Utility Warehouse Reconciliation Dispute

mattbianco1

Hi,

wonder if anybody can offer me advice on the following:

I left Utility Warehouse in March to join Ovo Energy.

On 11th April 2104 I received a bill for energy usage between 1st March 2014 and 24th March 2014 and I was to be charged the sum of £273.01.

It was stated on the bill that there was a reconciliation on the account which. I called the Utility Warehouse to raise my concerns at this and asked what meter read had been used. The meter reading supplied to me by Utility Warehouse, which had been estimated from 24th March was higher than what the meter was currently on, on that day (11th April 2014). I then spoke with my new supplier Ovo Energy who apologised that an opening meter reading hadn’t been taken and that I should contact Utility Warehouse again to explain that there is a “read dispute” on the account.


On 14th May 2014, I received another bill from Utility Warehouse stating that my gas reading was 6191 and my bill for that period was £53.13. This reading again is inaccurate because I submitted a reading to my new supplier on 10th May 2014 of 5845. This now totalled to an incorrect outstanding balance of £423.07.


On 17th June 2014 a debt collection letter was sent to me from Utility Debt Collectors giving a “Final Demand” for the outstanding balance of £423.07. I called them and explained that the readings were in dispute and that they should leave me alone.


On 11th July 2014, i received a bill of -£191.51 using the agreed meter reading of 5798 as of 24th March 2014 which had been supplied by Ovo Energy. This was subtracted from the £423.07 leaving an outstanding balance of £231.56.


On 7th August a letter was received from Fredrickson debt collectors demanding I pay £423.07 on behalf of Utility Warehouse.


On 12th August, i received a bill of £47.78 for electricity against a meter read of 24322 as of 24th March 2014, again, this reading is incorrect. This was the figure that I supplied to Ovo Energy on 24th April 2014.


So to summarise, they sent a reconciliation fee of ~£271 in April. Now, going around the houses, getting final demands etc. they have now come back with ~£279 even though the original meter reading used for the reconciliation was incorrect.

Is it actually possible to win these types of cases?

PLEASE NOTE: I haven't paid them anything at this stage and am expecting a knock on the day very soon!!

Thanks in advance.
Matt

JJ_Egan

To be clear you neither gave the old supplier or new supplier a meter reading ??

mattbianco1

JJ_Egan wrote: »

To be clear you neither gave the old supplier or new supplier a meter reading ??

No.

The new supplier (Ovo) apologised that they hadn't asked for an opening balance when I called them on the 11th April. They took my reading that day of 05829. Utility Warehouse said that they had estimated a closing meter read of ~06100. Ovo said to call UW and explain that the read was in dispute and then it escalated.

Ovo eventually submitted a closing reading to UW of 05798 (which is obviously estimated too, but more accurate than the ~6100).

So my original reconciliation fee was £271, now after 5 months of proving that their estimation was wrong it is now £279. :mad:

The official changeover was 24th March

naedanger

mattbianco1 wrote: »

Hi,

wonder if anybody can offer me advice on the following:

I suggest you first calculate what you think the bill should be using the correct final readings. Keep the gas and electricity bill calculations separately. Make sure United Warehouse (and Ovo) have the same final readings.

Is it actually possible to win these types of cases?

It is certainly possible to pay no more than you are due to pay provided you make your case clearly.

OVO_Energy

Hi Mattbianco1. Sorry to hear about the confusion surrounding your opening reading. We’re glad to hear it’s all sorted now. If we can do anything else to help, please send an email to socialmedia@ovoenergy.com with your account number. Thanks, OVO

System

Ovo_Energy_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Mattbianco1. Sorry to hear about the confusion surrounding your opening reading. We’re glad to hear it’s all sorted now. If we can do anything else to help, please send an email to socialmedia@ovoenergy.com with your account number. Thanks, OVO

What is the point in Ovo CS making general comments on posts that are over 5 weeks old? If they are stretched, then they would do better using their resources to answer queries e-mailed to them.

mattbianco1

Ovo_Energy_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Mattbianco1. Sorry to hear about the confusion surrounding your opening reading. We’re glad to hear it’s all sorted now. If we can do anything else to help, please send an email to socialmedia@ovoenergy.com with your account number. Thanks, OVO

It's not sorted. It is still in dispute.

Quentin

Ovo_Energy_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Mattbianco1. Sorry to hear about the confusion surrounding your opening reading. We’re glad to hear it’s all sorted now. If we can do anything else to help, please send an email to [EMAIL="socialmedia@ovoenergy.com"]socialmedia@ovoenergy.com[/EMAIL] with your account number. Thanks, OVO

Poor show.


Reps using their status on MSE just to bump up an old thread and tell us a problem has been solved (when it turns out it hasn't) is surely a breach of their posting privilege, and looks to be a cheap way of waving their tattered flag to let us know how good their company is(n't)!

OVO_Energy

Hi Mattbianco1,

We’re sorry to hear it’s still beingdisputed. We would like to do what we can to speed this up for you. If youwould like us to help, please send your account number and full name to [EMAIL="socialmedia@ovoenergy.com"]socialmedia@ovoenergy.com[/EMAIL].

Thanks,OVO