Consumer Focus response to MSE posts on E.On 'Spring review' DD scheme

jalexa

poet123 wrote: »

I have a lot of questions for the deadlock office on Monday...

Have you been invited to contact "the deadlock office"? That cannot be any more than accepting (or not accepting) the £50 goodwill payment. Either you do or you don't. Up to you. If you don't accept you are entitled to ask the Energy Ombudsman to consider the complaint. That would cost E.ON more than £50.

If I have time later I will try to look at the arguments.

poet123

jalexa wrote: »

Have you been invited to contact "the deadlock office"? That cannot be any more than accepting (or not accepting) the £50 goodwill payment. Either you do or you don't. Up to you. If you don't accept you are entitled to ask the Energy Ombudsman to consider the complaint. That would cost E.ON more than £50.

If I have time later I will try to look at the arguments.

Yes, it is an invitation to call them if I have any further questions before deciding on how to proceed. Which I do, so I will be contacting them tomorrow.

backfoot

It is just worth pointing out on this thread to Consumer Focus, Ofgem and Eon customers, that Eon are unable to provide any detail whatsover to support their recent ' reset' Announcement.

A number of simple questions have been raised by different posters regarding the operation of the allegedly new DD scheme introduced on 16/1/12 and announced on the 7/2/12.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3629707

Eon Representatives are aware of these concerns and have said their Senior Managers are looking into it.

If a system has already been implemented it seems untenable that anyone within Eon who deals with Direct Debits would not be able to answer those simple questions.

The operation of any Direct Debit Scheme must by definition be clear and easy to understand,otherwise it falls foul of the Licence Conditions which govern it.

We are now into the third week since these concerns were raised and there is still no answer or substantive response other than an acknowledgement.

It is very easy to draw a conclusion that Eon cannot answer the legitimate questions for fear of further incrimination. If that is the case, they face a PR disaster as they have made this announcement under the much trumpeted banner of their first 'reset'.

More importantly, isn't the inabilty to respond,of immediate concern to Ofgem, that the 'apparently' revised scheme is still not Licence compliant and should immediately be investigated.

If CF or Ofgem were able to offer any update it would be appreciated.

MisterCee72

Whilst we wait very patiently for E.ON and/or Consumer Focus to bring further clarity and detail to this matter, a handful of thoughts occurred to me on the timescales and delay.... that is working on the assumption that we have little choice but to wait this thing out.

Firstly, the E.ON Spring Review billing window re-opens in some 24 day's time.... an April Fool's Day with a difference!

If the Payment Adequacy (direct debit) reviews have been suspended for the first quarter of this year, as E.ON told CF that they had been, then in reality E.ON now have just over three weeks to implement changes to their direct debit calculations or announce a further suspension of direct debit reviews. Otherwise, they'll be setting customers on direct debits up for another year of inaccuracy and overpayment.

Secondly, E.ON CEO Dr. Tony Cocker committed on 22nd November 2011 to the "reset" lasting six months. They didn't specify a start date, so effectively 22nd May 2012 ought to be the completion date for that process.

Thirdly, with the above-mentioned suspended Q1 2012 Payment Adequacy reviews, who stands to benefit from up to three additional month's worth of inaccurate (higher) and uncorrected direct debit payments? Put it this way, I think I'd like to be the bank that looks after E.ON's overnight money market account.

Finally, whilst I don't care to to be part of what sounds like a rather onerous E.ON YouSay panel process, I might be minded to contact the figureheads who collectively form the grandly titled independent Consumer Council, as part of their "reset", to specifically direct their attention to this issue and the continued dragging of heels by E.ON.

Therefore, if I can locate publically available contact info for Allan Leighton (ex-Royal Mail, ex-Asda), Justine Roberts (founder and CEO of website Mumsnet) and Paddy Tipping (ex-Labour MP), would other people be interested in receiving that for some targeted lobbying of them about this?

backfoot

MisterCee72 wrote: »

Therefore, I can locate publically available contact info for Allan Leighton (ex-Royal Mail, ex-Asda), Justine Roberts (founder and CEO of website Mumsnet) and Paddy Tipping (ex-Labour MP), would other people be interested in receiving that for some targeted lobbying of them about this?

Excellent points Mistercee.

It wouldn't hurt to drop them a line. They were in place when this first reset was announced so they will be fully up to speed on the detail. :rotfl:

They may even let you have the answers that the Eon Execs are obviously incapable of.

It's all flannel though, isn't it? At one stage we were told the 'your say panel' wanted the zero spring policy. Now we are told that the panel say it was causing problems.

It's an unlikely proposition that any real consultation on the detail has taken place. Does any customer know how Eon approached this?

I can report that Ofgem are still investigating this issue but currently will not issue any public statement.

Compliance checks under SLC27 appear not to have been conducted or even investigated by Ofgem since they introduced the Conditions in 2010.As we know, those Conditions are quite simple straightforward matters and at least two Suppliers including Eon aren't meeting even the most basic requirements. (like explaining a DD change). When I asked EDF why they hadn't ,they responded in writing :eek:that they didn't have any timescale for when this would be available...:rotfl:

It must be a matter of huge embarrassment to Ofgem that they have allowed this to occur. It will be even more acute, if having had it clearly pointed out, they fail to act on a matter affecting millions of customers.

Two years after its introduction,Ofgem only recently reissued its DD factsheet informing customers what they should expect from Suppliers. A cynic might ask if they ever told the Suppliers.

Meanwhile Eon have bunkered down, hoping these awkward questions go away or the 'your say' panel or Alan Leighton have a moment of brilliance.

MisterCee72

Email sent to the consumer council members as follows (will obviously post any replies received):

Dear Allan, Justine and Paddy

I am writing in relation to the ongoing E.ON reset review process, to which you have all agreed to act as independent consumer council members.

Having contributed online via Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert.com forums, alongside many others who share my frustration, I remain beyond concerned about E.ON's failure as yet to fully grasp the nettle on the matter of their faulty Spring Review direct debit policy.

As part of the work that you are all doing, I would simply ask that you digest the following two active MSE message board threads, as these will help to crystallise this key issue which clearly remains a loose end for E.ON: -

[Still a MSE rookie and cannot post links yet, but included the two relevant MSE forum links here]

On the MSE forum, I post under the username MisterCee72.

I would be happy to enter into dialogue with any of you about this matter. Failing that, I would welcome a simple acknowledgement of receipt of my email.

Thank you in advance for your attention and I wish you all nothing but the best in seeking to obtain a fairer shake for E.ON's eight million retail customers.

brewerdave

backfoot wrote: »

It must be a matter of huge embarrassment to Ofgem that they have allowed this to occur. It will be even more acute, if having had it clearly pointed out, they fail to act on a matter affecting millions of customers.

...But OFGEM are basically civil servants - as such they are incapable of embarrassment!!:rotfl:

backfoot

http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/news/edf-energy-remain-at-bottom-of-energy-complaints-league-table

Interestingly, we know EDF are a basket case following their botched system implementation and random DD's.

Eon's figures have risen and are given special comment for their worsening performance.

Eon's complaints peak in the October to December quarter.

It comes as no surprise.

Reset...reset...reset....;)

MisterCee72

Received earlier this evening

Dear Charles,
Thanks for the information you sent me.As you know the Reset programme has looked at this issue.I know the Customer Council will discuss the matter again shortly.
Paddy Tipping.

backfoot

MisterCee72 wrote: »

Received earlier this evening

Dear Charles,
Thanks for the information you sent me.As you know the Reset programme has looked at this issue.I know the Customer Council will discuss the matter again shortly.
Paddy Tipping.

He has used all his experience to craft a reply which says absolutely nil. :rotfl:

Eon will be proud.