Warning! Spark Energy

kaffyn

Having had a recommendation on here that Spark Energy would be my cheapest option to switch to, I tried to do so. They emailed me that I had not supplied meter details, even though they had previously confirmed all my details by email the week before. I rang them and was told they would look into it and ring me back the next day. They did not. The day after that I received a letter telling me that I had not supplied meter details! Today I tried for more than half an hour to get through to them on the phone. Eventually I did, only to be told that, as I had an independent gas supplier and Spark is only a small company, they could not supply me with both gas and electricity! What a waste of time!

MillicentBystander

I wonder if Martin and the team considered delaying the launch of the Energy Club until Spark had ended their current 'recruitment drive'? They seem to be coming at the top of pretty much any usage figures you input at the moment (and often by a very big margin). Scary stuff.

Wywth

kaffyn wrote: »

Having had a recommendation on here that Spark Energy would be my cheapest option to switch to, I tried to do so. They emailed me that I had not supplied meter details, even though they had previously confirmed all my details by email the week before. I rang them and was told they would look into it and ring me back the next day. They did not. The day after that I received a letter telling me that I had not supplied meter details! Today I tried for more than half an hour to get through to them on the phone. Eventually I did, only to be told that, as I had an independent gas supplier and Spark is only a small company, they could not supply me with both gas and electricity! What a waste of time!

A mistake surely?

Spark energy can supply gas customers supplied by an independent gas transporter.

(a one off additional charge may apply)

kaffyn

No....the man on the phone at Spark Energy definitely told me that they could not supply me with dual fuel because I had an independent gas transporter!

Petstalk

Spark are awful.

Wywth

Petstalk wrote: »

Spark are awfully cheap.

I corrected your post

footyguy

kaffyn wrote: »

Having had a recommendation on here that Spark Energy would be my cheapest option to switch to, I tried to do so. They emailed me that I had not supplied meter details, even though they had previously confirmed all my details by email the week before. I rang them and was told they would look into it and ring me back the next day. They did not. The day after that I received a letter telling me that I had not supplied meter details! Today I tried for more than half an hour to get through to them on the phone. Eventually I did, only to be told that, as I had an independent gas supplier and Spark is only a small company, they could not supply me with both gas and electricity! What a waste of time!

Isn't this actually a fault of the comparison site rather than the supplier?

A number of small suppliers do not cater for gas customers connected via an IGT. It's up to the comparison site to explain what a supplier offers, not the fault of a supplier not making available something a comparison site erroneously suggests it does.

e.g.
http://www.ukpower.co.uk/home_energy/switching_guide/#IGTindependentgastransportercustomers

kaffyn wrote: »

No....the man on the phone at Spark Energy definitely told me that they could not supply me with dual fuel because I had an independent gas transporter!

They've probably done you a favour!
Otherwise they would have lumbered you with an additional £150 charge
http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk/your-home/products-and-services/our-tariffs/additional-charges

macman

kaffyn wrote: »

No....the man on the phone at Spark Energy definitely told me that they could not supply me with dual fuel because I had an independent gas transporter!

Consider it a merciful escape...

loobiloo

I too switched to Spark Energy via the Cheap Energy Club (via this site) on February 10th. I was assured that I would save 15% on my current supplier (First Utility) and that I would be paying £109 per month. On February 22 I received a letter showing my monthly payments to be £261! Ive written to them 3 times and received no response. I am unable to cancel as I'm past the 7 day cooling off period. Ive now threatened to take this matter further. Any suggestions from you clever people would be enormously helpful.

Many thanks

Wywth

loobiloo wrote: »

I too switched to Spark Energy via the Cheap Energy Club (via this site) on February on February 10th. I was assured that I would savie 15% on my current supplier (First Utility) and that I would be paying £109 per month. On February 22 I received a letter showing my monthly payments to be £261! Ive written to them 3 times and received no response. I am unable to cancel. Ive now threatened to take this matter further. Any suggestions from you clever people would be enormously helpful.

Many thanks

Why do you want to take matters further? You are saving 15% over the year. :T

But here is a link to their complaints procedure if you think saving 15% is any cause for complaint
http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk/pdf/complaints/complaints_process_july_2012.pdf

vuvuzela

Wywth wrote: »

Why do you want to take matters further? You are saving 15% over the year. :T

But here is a link to their complaints procedure if you think saving 15% is any cause for complaint
http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk/pdf/complaints/complaints_process_july_2012.pdf

Why give them an interest-free loan of £1800/year ?

Also, if their calculations and their customer service are that bad, why trust them with anything ?

And finally, what if the poster simply can't pay £260/month after budgeting for £110. I know I would struggle.