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MSE_Dan_L

retepetsir wrote: »

So I've just received an email to say that my bill is ready. Confusing since I wasn't asked for meter readings... Unlike with EDF. It also says I'm £200 in debit which I cannot understand as our DD amount is similar to last year. Time to investigate!

Just a guess on this one, but it isn't unusual for your account to be in debit as you come into the spring/summer period when you switch during the winter.

This is because your winter usage will normally be higher than your direct debit (which should be based on your average of your monthly usage). So during the summer, in theory you should be using less but paying the same amount each month which should help to clear the debit balance.

theboylard

theboylard wrote: »

Mmm....

Have sent some info, and copied some other folk on it as well.

There is also a little bit of work for MSE in there too.

I wait with bated breath....

An update for you, if you're interested!!

Dan at MSE Towers asked me to email him my issues, which I duly did, sent in the wee small hours of 13/5/15.
However, looking at the shonky way that MSE have dealt with the issues raised here, I also cc'd the British Gas and SainsburysEnergy CEO's, plus the a couple of other bods.

The crux of the mail was:

The outcomes that I'm waiting for are:

1) accounts sorted - all correctly registered, billing up to date and ready to move to another supplier
2) Although stated on MSE forums, I want written confirmation that I will not be held to the £30 per fuel exit fees when I leave before the contract ends
3) Compensation for my time - time wasted submitting readings to a system that doesn't work, time wasted reading forums for answers which I should have got from wasted 2 phone calls (26 minutes and 22 minutes on hold), but hung up in frustration lest I let some poor soul in a call centre feel my frustration.
4)An admission by MSE that this switch was not the best idea and maybe they should go back to what they do well,

This did the trick, just over 12hrs later (13.29)

Took a call and had a very nice chat with the lovely Melanie calling from Stephen Beynon's office (he being the MD of British Gas Residential).
Talked through the issues, she assured me that my account was fully sorted and all accesible online, readings could be submitted without further problems and we agreed a suitable level of compensation.

She called me back 20 mins later and advised that if I was to leave, SainsburysEnergy would automatically apply the £30 leaving fee per fuel. So she advised calling her if I did leave and she would make sure it was cancelled.

I then received an email from Stephen Beynon (copy/paste job so slightly factually incorrect, but hey!) apologising for the !!!!-up.

Account was all accessible but the test was when I submitted meter readings.
I added those online on the 14/5 and 2/6. All the accounts appear to be working ok.

I have since received another call from Kelly at SainsburysEnergy, just following up on my complaint.

I am just about to move the gas to someone else, just not decided yet!

retepetsir

Just a guess on this one, but it isn't unusual for your account to be in debit as you come into the spring/summer period when you switch during the winter.

This is because your winter usage will normally be higher than your direct debit (which should be based on your average of your monthly usage). So during the summer, in theory you should be using less but paying the same amount each month which should help to clear the debit balance.

Yes this is all very well, but the bill was linked to estimates rather than my submitted readings, and the electricity reading apparently came from a 'meter reader'. We've not had one visit and our meter is internal!

Oh well.

Ianindell

I switched to Sainsburys Energy / British Gas on the 11th February this year and am still waiting for things to be sorted out, I have contacted them 11 times so far to no avail, getting a bit fed up now does anyone know how I can cancel my account without being penalised?

MSE_Dan_L

Ianindell wrote: »

I switched to Sainsburys Energy / British Gas on the 11th February this year and am still waiting for things to be sorted out, I have contacted them 11 times so far to no avail, getting a bit fed up now does anyone know how I can cancel my account without being penalised?

Hi there

If you switched through the Big Winter Switch Event in February, you can email msecollectiveswitch@sainsburysenergy.com highlighting issues you've had and that you'd like to leave Sainsbury's Energy. It has told us that it'll waive these for you.

I hope this helps.

therealgiblet

theboylard wrote: »

An update for you, if you're interested!!

Dan at MSE Towers asked me to email him my issues, which I duly did, sent in the wee small hours of 13/5/15.
However, looking at the shonky way that MSE have dealt with the issues raised here, I also cc'd the British Gas and SainsburysEnergy CEO's, plus the a couple of other bods.

The crux of the mail was:



This did the trick, just over 12hrs later (13.29)

Took a call and had a very nice chat with the lovely Melanie calling from Stephen Beynon's office (he being the MD of British Gas Residential).
Talked through the issues, she assured me that my account was fully sorted and all accesible online, readings could be submitted without further problems and we agreed a suitable level of compensation.

She called me back 20 mins later and advised that if I was to leave, SainsburysEnergy would automatically apply the £30 leaving fee per fuel. So she advised calling her if I did leave and she would make sure it was cancelled.

I then received an email from Stephen Beynon (copy/paste job so slightly factually incorrect, but hey!) apologising for the !!!!-up.

Account was all accessible but the test was when I submitted meter readings.
I added those online on the 14/5 and 2/6. All the accounts appear to be working ok.

I have since received another call from Kelly at SainsburysEnergy, just following up on my complaint.

I am just about to move the gas to someone else, just not decided yet!

Well done - it's good to hear that 1 person out of 90,000 got an apology and their issue resolved.

theboylard

Surprised that so many people are still struggling?

No apology from MSE though, they were the big driver in this and nothing but passing the buck from them.

Email from British Gas masquerading as SainsburysEnergy this morning, noting that they had received a transfer request, and agreeing dates with what I had selected with my new supplier.

They can do things right, but they don't have enough people with the authority to do it right first time.
Shame, but the world carries on turning...

davidsuffolk

I was hoping by now all would be smooth and sorted but sadly not yet. I moved to SE beginning of March. I had problems with the initial readings but after giving them by phone twice I "think" they are recorded correctly.
Now mid June so I thought I might be due a bill but nothing yet so I thought maybe send in current meter readings. Silly me, got the same "we are having technical problems" auto reply after three attempts so I will not bother again.
At least the DD is more or less correct on my real readings though I suppose SE/BG will estimate and I have no great expectations that they will get it right

MSE_Dan_L

davidsuffolk wrote: »

I was hoping by now all would be smooth and sorted but sadly not yet. I moved to SE beginning of March. I had problems with the initial readings but after giving them by phone twice I "think" they are recorded correctly.
Now mid June so I thought I might be due a bill but nothing yet so I thought maybe send in current meter readings. Silly me, got the same "we are having technical problems" auto reply after three attempts so I will not bother again.
At least the DD is more or less correct on my real readings though I suppose SE/BG will estimate and I have no great expectations that they will get it right

Hi David

Sorry to hear about the problem providing the meter reading. We've checked this with Sainsbury's Energy who've told us that there shouldn't be any system issues preventing these from being accepted online.

You may wish to pass on the details to Sainsbury's Energy by emailing msecollectiveswitch@sainsburysenergy.com so that it can check your account for you.

HB2K

I've had the same problem as everyone else in terms of my online meter readings disappearing into the ether, but have resorted to accepting the estimated final readings from my old supplier (EDF were more expensive but I have to say their customer service and online experience was much superior).


I am more annoyed that very soon after switching another even cheaper tariff turned up from Sainsbury's energy. But I guess that is always going to be a problem with switching - a bit like upgrading a computer.


I am keeping an eye on my nectar card balance. The one I have on the bottom of my most recent receipt from a Sainsbury's shopping expedition and the one on my most recent energy bill are miles apart. Anyone else have this issue?