Add your feedback on energy supplier Extra Energy

MrAnalogy

I have been with ExtraEnergy for two years, and although I personally have not had any problems with them I have followed this thread with interest.


The moment I had been dreading has arrived! I have changed suppliers to NPower for a much better tariff and should be on supply with them from today.


ExtraEnergy's response - sending me a bill titled "First Bill" with an invoice date of yesterday, and asking me to increase my DD!


I have absolutely no idea whether they owe me money or vice-versa, as they have only shown details to April this year.


Technically, according to NPower (regardless of their bad reputation, their switching process seemed fairly thorough and competent), I am now with them, so I suppose then I would be within my rights to cancel my DD to ExtraEnergy as according to their last invoice (presumably system generated, trigged by some perception within the system that I am leaving them?) I do not owe them anything.


Trouble is, having read here that their incompetence extends to Debt Collection agencies if they perceive that you owe them anything (even if they have not told you about it beforehand), so I do not want them potentially damaging my Credit Rating.


I switched away from them early (accepting the £25 hit) because from past form they are totally useless at any basic system/customer process, so it seems that it is just as well that I did!


I did ring them (not expecting to get through even though the lines are officially open), but apparently due to "unforeseen circumstances", none of their lines are active.


Oh well, it appears now that I have officially joined the ranks of the ExtraEnergy upset customers - move over guys, make room for one more !

Consumer40

MrAnalogy wrote: »

ExtraEnergy's response - sending me a bill titled "First Bill" with an invoice date of yesterday, and asking me to increase my DD!

I have absolutely no idea whether they owe me money or vice-versa, as they have only shown details to April this year.

I was in the same situation as you - no real problems until I left. It took nearly 6 months and an ombudsman ruling before I finally received a closing bill (also the first bill) and associated refund.

I think it is important to determine how much you owe them. If you have your opening and closing readings, have a record of your payments and know the tariffs that you were on then you can calculate how much you owe them. I used the calculator on this website: https://www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/smart_meter_calculator which seemed to be correct to within a few pence. Don't be confused by the 'smart meter' heading on the webpage - you don't need a smart meter to use it - just ordinary meter readings.

If you find that you do owe extraenergy money then it may be best to let them continue with the DD until the outstanding amount is cleared. However, if they owe you money I would notify them immediately that you require an accurate final bill and associated refund and that they are not authorised to take any further Direct Debits. Provide a copy of your calculations and ask them to contact you urgently if they disagree. Keep the auto-response if you notify them by email or obtain a certificate of posting if you use the Royal Mail.

Personally I would not cancel the DD as they claim they need it in place to make any refund (but of course there are other mechanisms they could use to pay a refund). If they do take a further DD contrary to your instructions then you can instruct your bank to return it to you. This is a quick and simple process and, although I did not need to invoke it, my bank assured me that they would accept my word that the payment was not authorised.

MrAnalogy

Many thanks for your advice on this matter, and the best way to go about (hopefully) resolving the issue.


I set up a spread sheet a few years ago when I initially joined Ovo, just to check their billing systems (which seemed to work ok!) so I will resurrect that and calculate the figures for myself.


One question - I can not find their email contact method on the site - have they moved (or removed!) it, or am I being dumb?


Have just done the calculation from the 21st April - including the £25 penalty I would appear to owe them about £5 at this present time. I would therefore be rather reluctant to let the next increased DD for £63 to go through in a week's time.


I am happy to send the calculation to them asking for a final bill, but how can I ensure that they get (and act upon) it please? There seems to be a fairly high probability that they as a matter of course ignore all customer communication


Thanks again

molerat

As you have left just cancel the DD at the bank and wait. No point contacting them as they will just ignore you. They will send you a bill eventually, sometime in the next 12 months. If any refund is due they will send it to the bank account on file even if the DD is cancelled.

Consumer40

MrAnalogy wrote: »

One question - I can not find their email contact method on the site - have they moved (or removed!) ?

According to their faq http://www.extraenergy.com/home/faq/complaints you can contact them at [EMAIL="customercare@extraenergy.com"]customercare@extraenergy.com[/EMAIL]

I would appear to owe them about £5 at this present time. I would therefore be rather reluctant to let the next increased DD for £63 to go through in a week's time.

Very similar to my position - I thought I was going to owe them a few pounds but in fact had not taken into account a £12 rebate they owed me. I made it clear to them in my email and on the phone (which I recorded) that they were only authorised to take money I actually owed and must not take the regular monthly debit. I also offered to pay the money I thought I owed by card immediately if they preferred. They told me that the correct procedure was for them to take the full amount by DD and refund me later. However, I had an informal chat with the ombudsman who was very clear that I need only offer to pay what I owed - if they have no process to accept the correct amount then that is there problem. The email and phone call were evidence that I was willing to pay what I owed.

I did not cancel the DD but in the event they did not collect anything (I think their system stops collecting when you cease to be a customer - or at least that seemed to be the case when I left). However, I was fully prepared to invoke the DD guarantee & reclaim it from my bank if they had taken the regular amount as opposed to the smaller amount that I believed I owed.

how can I ensure that they get (and act upon) it please?

I don't think you can ensure they act on it. You just have to keep a record that you have done everything right and start the complaints process as soon as possible. When you contact them make it clear that you are making a complaint. I.e. you have not been supplied with a correctly calculated closing bill. This will start the 8 weeks running after which you can escalate your complaint officially to the ombudsman (but I found the ombudsman was happy to give me informal advice before the 8 week period had elapsed).

MrAnalogy

Thanks - I will take your advice and hope that they do not set the full force of the law (and debt collection!) on me for £5!


I would prefer for me to owe them a very small amount, rather than they own me a lot, as it gives them some incentive (albeit small!) to sort it out.


Is there any means that I can officially tell them that I have stopped my DD and am awaiting my final bill? (to allow me to keep a record in case a call to the Ombudsman is eventually required).


I just checked them on TrustPilot -suffice to say I was not heartened by what I saw there - I would imagine the Ombudsman system is heartily sick of ExtraEnergy!


Thanks again

MrAnalogy

Sorry - our posts crossed!


Thank you once again for giving me the benefit of your experience regarding termination, informal advice from Ombudsman, and other valuable information which has allowed me to prepare myself for the almost inevitable battle with them.


I will send an email to them with my calculations showing what I believe the final bill balance should be, inform them that I have now ceased to be their customer so will be cancelling my DD forthwith, and that I will be happy to pay monies owing on the final bill (if any) by whatever method they wish.


Naïve me thought that by switching supplier, the new supplier would give all the required information to the old one - perhaps they did - and ExtraEnergy promptly ignored it like everything else

Save_more_money_111

Joined Extraenergy last year. Big Mistake. Never received a bill all year despite constant requests. At end of 12 month contract it took me 6 months, aided by the ombudsman, to get a final bill. Customer service staff really didn't know what they were doing. Join at your own risk as there is more to a supplier than supposedly cheap energy.

footyguy

Save_more_money_111 wrote: »

Joined Extraenergy last year. Big Mistake. Never received a bill all year despite constant requests. At end of 12 month contract it took me 6 months, aided by the ombudsman, to get a final bill. Customer service staff really didn't know what they were doing. Join at your own risk as there is more to a supplier than supposedly cheap energy.

Welcome to MSE :hello: - although I see you actually joined 2 years ago, so at least something has made you join in the fun now :rotfl:

You should have remained with them. Not only would they have been cheap, but they would have been FREE for any energy you used and had not paid for more than 1 year ago
(assuming you have all the evidence to substantiate your claims made here)

Flashgordon

Extra Energy paid the money they calculated they owed on Back Billing to my bank but as yet no Goodwill Gesture of £75 as required by Ombudsman.

Yet to hear from Ombudsman about re-opening complaint to force EE to pay the remaining 2/3rds of the credit they hold which they still owe to fulfill the full Back Billing payback when properly calculated.

It is some 21/2 years since I made the error of transferring to EE and see very little evidence that they are willing to invest in the proper software to maintain clients accounts in real time or to train sufficient staff who can actually resolve customers complaints rather than simply log them. I feel the only way this company will ever be forced to raise their game is not to give up on legitimate complaints and continue to complain to the Energy Regulator. He is already investigating EE's poor practice and we should give him the evidence to bring this company to book for the sake of those customers less able to defend themselves.