Annoying Energy Company Rant!

annoyedcustomer8787

Wow just want to let off some steam and tell people another way energy companies are making money from us unaware customers!

It all started off with moving house end of April and I was one of those people (admittedly it was my own fault for not reading the contract properly) who got duped into signed for a new energy company (Spark energy) when not realising when I signed a new tenancy agreement. I had realised this had happend when I got a letter to tell me the switch was happening a few days after I got the letter which by the time was too late to do anything about it. So I gave them my up to date meter readings and told them there and then expect to receive a request to change back to my previous chosen supplier (EDF) almost immediately. I called EDF straight away to start the proceedings of getting my energy back.

Week or two later I got a letter from EDF saying that Spark energy had refused to give the supply back. So I called EDF to find out why.. anyway they set me up a completely new account again and requested the switch again from Spark.

Then on Tuesday I got an email from EDF again saying Spark still wouldn't allow the switch so I called them yesterday to find out why! At first the call handle didn't know either why Spark wasn't allowing a switch as I had only been with them for about a month so had no overdue balance and my monthly direct debit had gone through?! He went away to find out more and came bk then told oh there was an outstanding balance of £140!! What I said?!!... I have only been with you a month and from meter readings I took from 26th April to 22nd May I worked out from EDF tariffs was approx £55 ish .. I had already paid £70 DD to Spark so since the last month has been far warmer than the previous month, ie the gas central heating has not been on at all I would have expected to be in credit not £140 in debt. Anyway the reason this balance was £140 was because it was an estimated bill so was easily fixed by giving them my accurate meter readings which took the balance down to £22 (From £140!) so now I was allowed to leave Spark !! YAY!! .. However since I worked out my previous months energy usage was about £55 I was still thinking £92 (£70 DD + £22) was quit a bit more?!!!

Conveniently I got a ebill from Spark this morning and as I looked at it I realised the opening meter reading I gave them in May were wrong! they had added 206 kWh units on to my bill. Which on the tariff I was on worked out to be approx £30 more of energy than I should of been billed for. Another thing I noticed was the number of days they calculated... from 22/05/2014 to 26/06/2014 .. now I'm no maths genius but from those dates is that not a count of 36 days?! well on my bill it says 39 days ... now the tariff I'm on for G & E brings the diff for std charges for 3 days to be about £1.02 which I know isn't alot but I asked how many customers they have 100,000 customers.. hmm 100,000 x £1.02 not bad eh... even worse if I go bk to my 206 kWh I was over charged for .. they said they would have to put an enquiry into the national grid to get it sorted however the unit diff has to be over 250 kWh for an investigation to begin so they wouldn't be about to investigate my case. Anyway the issue did get sorted as I asked for a manager and they credited my account with £30... but my issue is and advice is to please do keep records of units what you are giving these companies!! In the case of just Spark energy, based on the tariff I'm on, if the threshold for investigation is 250 kWh, then they can potentially get away with 249 kWh x 14.3p (my unit rate) = £35.607 x 100,000 customers = £3,560,700 !! Great if your Spark energy or any other energy company adding imaginary units on!

The issue was resolved by them crediting my account with £30 but that not the point! The point is they done it in the first place and I've only been with them a month & not by choice either and the fact they keep insisting in not letting me leave ... has anyone else had issues about this ?!

Nada666

What your conspiracy misses is that they lose up to 249 kWh when the roles are reversed so it balances out.

annoyedcustomer8787

Nada666 wrote: »

What your conspiracy misses is that they lose up to 249 kWh when the roles are reversed so it balances out.

I'm sure it is but the fact is that I called and told them exactly what my meter reading were so where on earth the reading on my bill came from is questionable... and also the extra 3 days from the 22nd May to 26th June??! HHmmmm

Andy_WSM

There have been a lot of posts lately about energy companies "making up" final reads in their favour. I haven't seen a single post the other way around.

Raise a complaint as I have seen mentioned lesewhere on this forum that there is no "tollerance". A consumer can at the very least expect accurate bills if readings are provided.

annoyedcustomer8787

Thanks Andy_WSM ... I think I'm so annoyed because I didn't choose to be with them in the first place.. they keep finding non reasons for not allowing me to switch back to my chosen previous provider who no doubt are no angels anyway but I feel its my right to choose who supplies my energy. And on top of that they charge me for days that don't exist as well as energy that they have made up!

Bark01

Unfortunately you've been landed with possible the worst supplier for blocking switching. Spark are well known for this and are under investigation for it (amongst other things)


https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/investigation-spark-energy%E2%80%99s-compliance-its-gas-and-electricity-supply-licences-and-gas-and-electricity-consumer-complaints-handling-standards-regulations-2008

annoyedcustomer8787

Bark01 wrote: »

Unfortunately you've been landed with possible the worst supplier for blocking switching. Spark are well known for this and are under investigation for it (amongst other things)

Thanks.. well hopefully its actually underway now since they have taken the largely overestimated £140 usage debt off my account when I give them my up to date meter readings yesterday. Just want to add that the gas reading was out by 9 units too from the reading I gave them, but I let one one slide. Don't know how you can misunderstand the number 37 for 46....

nomoneytoday

I know it's too late now, but could you cancel the switch before it completed?

annoyedcustomer8787

nomoneytoday wrote: »

I know it's too late now, but could you cancel the switch before it completed?

Yes I did try but I only received a letter telling me Spark were taking over my energy a few days before they switched it. It was in my tenancy agreement which I admit I didn't read properly that gave them the authority to do this. But I would have though I would have been given some prior notice before they actually began the switch. But then again I don't know how else Spark would get their customers!!

This issue has apparently been featured in a recent watch dog episode.