Sainsburys Energy complaint - compensation, or ombudsman?

ollie72

I did a switch through Cheap Energy Club to the Sainburys Energy (British Gas) deal in Feb. The electricity switched fine, but the gas did not. Sainsburys switched my neighbour's supply instead. They didn't notice until I got involved. They then said they'd reverse it and redo it. It now seems this has happened THREE times, and each time the switch fails. Sainsburys are clueless. As of today the gas switch is no closer to happening due to "a system issue" that no-one seems to solve. I've switched twice before with no problems, and no meters have been changed.

The complaint has been active for eight weeks, so I have the right to go to the ombudsman as there's no end in sight. It's obvious to everyone they will be paying compensation to me, and they accept this. But my question is, to get the most money out of these clowns to make up for the problems, am I best being patient and pushing Sainsburys to pay me, or might I get more compensation through the ombudsman? I am planning to ask for £250 (I've been paid this before by British Gas at another address for lesser !!!!-ups).

Any help appreciated. The more these dreadful companies pay in compensation the more they will learn to treat customers better. I'd rather have had a decent service in the first place.

quaybab

Maximum you will get is about £100 from the ombudsman and they won't award you more than what BG offer.
It may be worth while getting your neighbour to put in a complaint to BG when yours has completed at the energy ombudsman should you go that way.
Since BG will probably blame money supermarket, you should put in a complaint to them (see http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/domestic-consumers/switching-your-energy-supplier/confidence-code).

canterswest

Does anyone know if Ofgem will take on complaints about the switching service offered by Cheap Energy Club?

CEC is not accredited by Ofgem. Moneysupermarket.com is.

I would guess this is a way for Moneysupermarket.com Plc to appear in front of MPs and claim it complies with the industry regulator, when in fact 90% of the group's switches go through CEC so are not subject to any complaints procedure.

Clever set up for CEC and Moneysupermarket to leave most customers without the ability to make switching complaints to the regulator Ofgem.

ollie72

Based on the information I have at the moment, the switch mistake was made by Sainsburys Energy (British Gas) not by CEC. Sainburys have admitted they switched the wrong supply and have told me they will compensate me. It's been nearly three months so far and they've yet to even reverse the switch. They told me my neighbour would "not even know" about the problem, but I suspect they do (I do not know this neighbour, they are some distance away).

It seems my best bet is to wait for Sainsburys Energy to reverse the messed up switch, resolve their system issue, switch it correctly, and then ask for compensation on the basis it's cheaper for them to pay me than pay the ombudsman and there are some clear losses suffered by me including paying the old utility provider's standard rate, phone calls, etc. It's remarkable how so the staff at SE are so utterly impotent when it comes to resolving these issues.

energyworker

They should offer to pay any difference between what you have paid your current supplier and what you would have paid on the presumably lower tariff offered by Sainsburys. Then a further payment for inconvenience. I would not expect to receive anything beyond £100.

Presuming that Sainsburys make an offer in this ballpark the Ombudsman are extremely unlikely to increase it. I've even known the Ombudsman to offer less than the supplier themselves did.

pookie_84

Hi there - I am in pretty much the exact same situation as you.
I had to inform Sainsburys they'd taken over the wrong gas supply (allbeit once, not three times) - they have taken 5 months to sort it out.
To be fair, once it got to the point where it was being dealt with by a complaints handler (i.e. after the claim had been open over 8 weeks), it has been handled relatively well.
I am now at the point where we are talking about compensation - be warned!! They offered me an utterly pathetic £25 which is no where near what I've over paid to my old supplier, let alone taking into account the fact I've spent hours on the phone to them and been inconvenienced by the whole situation which was their fault in the first place.
I told them the £25 was an insult and they said I could go away and come with an idea of what I think is a decent amount to be compensated. They are calling me back to discuss tomorrow. I plan on asking for the amount I've lost by continuing to pay my old supplier, plus some kind of goodwill gesture from them for putting me out.
I will report back!!
Good luck with your complaint.

ollie72

If it helps others... I've now agreed with Sainsburys Energy to close my complaint with them paying me £100. If they tell you they only every pay £25, keep pushing to be treated better.

naedanger

energyworker wrote: »

TI've even known the Ombudsman to offer less than the supplier themselves did.

Have you ever known the Ombudsman to offer more than the consumer was seeking, in cases where the consumer stated the amount they were seeking?