Spark Enegry

Wywth

Harry_Harrington wrote: »

Since October of last year i have been held to ransom by Spark Energy.
A company who's services i have never engaged.
A company that has obstructed me from using my preferred supplier on 5 occasions.
A company that seemingly charges almost triple the amount of my preferred supplier.
A company that has never responded to my requests to investigate these huge bills.
A company that i have had to spend days trying to contact.
A company that has cause me nothing but stress and anxiety.
A company that has sent threatening emails, texts and letters despite the request to investigate the costs.

When I moved into my new property in OCTOBER 2012 I contacted my preferred supplier in the usual manner to move their services over.

Sometime later i received a letter from them stating that a company called SPARK ENERGY had refused to allow this to happen. This is something i have never experienced from any other supplier.

I tried in vain to contact SPARK by telephone but after some 3 days of trying to get through i resorted to the online option which did not work either.

I then received a gigantic bill from SPARK for over £400 for 5 weeks gas.
Finally after wasting a few more days of failed attempts i got through to a team leader no less.

Michael said in writing that - (I can confirm that we are in the process of disputing your initial Gas meter read based on customer reads you have provided us.)

Michael also took £82 in payment. an amount that i also questioned as being rather high for 5 weeks gas usage in a 1 bedroom flat.

I have never heard anything at all from Mr Blackwood since that day. I did email a further 7 times and call constantly but with no joy.

What i did get was threatening letters -texts - emails regarding the money and also letters stating that i faced possible charges of 15% should i not settle.

15th Jan i received a 5 page letter (NOT DATED) asking for £434.50, £331.09 and £389.94. Any one of these amounts is at least 60% higher than was expected.

I called the "customer service" and after 30 minutes waiting got through and asked to speak with a manager i was reassured that a manager would call back at 1pm. I received no call.

I have since contacted 3 energy supply companies British Gas, Utility Warehouse and Southern Electric to get a quote to compare. All of whom gave estimates for my one bed room flat ranging from £41 per month GAS& ELEC to £48 per month GAS & ELEC. NOT THE £94 per month that apparently SPARK ENERGY consider fair.

I have now received a letter dated 15/02/2013 "You're Leaving us" I called the 0845 034 7474 with no response, i sent an up to date meter reading.

I have received another letter from my preferred supplier Utility Warehouse 18/02/2013 informiong me that Saprk Energy have again "objected to the transfer"

And finally, SPARK sent me a letter offering a 15% discount on the most expensive fuel bill i have ever received thinking this will resolve the matter.

I have contacted my supplier, which i might add took one call and about 20 minutes, rather than 15 calls and 3 days like it does with Spark Energy, and given them my meter readings for comparison. As suspected the bill is, as they and several other energy companies have quoted, less than half the cost of Spark Energy. £225 to be exact.

If Spark Energy had not obstructed the process and responded accordingly and not blocked me from using my supplier then £225 this is this is the amount i would have paid.

I am still waiting for a response to resolve this matter.

I cannot believe the despicable level of conduct this organisation chooses to operate under. I have moved property some 5 times over the last eight years and on every occasion the change over to my preferred supplier has taken a few days with out any problems or extra costs at all. Now through no fault of my own or my preferred supplier i have had 5 months of stress, wasted time and a ludicrously high bill from Spark Energy.

Please inform me of why Spark energy think it is fair to then charge me nearly triple an extra for services i have never wanted, and because of your appalling customer service, made it virtually impossible for me to resolve this matter despite my 40+ calls and numerous emails to do so.

I have every intention of making this story and the hundreds of other similar story's that other people have sent to me PUBLIC. On every social media platform, every consumer publication, ever TV company, radio company, national press and of course OFGEM.

Welcome to MSE ... :cool:

I look forward to hearing about your issue in the national media.

Let us know when it's going to run (but don't bother if it's just your posts on trwitter, facebook, etc)

:rotfl: