Powergen Rant!!!

Ayeshalush

I switched both gas and elec from British Gas to Powergen in November 2004 -BIG mistake - it's been no end of hassle. No big numbers involved but annoying all the same!!

1st problem - Took 7 phone calls to get my first bills issued (should have been in January - took them until March to issue them!).

2nd problem - My bills were estimated bills every quarter (despite my gas meter being read each quarter!) - the elec wasn't too bad but I was getting estimated gas bills of £500/qtr for a 'smallish' 2 bed and boxroom with 1 occupant that requires no daytime heating!! So every quarter I duly provided accurate readings and was re-invoiced. What if I had been some wee 80-year old lady - getting a bill like that could have scared me to death!

3rd problem - as mentioned in other threads, I was on the pre Dec2005 online tarrif - managed to get myself changed to the cheaper tariff just last week after threatening to go elsewhere.

4th problem and last straw!!! - I received a letter on Saturday saying that as I had a balance of £52.44 on my account they were going to increase my DD from £40/mth to £76/mth - work that one out!! I have just telephoned and queried this amount with them and apparently I use approx.£68/mth in fuel. I have checked back all my bills for the last 18 months and worked out my annual consumption and estimate my payments should be about £55/mth. They say their figures are based on the 18 month usage since I've been with them (as are mine) and based on the new prices (as are mine) - so where do they get £76 from.

I can pay £76, but the difference could be put to better use than sitting in Powergen's bank account. When I first switched to them they set my payments at £20/mth, which I knew was too low as I had been paying about £35 with BG, so I increased it off my own back to £30. This time last year I realised my payments were still a bit low and, again off my own back, increased the payments to £40. So, since setting my DD in Nov'04 they have increased it by 380%, and 190% based on my current £40/mth!! I know gas prices have increased but not by this amount!! ...and I think coming out of a long winter owing just £52 (£78 including the unbilled part of the new quarter I was informed on the phone - they didn't take into account the fact that another £40 will be paid by DD in the next couple of days!! - so it's really just £38 I owe!) isn't bad. I had intended to pay the balance over the phone but I was so angry I just had to get off the phone before I started to take it out on the person on the other end as I know that they're only doing their job!

So, suffice to say, I've had as much of Powergen as I can stomach and am off to switch - may even go back to BG even if they're a bit dearer as I never had the slightest trouble in all the years I was with them previously.

If you got this far - thanks for listening/reading!
Anyone else had the same experiences with Powergen?

Jays

Oh oh, Alicatt,

found your thread straight after doing a comparison and being recommended Powergen, and coming back to ask if anyone had a problems with them !

I'll think again
Ta
Jays

indiegirl_2

Mine's even better - moved into a new flat in January - was told that Powergen were the providers... set up an account with them - told them that we'd moved in, signed contracts etc etc...

Nothing, zilch, zip, nada until Saturday - then a bill arrived in the developers' name - all estimated - for a very silly amount!

Have called and requested that their account be closed as of Jan and a bill sent out to us... not expecting anything.

Shall be switching shortly... that might get them moving...

Alicatt - nothing in your thread that Powergen have suggested makes sense to me either... I think we're both better off voting with our feet!

libra10

We are leaving Powergen as well. We pay quarterly and still cannot understand why we paid as much for the summer bills as the winter ones. We have had the meters read and also submitted our own readings.

Am now doing weekly readings to check our fuel consumption, then check who our lowest charging supplier would be.

Mint1955

I was just about to switch using energyhelpline from British gas dual fuel to powergen but now I am not so sure!!!

Looking again I see that going from British gas standard duel fuel to click online with BG I can still save 18% a year. Am I better staying with the devil I know?
Sheila in Kent

Ayeshalush

Powergen, cost wise, have been ok for me - but I'm fed up with having to make constant phone calls and e-mails to keep things right - so if it doesn't appeal to you either I would suggest you go with a different company!!

London Energy is looking cheapest for me at the moment (about £80pa cheaper than Powergen - not much I know, but better in my pocket!) - so will be applying to switch over the weekend.

Davey88

I recently moved from Powergen to London Energy after everything was sorted out I had a credit balance of about £7. Since FEBRUARY I have been trying to get this money sent back to me (They take it quick enough, recently increased my DD as well). They said they had issued a Chq and I confirmed with them it was sent to the correct address for which I was told it was. Anyway, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd chq did not arrive so I emailed them via their website.

Eventually got a reply today to confirm that the address where the chq's where going was wrong...I have not moved house since having the account and am still at the same address...I just can't believe it.

Anyway on a positive note I did get an email today stating that a 4th chq will be issed as WELL AS another chq for £10 by why of compensation and good will gesture, and they confirmed the correct address as well. I'll wait for the chq's to arrive before I really believe anything. At least I have it in writing now.

Never had any problems whilst with Powergen, moved becuase of price. However, a friend who moved from Powergen had advised it took them an age to sort things out as well. Had LOADS of letters asking me not to leave.
Perhaps if all these companies looked at existing customers bills and made sure they where on the lowest rate, perhaps we all would not need to move about so much.

Reya

Oh lord. I should have checked this forum thread first. I just switched from British Gas to Powergen Online, after receiving a frightening bill for Feb-Jun gas usage from BG for £173.54.

Oh well, I'll see how it goes for now. *sigh* :undecided

Phenia123uk_2

I received a letter from Powergen proposing that "after reviewing my account " they were going to increase my direct debit from £33.00 pm to £57.00 pm even though my my account was over £90 in credit.
Rang them and they agreed it was a mistake and they would reduce my monthly payment to £30 and credit £60 to my bank account straight away, it hasn't arrived yet though.
I also suggested they might be able to put me on a lower tariff (as was suggested in a recent thread) unforunately they weren't having any of that and stated I was already on the lowest tariff already

letsdosomething

Right here's one for you!!

We moved into our 2 bed flat/appartment just over a year ago. We have had 4 bills from Powergen for electricity. We have no gas usage in the property just electricity. The bills ranged from £240 - £356. These bills were all estimates as we have no access to the meter as it is in the basement of the main building. We have asked on a regular basis for the meter to be checked and these requests have been ignored. Now we have recieved a bill for
£841.41!!!!!

I have rang the lovely people at powergen and asked them how the F@@K they could have estimated my previous bills soo wrong and it turns out its my fault for not spending my quality time trying to obtain meter readings. If i was to go into a shop where nothing was priced would they estimate a price?? I think not!!

Powergen have really let me down! I am currently seeking professional advice as I am refusing to pay this crazy sum!!

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Please feel free to contact me on ssmorroll@hotmail.co.uk

Xbigman

Are you saying you have been billed 2 grand for a years worth of electricity in a flat? You simply must read the meter somehow. If you didn't read it when you moved in and again when you moved out your legal position is very dodgy.
You should complain that the meter was never read and dispute the bill. That might get you somewhere, but in the meantime start making some payments to put off being defaulted.
Regards



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