Add your feedback on energy supplier Sainsbury’s Energy

canterswest

I find Hern's defence of MSE surprising and at odds with past adjudications from the Advertising Standards Authority. Individuals can of course disagree with the ASA, but surely consumers, if they have complaints about a deal taken out through MSE, are better off allowing the self regulator to consider if they have a case, rather than self inflicting the view that there can be no possible accountability for MSE, just profit as it is paid to promote this deal. We know that the ASA has in some circumstances found against MSE as the promoter or joint promoter of its deals. Why not in this case?


Most surprisingly, Hern's main complaint seems to be over the Sainsburys branding. MSE has stood firm on this, referring consistently to 'Sainsburys Energy'. MSE claims Sainsburys Energy has recruited 60 additional staff at MSE's request. I don't know if a Sainsburys Energy team exists as MSE claims, or not, as Hern insists.


I avoided this offer as it required joining Cheap Energy Club and it was a measly 1.3% saving on next cheapest. In this week's email, MSE writes about a cheapest tariff of £876 but not available through Cheap Energy Club! So CEC is not an all of market comparison!!


'PS: we don't include this in Cheap Energy Club as it's only avail via Uswitch. Yet Uswitch does give you a comparison; just ensure you select its 'show me the whole market' options.'

therealgiblet

What I can't understand is why SE can't seem to setup my electricity account - bearing in mind I transferred my energy supply to them on the 4th March!!

I have had three emails regarding my official complaint - in the third reply SE said:

"I appreciate that it’s frustrating that you’re Electricity account is not yet set up but I can assure you that we are doing all we can to get this matter resolved for you as soon as possible.

I have again progressed the issue preventing your account from opening and am hoping to have the issue resolved within the next 3 weeks.

You advise in your email that you have arranged to transfer your supply to another provider. Although I appreciate we have let you down and are not providing you the level of service you expect from us, transferring supply whilst this issue is ongoing may cause us to encounter further issues, however this is of course your decision."

So I replied immediately:

"Can you please explain exactly what you are waiting for?

I have given you the number of my electricity meter and my starting meter reading?

What else do actually need? Can you please be more specific."

I haven't since got a reply.

What does 'all we can' mean?

What does 'progressed the issue...' mean?

It's truly pathetic - they are obviously well versed in giving the customer as little information as possible and being unspecific to the point where there is actually no point replying to my complaint.

I'm starting to think this company is actually run by politicans given the lack of information in the answers.

I really am annoyed with these complete idiots.

What exactly are SE (British Gas) playing at?

Not long to get Ofgem involved now.

Never ever again will I use this useless bunch of imbecilic fools. I hope I can claim compensation too and everyone else involved because the sooner these idiots have run out of money the sooner they can close their shambolic effort of a business.

Fulwell62

Just made the switch from British Gas to Sainsbury's energy. Was reluctant to move because of a bad switching experience a few years ago, and I actually like BG for their easy to use online account and good customer service. So I was pleased to find that Sainsbury's is really just BG under a different name, and with much lower prices. Thanks MSE for letting me know.

The online account website is EXACTLY the same as BG's, just coloured Sainsbury's orange. So it's as easy to track your bills and usage as with BG. The only surprise I got was when my first Sainsbury's Energy bill arrived. It said on my bank Direct Debit 'British Gas Services'. I though BG were still billing me but, no, that's the DD signature Sainbury's are using. I called them (very quick to get through, UK call centre) and they apologised for the confusion and said they were trying to change their DD name to Sainsbury's Energy.

The switchover itself was completely smooth. I didn't even notice it happened.

Now I'm saving maybe £50 a month on dual fuel (will see in due course), but it hardly feels like I've switched.

Fully recommended, so far anyway.

Hern

canterswest wrote: »

I find Hern's defence of MSE surprising and at odds with past adjudications from the Advertising Standards Authority. Individuals can of course disagree with the ASA, but surely consumers, if they have complaints about a deal taken out through MSE, are better off allowing the self regulator to consider if they have a case, rather than self inflicting the view that there can be no possible accountability for MSE, just profit as it is paid to promote this deal. We know that the ASA has in some circumstances found against MSE as the promoter or joint promoter of its deals. Why not in this case?

Most surprisingly, Hern's main complaint seems to be over the Sainsburys branding. MSE has stood firm on this, referring consistently to 'Sainsburys Energy'. MSE claims Sainsburys Energy has recruited 60 additional staff at MSE's request. I don't know if a Sainsburys Energy team exists as MSE claims, or not, as Hern insists.

I don't actually disagree with canterswest at all here because I'm not actually arguing for the avoidance of culpability by any party. Just to be clear: the post to which I was responding was from oxters, and this particular text:

I am disappointed that MSE have not intervened in this debacle and that the regulator is not getting involved.

My point was that MSE has intervened, and that I don't really see how it could be doing more than it is currently doing and has already done.

The issue I was addressing, then, was of intervention . . . not causality. Had that been mentioned in oxter's post, then I would have had no hesitation in saying that promoters of schemes such as this or any other must be regarded as jointly or severally responsible no matter whether failings arising are attributable to one or to all.

MSE, as a joint promoter, derived financial benefit, and though naivety may well be offered up in mitigation here it still doesn't alter the fact that this particular scheme has all the appearance of a false-flag enterprise which sought to create the impression that in some way or other, Sainsbury's was an originating supplier, perhaps -- as several MSErs have mused on here -- as a volume re-seller sourced by British Gas.

Such is, of course, entirely untrue.

British Gas, doubtless advised by its own army of lawyers about the morality, if not necessarily the legality, of what has gone on here, has made sure that in all its "Sainsbury's Energy" letterheaded correspondence it points out, albeit in very small print, that "Sainsbury's Energy is a trading name of British Gas Trading Ltd".

On reflection, it might have been better if British Gas hadn't included that disclaimer, because in trying to pre-empt a hostile ASA adjudication it has actually opened up the question as to why, if Sainsbury's Energy is just another name for British Gas, the promotional material involved here, up to and including envelopes, specifically, deliberately states: "Sainsbury's Energy: working with British Gas".

The concommitant to that question is, of course, would anyone with past experience (like myself) of British Gas's behaviour have gone anywhere near the promotion had it been made clear -- as should have been the case from the outset -- that the co-promoter was British Gas itself. Not Sainsbury's. I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole. It seems I am far from being alone.

I am now letting this shambles work its way through. I have just received a semi-coherent letter from the Sainsbury's Energy complaints team and await further developments. I have also been helped enormously by Scottish Power which has flatly refused to accept from British Gas the entirely fictitious "estimated readings" dreamt up by that energy giant regardless of the cost or consequence to myself or, indeed, to anybody else on here.

All of that notwithstanding, a complaint to ASA will be made in due course together with a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman for reference to Ofgem.

As to MSE: in light of what has occurred here -- and now the existence of your own significant yet so far unanswered questions as to the Cheap Energy Club not actually being a whole-of-market comparator -- it may well be time for it to consider whether it really wishes to be operating CEC at all. MSE is a minnow in a deep sea where sharks are known to swim. For its own longterm health, it might be best for it to head back to safer, even though less profitable, shallows.

finlay57

I joined sainsburys energy three months ago. How do I claim cash back £30?

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Hern wrote: »

I don't actually disagree with canterswest at all here because I'm not actually arguing for the avoidance of culpability by any party. Just to be clear: the post to which I was responding was from oxters, and this particular text:

I am disappointed that MSE have not intervened in this debacle and that the regulator is not getting involved.

My point was that MSE has intervened, and that I don't really see how it could be doing more than it is currently doing and has already done.

The issue I was addressing, then, was of intervention . . . not causality. Had that been mentioned in oxter's post, then I would have had no hesitation in saying that promoters of schemes such as this or any other must be regarded as jointly or severally responsible no matter whether failings arising are attributable to one or to all.

MSE, as a joint promoter, derived financial benefit, and though naivety may well be offered up in mitigation here it still doesn't alter the fact that this particular scheme has all the appearance of a false-flag enterprise which sought to create the impression that in some way or other, Sainsbury's was an originating supplier, perhaps -- as several MSErs have mused on here -- as a volume re-seller sourced by British Gas.

Such is, of course, entirely untrue.

British Gas, doubtless advised by its own army of lawyers about the morality, if not necessarily the legality, of what has gone on here, has made sure that in all its "Sainsbury's Energy" letterheaded correspondence it points out, albeit in very small print, that "Sainsbury's Energy is a trading name of British Gas Trading Ltd".

On reflection, it might have been better if British Gas hadn't included that disclaimer, because in trying to pre-empt a hostile ASA adjudication it has actually opened up the question as to why, if Sainsbury's Energy is just another name for British Gas, the promotional material involved here, up to and including envelopes, specifically, deliberately states: "Sainsbury's Energy: working with British Gas".

The concommitant to that question is, of course, would anyone with past experience (like myself) of British Gas's behaviour have gone anywhere near the promotion had it been made clear -- as should have been the case from the outset -- that the co-promoter was British Gas itself. Not Sainsbury's. I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole. It seems I am far from being alone.

I am now letting this shambles work its way through. I have just received a semi-coherent letter from the Sainsbury's Energy complaints team and await further developments. I have also been helped enormously by Scottish Power which has flatly refused to accept from British Gas the entirely fictitious "estimated readings" dreamt up by that energy giant regardless of the cost or consequence to myself or, indeed, to anybody else on here.

All of that notwithstanding, a complaint to ASA will be made in due course together with a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman for reference to Ofgem.

As to MSE: in light of what has occurred here -- and now the existence of your own significant yet so far unanswered questions as to the Cheap Energy Club not actually being a whole-of-market comparator -- it may well be time for it to consider whether it really wishes to be operating CEC at all. MSE is a minnow in a deep sea where sharks are known to swim. For its own longterm health, it might be best for it to head back to safer, even though less profitable, shallows.

So what, exactly, is your point? You're angry that BG pass themselves off as Sainsbury's?

What are you proposing is done?

finlay57

How do I claim £30 cash back. I joined sainsbury energy 3 months ago. Jo

sniggings

finlay57 wrote: »

How do I claim £30 cash back. I joined sainsbury energy 3 months ago. Jo

you needed to have joined through this site or another offering such a deal.

Hern

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

So what, exactly, is your point? You're angry that BG pass themselves off as Sainsbury's?

What are you proposing is done?

I'd propose that you learn to read.

oxters

Hern wrote: »

I'd propose that you learn to read.

To the point 😀😁😂