Do Ofgem cover LPG providers?

emv

Having real issues with our LPG supplier, they filled up a tank without any notice so we received LPG over the summer when we couldn't use it and weren't ready to pay for it.

Then they didn't issue a bill but debited our account so payment bounced, did the same again twice more despite me asking for a bill. They've now offered a small credit that covers bank charges but not much more. I think this probably constitutes a breach of contract but trying to go through the complaints process at the moment. Can I go to Ofgem if I'm not happy with their response?

Em

LittleVermin

emv wrote: »

Having real issues with our LPG supplier, they filled up a tank without any notice so we received LPG over the summer when we couldn't use it and weren't ready to pay for it.

Then they didn't issue a bill but debited our account so payment bounced, did the same again twice more despite me asking for a bill. They've now offered a small credit that covers bank charges but not much more. I think this probably constitutes a breach of contract but trying to go through the complaints process at the moment. Can I go to Ofgem if I'm not happy with their response?

Em

Sorry about your problems - which is the supplier?


Ofgem only covers the privatised energy suppliers - the LPG suppliers were always private so were not included.


But your supplier may have breached the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008: best to read the small print of your contract and the regs. I presume they always tell you the price before they deliver?


Good luck! (And I expect you'll be changing supplier when your 2 year contract is up. Lots on the Bulk LPG thread...and please post any quotes you get there).

emv

Thanks, LittleVermin, I suspected they may not be covered but wanted to ask. We did have the price before delivery but we had planned to order about £250 worth and received £750. I am wondering whether this is a breach of contract which means we could change supplier entirely but just not sure how to move forward at the moment.

LittleVermin

emv wrote: »

Thanks, LittleVermin, I suspected they may not be covered but wanted to ask. We did have the price before delivery but we had planned to order about £250 worth and received £750. I am wondering whether this is a breach of contract which means we could change supplier entirely but just not sure how to move forward at the moment.

Glad they told you the price in advance. Several stories on Bulk LPG thread where this was NOT the case - so a breach of the Unfair Trading Regs.

Whether supplying you with £750 LPG when you were planning to order around £250 is a breach of contract depends on the small print. Does your supplier ONLY do fills, rather than partial fills (except when THEY choose not to - maybe because end of a run or spreading LPG out in a hard winter). Are you on auto-top up? ..in which case you have no case. Many suppliers, btw, only seem to do complete fills nowadays.

Whatever you discover the advice on the Bulk LPG forum is always to send either a recorded delivery OR an email with a 'read receipt' request AND attach a note to the tanker driver to the tank. There are too many reports where suppliers say they did not receive an oral message / never agreed something orally ...etc, etc!
..

emv

Thanks, lots of useful advice. We're not on auto top up, this was our first fill & we had discussed a partial fill with the salesman who didn't indicate that they didn't do this. Checking T & Cs yet again now, I'll know them off by heart before long. I've sent another recorded letter, have asked to correspond by e-mail for speed so will hopefully get a faster reply. Attaching a note to the tank is a brilliant idea too.

Thanks

Em

LittleVermin

emv wrote: »

Thanks, lots of useful advice. We're not on auto top up, this was our first fill & we had discussed a partial fill with the salesman who didn't indicate that they didn't do this. Checking T & Cs yet again now, I'll know them off by heart before long. I've sent another recorded letter, have asked to correspond by e-mail for speed so will hopefully get a faster reply. Attaching a note to the tank is a brilliant idea too.

Thanks

Em

....and your supplier is?


There are horror stories on the Bulk LPG forum where 1. major suppliers have filled tanks when switching was already going through (and then demanded payment saying tank couldn't be pumped out ..which is rubbish) 2. major suppliers have filled despite being told no LPG was required, etc, etc. Of course we hear only one side of the story, but there IS a pattern! And posters rarely post what finally happened, despite being asked to when given advice. You'll understand why the usual advice on the forum is to go for an independent, if you can, and enjoy talking to a human, and usually the same human, rather than a call centre!


PS the salesman would have known if they didn't do partial fills! It's a question that must come up all the time, along with budget plans so a bill for e.g. £750 doesn't arrive with a 'pay within 30 days' attached.