Spark energy :(

rippedoffbyspark

hi guys last year november o8 i moved into my new 1 bed flat (private rent) and my letting agent told me to go with spark as they are the cheapest etc, im a 28 year old disabled guy so thought ok why not. i was switched on with spark in feb 09 and from that period on my life has been hell. from feb 09 to march 09 they told me i used 150 pounds plus the 40 pounds profile direct debit charge im on. i never got a bill until today as i wrote to the ceo and told them im unhappy. firstly because im disabled and secondly i only use the tv and a freeview box durin day i have the microwave on 5 mins a nite and hot water 2 times a week i dont party and leave stuff on standby. so how can i use 150 pounds in a month... also they are putiing my direct debits up to a maxium 80 pounds pcm and to top it off im in debit with them for 200 pounds. here what i have running at anyone time

1 lcd hd tv
1 freeview box
thats it
then ill go use the microwave a few hours later and dont leave it on standby
i went out and got a energy plug today to monitor cost of the tv and in 3 hours ive used 4pence so it cant be right but they wont listen and they wont do anything

what do i do

Mynewt

Hi Rippedoffbyspark,

Have you now recieved a bill? If so are the meter readings used to bill you actuals? (i.e. did they read the meter oor did you provide a meter reading?). Can you check this for both the start reading and the billed up to reading?

The usuage does look high from the appliances you have listed so i'm sure there is something very much amiss, if you can answer the questions above we can look through the most likely culprits.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

The probability(from what you state - £150 in a month) is that your initial meter reading(or possibly the March reading) is incorrect.

It is not much use just giving us how much you are being charged, we need to know the meter readings on the bills and if Estimated or Actual. Estimated is usually denoted by (E).

Post full details of your bills - a photocopy with personal details removed - would be better, and we will try and help.

rippedoffbyspark

hi there thanks for your reply the quarter one readings (with the 150 pounds overcharge where all E (estimates) by them which it says on my bill
apparently i used 991kwh with the total charges at 151 pounds im on a spark standard tariff

Quarter two i used apparently 1297 E estimate the last E estimate being on the 30th june o9 but on the 19 may i gave a reading and it was considerably lower that what they estimated especially the night time.

quarter 3 until september 30th from july to september 30th ive apparently only used 625 kwh working out at 55 pounds yet i havent done anything different its always stayed same. i rang up today and from 1st october to today ive used 33pounds which is what id expect for just me
so they have to be at fault somewhere
also ive noticed in my energy meter box theres my meter and the wires goin into it then above that next to my wires theres a big second hole as if someones had it connected up maybe hence the abnormaly high usage and again my readings have been slightly lower than what they say so i dont understand

Mynewt

Ok so far they've been estimating your consumption, so they're very little idea if any as to what you're actually using.

Just to clarify and make sure I'm understadning correctly on the first bill the meter reading with the earliest date is estimated (has an E next to it).

Are the readings on the Q3 bill estimated or actuals? as it doesn't appear you indicated these in your recent post.

rippedoffbyspark

they are all estimated apart from the q3 bill which is the lowest

Mynewt

Thanks for the reply Ripped,

You readings have all been estiamte dincluding the reading they used to stop billing the previous occupant and start your own billing. You need to take an up to date reading (or if its not possible arrange for another reading to be taken) and request that you supplier uses this reading with the one they've taken recently to re-estimate the start reading. This time however it will be based upon your actual consumption and not that of the previous tenant.

This should decrease the amount outstanding to a level that makes more sense, posisbly even leaving you in credit. your direct debit would also need reviewing thereafter as well. If you have problems obtianing this speak to a manager there.

Moving forward it is important that you make sure every bill is based on actual meter readings. If for whatever eason you are unable to obtain your own meter readings due to your condition, make your supplier aware they will add you to soemthing called a priority serivces register and can arrange for your meter to be read for you every quarter.

Cardew

You readings have all been estiamte dincluding the reading they used to stop billing the previous occupant and start your own billing. - This time however it will be based upon your actual consumption and not that of the previous tenant.

You have missed the point the OP made in his first post!

He moved in to the property in November and switched to Spark in February 09; so the previous occupant is not a factor.

As his first reading with Spark was estimated, he needs to check if it was the same reading as the previous supplier used on the final bill they sent him(the OP)

OP what bill did you pay from November 08 to Feb 09?

Mynewt

That's a good point Cardew thank you for picking up on my oversight! The process is a little different and can take a little longer as has been explained although the outcome will hopefully be the same.

The readings will in all honestly most likely be identical due to the mechansims involved in the transfer process, but it doens't mean they're accurate. I'm going to assume for a moment that you did not provide a meter reading to Spark energy at the start of the period where they supplied you?

You still need to take or get taken a second reading, but rather than re-estimateing the change of occupancy reading I indicated we'll be challenging the change of supply reading. From your persoective not a huge difference.

However from the supplier perspective there's quite a difference. Once you have contacted your supplier with the readings they will arranged for what's caled an "Agreed Reading Dispute". This is basically where you current provider asks your former supplier to agree to change the meter reading the started and ended your supply on. It can take anything upto 28 days for this to be processed in the meantime your account will be in a state of duspute so you do not have to make any payments.

Once this has completed you may recieve a bill from the old supplier if they supplied any of the energy you used. You may then need to go through the steps I mentioned in my earlier post especially if the reaidng they have for you moving in on was again estimated.

Once more my apologies for the oversight and thank you Cardew for picking that up.

laney85

rippedoffbyspark wrote: »

hi guys last year november o8 i moved into my new 1 bed flat (private rent) and my letting agent told me to go with spark as they are the cheapest etc, im a 28 year old disabled guy so thought ok why not. i was switched on with spark in feb 09 and from that period on my life has been hell. from feb 09 to march 09 they told me i used 150 pounds plus the 40 pounds profile direct debit charge im on. i never got a bill until today as i wrote to the ceo and told them im unhappy. firstly because im disabled and secondly i only use the tv and a freeview box durin day i have the microwave on 5 mins a nite and hot water 2 times a week i dont party and leave stuff on standby. so how can i use 150 pounds in a month... also they are putiing my direct debits up to a maxium 80 pounds pcm and to top it off im in debit with them for 200 pounds. here what i have running at anyone time

1 lcd hd tv
1 freeview box
thats it
then ill go use the microwave a few hours later and dont leave it on standby
i went out and got a energy plug today to monitor cost of the tv and in 3 hours ive used 4pence so it cant be right but they wont listen and they wont do anything

what do i do

why is this relevant ?

Plushchris

OP I know its not your fault but I do wonder why people think that letting agents have any idea of who the cheapest gas and electricity suppliers are?

Whenever we hear of this sort of thing on MSE its because the letting agents have some kind of back hander from the supplier/distributer (its usually southern electric or utility warehouse this happens with)