me as odd from the start is that I have never heard anything from Scottish Power about this.

Nemuchan

chas1937

similar thing happened to me and after trying all sorts of ways to get it sorted I contacted Energywatch and now things are moving quickly with both suppliers getting knuckles wrapped.Here is what happened to me.
Hi All,My problem has been with Scottish Power although I have been with Staywarm since sept 2001.I got a call from them on wednesday to say that there had been an erroneous transfer and that Staywarm would need too send all my payments back to me.Then they said Staywarm would transfer me back too Scottish Power when they would bill me from 2001 at Scottish power prices.After that they would then transfer me back too Staywarm.As you can imagine they have as much chance of doing that as me winning lottery.I,ve had problems with Scottish Power in sept this year and energy watch got that sorted and too which i have letter from their senior customer relations manager stating that all had been sorted and I,d hear no more from them.As I,ve still had no word from either of the companies I just have to wait and see what great idea they come up with.I will keep site posted as to outcome of this affair,thanks.
Chas1937

Bossyboots

I haven't read every post here just yet, but wanted to say that my friend has had her supply switched four times this year erroneously from powergen.

larmy16

This happened to me a week ago. I have only just had central heating installed and was already getting my electricity supply from Seeboard. No complaints so I decided to stay with them for my gas too.

Then I get a letter saying they are sorry to lose my custom blah blah. Apparently Southern electric are transferring me to them!!!! With absolutely no contact from me to them, or from them to me. It is outrageous. The girl on the phone said they just take the meter number and request the transfer. What a cheek.

I have only just set up my direct debit to Seeboard and have no wish to change.
:mad:
Their latest letter to me said they could offer no guarantee that the transfer would not go ahead and suggested I contacted the company myself! I dont need this hassle and also what happens to my bank details - do they just get transferred willy nilly too??? Very :mad:

What happened to the data protection act?