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MSE News: SSE to issue doorstep mis-selling compensation

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Comments

  • dream109
    dream109 Posts: 398 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Ok, thank you again! You've been really helpful. Maybe I should just write to them rather then ring them.
    I'm going to take everything into work tomorrow and try to work it all out! The column where they've done the comparison isn't right at all.
    :)
    'Wisest is she who knows she does not know.'
  • we were with edf paying £30 each for gas and electric. we had a knock from a southern electric salesman saying he could get us a better deal. we signed up for the fix 5 for 2 years also our dd were £29 electric and £30 gas. 2 years later we find ourselves owing £514 electric but £176 in credit with gas. i rang up to complain and the guy said they would get back to us, i asked him if i could have my gas overpayment back which he said yes and put me through to the dept. i recieved this money in my bank on monday on tues i recieved a phonecall saying that i was miss sold and due compensation. they offered me £134 plus 10% and £100 goodwill and asked me for the £176 back as it should have come off my electricity. i told them it was their fault for paying it back and refused their offer i have since wrote to ofgem but don't know if i have a leg to stand on. all i know is i never owed edf anything and paid practically the same dd. does anyone have any advice
  • jalexa
    jalexa Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    edited 30 March 2012 at 9:02AM
    coldarse wrote: »
    i told them it was their fault for paying it back and refused their offer i have since wrote to ofgem but don't know if i have a leg to stand on. all i know is i never owed edf anything and paid practically the same dd. does anyone have any advice

    First of all on complaint process Ofgem do not investigate individual consumer complaints. If you want to complain with the prospect of "a result" you first need to raise a formal complaint with Southern Electric preferably in writing or by email. If you remain dissatisfied after 8 week you may have recourse to the Energy Ombudsman.

    "Their fault for paying it back" would not be good grounds for complaint, or IMO for rejecting the offer. The nett calculation *might* be grounds but I do not have the full details. For example was the "£514" to be wiped? The £100 goodwill would be on top of the nett calculation.

    Be very wary of telephone discussion on any offer unless you are very good and quick with numbers.
  • dream109
    dream109 Posts: 398 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hi, I've had a reply from Southern...they've said that I did make a saving in the first year with them.

    They then followed that up with...I overpaid on the first year by £3ish (compared to the quoted saving)..so will refund that.

    They then followed that up with...Because the gas prices went up within the first year and I switched from a fixed tariff, I overpaid £19ish...so they are happy to repay this too.

    So am I right in thinking that I didn't actually save with them? (Until I wrote and they are giving me the difference.)
    I understand that I switched to a non fixed tariff, so the prices were likely to go up (she was very persuasive and said this wouldn't happen...but my fault for not checking any small print.)

    So does that mean I wasn't mis-sold?

    I'm so niave with this, that they are probably completely legit..but I just wanted to ask you guys :)
    'Wisest is she who knows she does not know.'
  • jalexa
    jalexa Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    dream109 wrote: »
    Hi, I've had a reply from Southern...they've said that I did make a saving in the first year with them.

    So does that mean I wasn't mis-sold?

    The SSE parent company has a conviction in a criminal court in respect of its door to door sales activity.

    It seems to me that if you were induced to switch from a fixed price tariff (with a deferred discount you would be bound to forfeit) without clear written advice on that issue incorporating clear financial benefits of switching, then you were mis-sold, but that is just my opinion.

    *If* you were mis-sold, IMO an ex-gratia payment in respect of distress and inconvenience is merited so you ask a good question.

    I cannot say whether the calculation is right. If you are not happy you are entitled to say so using the complaints procedure. If you remain disatisfied after 8 weeks you would be entitled to ask the Energy Ombudsman to consider the complaint.
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