Co-Op Energy bungle - credit repayment / lost electric meter reading

oidhche

I am having problems with Co-Op Energy returning an account credit to me.

At the beginning of February I switched from them to Sainsburys Energy. The account was in credit, but Co-Op Energy claimed that they hadn't received the final electric meter reading from Sainsburys which would trigger repayment of the credit amount. Sainsburys claimed it had been provided. Co-op said they would look into it, but I then didn't hear back from them.

When I contacted them in March Co-op said that because they were going through their billing system upgrade I would have to wait until this was complete then re-register my account on their website, and that it may then take another 14 days for the information to be updated.

I did so, which took us to the beginning of April. I checked the online account and there was no information on it. I contacted their customer service team and they said they would re-generate the bill and resend it. This was around 1st/2nd April (so maybe they were being April Fools - or maybe I was!!).

Two weeks have gone by and no new bill was received, so I contacted them at the end of last week. The girl I spoke to said that it had definitely been sent but she would generate another bill, and it may then take another 14 days to work out the credit. At this point I lost the plot and asked to speak to her manager, which she refused to allow. She went to talk to them and on her return offered me a £15 good will gesture, and said she would regenerate the letter and make the payment of the credit amount via BACS that day.

Needless to say she didn't, and no letter has been received with the final reading.

I have tweeted my dissatisfaction which obviously got a fairly quick response from their Twitter team (who knock off at 4pm). They have said they are looking into it but another two days have gone by with no response, no letter and no refund.

I have submitted a subject access request to the Co-op to get evidence of all the communications between me and them, and have written to the CIO to complain about the Co-op's treatment of me and their withholding of my money.

I think my next step is to contact the energy ombudsman - is this correct? Does anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed with this? I am losing the capacity for rational thought where the Co-op is concerned.

footyguy

oidhche wrote: »

I am having problems with Co-Op Energy returning an account credit to me.

At the beginning of February I switched from them to Sainsburys Energy. The account was in credit, but Co-Op Energy claimed that they hadn't received the final electric meter reading from Sainsburys which would trigger repayment of the credit amount. Sainsburys claimed it had been provided. Co-op said they would look into it, but I then didn't hear back from them.

When I contacted them in March Co-op said that because they were going through their billing system upgrade I would have to wait until this was complete then re-register my account on their website, and that it may then take another 14 days for the information to be updated.

I did so, which took us to the beginning of April. I checked the online account and there was no information on it. I contacted their customer service team and they said they would re-generate the bill and resend it. This was around 1st/2nd April (so maybe they were being April Fools - or maybe I was!!).

Two weeks have gone by and no new bill was received, so I contacted them at the end of last week. The girl I spoke to said that it had definitely been sent but she would generate another bill, and it may then take another 14 days to work out the credit. At this point I lost the plot and asked to speak to her manager, which she refused to allow. She went to talk to them and on her return offered me a £15 good will gesture, and said she would regenerate the letter and make the payment of the credit amount via BACS that day.

Needless to say she didn't, and no letter has been received with the final reading.

I have tweeted my dissatisfaction which obviously got a fairly quick response from their Twitter team (who knock off at 4pm). They have said they are looking into it but another two days have gone by with no response, no letter and no refund.

I have submitted a subject access request to the Co-op to get evidence of all the communications between me and them, and have written to the CIO to complain about the Co-op's treatment of me and their withholding of my money.

I think my next step is to contact the energy ombudsman - is this correct? Does anyone have any suggestions about how to proceed with this? I am losing the capacity for rational thought where the Co-op is concerned.

You need to follow the supplier's own complaint procedure before the ombudsman will take any interest.

spiro

footyguy wrote: »

You need to follow the supplier's own complaint procedure before the ombudsman will take any interest.

You need to bear in mind the supplier has 8 weeks to respond to your complaint.