First Utility Nightmare - HELP!!!!

JFouracre

OK So here's my story:

1. Joined First Utility in Apr 2014
2. After repeated phone calls received my first Bill in Feb 2015.
3. Set up a fixed direct debit to chip away at it slowly.
4. payment didn't leave on specified date, phoned First Utility and re-arranged Direct Debit.
5. Payment didn't leave again, phoned up and was advised this was an IT issue.
6. Recived a letter from First Utility confirming DD. On same day received a letter of harassment they would be send collectors for the money.
7. Phoned up to complain and was provided a small compensation. Was also advised the amount owed was put on suspend.
8. Advised that meter readings for Gas should be correct as I regularly send them and should not be guessed. Was told by a rep he would email each month and never heard from again.
9. Contacted OS-Energy to raise a dispute but was told as issue has been going on 9+ months I cannot.
10. Made fifth attempt to setup DD and surprise Surprise it never left my account.
11. Now received another threatening letter from First Utility.
12. Once again wasting hours of my time on the phone to sort this out.

Two questions:

1. What are my rights when I cannot pay off a debt this old?
2. Who do I go to when ofgem refuse to acknowledge the problem?

I have many emails and record all phone calls so I can build an accurate timeline of the painful incompetence of First Utility. Right now I just want a decent provider and the debt to be written off.

footyguy

JFouracre wrote: »

OK So here's my story:

1. Joined First Utility in Apr 2014
2. After repeated phone calls received my first Bill in Feb 2015.
3. Set up a fixed direct debit to chip away at it slowly.
4. payment didn't leave on specified date, phoned First Utility and re-arranged Direct Debit.
5. Payment didn't leave again, phoned up and was advised this was an IT issue.
6. Recived a letter from First Utility confirming DD. On same day received a letter of harassment they would be send collectors for the money.
7. Phoned up to complain and was provided a small compensation. Was also advised the amount owed was put on suspend.
8. Advised that meter readings for Gas should be correct as I regularly send them and should not be guessed. Was told by a rep he would email each month and never heard from again.
9. Contacted OS-Energy to raise a dispute but was told as issue has been going on 9+ months I cannot.
10. Made fifth attempt to setup DD and surprise Surprise it never left my account.
11. Now received another threatening letter from First Utility.
12. Once again wasting hours of my time on the phone to sort this out.

Two questions:

1. What are my rights when I cannot pay off a debt this old?
2. Who do I go to when ofgem refuse to acknowledge the problem?

I have many emails and record all phone calls so I can build an accurate timeline of the painful incompetence of First Utility. Right now I just want a decent provider and the debt to be written off.

In answer to your numbered questions

1. You don't have any rights. You owe the money. Pay up.
2. Court.
(but what problem do you have, other than claiming you can't afford to pay your debts?)


If you are having trouble paying your debts, try the Debt Free Wannabe board - they are always very helpful.

naedanger

JFouracre wrote: »

OK So here's my story:

1. Joined First Utility in Apr 2014
2. After repeated phone calls received my first Bill in Feb 2015.
3. Set up a fixed direct debit to chip away at it slowly.
4. payment didn't leave on specified date, phoned First Utility and re-arranged Direct Debit.
5. Payment didn't leave again, phoned up and was advised this was an IT issue.
6. Recived a letter from First Utility confirming DD. On same day received a letter of harassment they would be send collectors for the money.
7. Phoned up to complain and was provided a small compensation. Was also advised the amount owed was put on suspend.
8. Advised that meter readings for Gas should be correct as I regularly send them and should not be guessed. Was told by a rep he would email each month and never heard from again.
9. Contacted OS-Energy to raise a dispute but was told as issue has been going on 9+ months I cannot.
10. Made fifth attempt to setup DD and surprise Surprise it never left my account.
11. Now received another threatening letter from First Utility.
12. Once again wasting hours of my time on the phone to sort this out.

Two questions:

1. What are my rights when I cannot pay off a debt this old?
2. Who do I go to when ofgem refuse to acknowledge the problem?

I have many emails and record all phone calls so I can build an accurate timeline of the painful incompetence of First Utility. Right now I just want a decent provider and the debt to be written off.

It is not obvious from the above that OS-Energy were right in time barring your complaint.

When did you first formally complain to your supplier? When did they first tell you that you could complain to OS-Energy? When did your supplier first tell you that if you wished to take your complaint to OS-Energy that you had a limited time to do so?

Unless nine months has passed since you were first told you had nine months to take your complaint to OS-Energy I would go back to them and explain you do not believe your complaint should be time barred as you were first informed about the nine month deadline less that nine months ago. If they don't then consider your complaint I would next complain about OS-Energy through their complaints process.

JFouracre

In response to reply one, I can only assume you did not read the post? I am willing to pay but am NOT willing to pay all at once. In fact if it didn't take them almost a year to produce the first bill I wouldn't have a problem. All I want to do is setup a fixed Direct Debit to chip away slowly at this and yet on five occasions they have completely failed to set this up. Don't even get me started on the letters of harassment I receive from them.


To the second responder. I have been complaining continually, first about getting a bill, which took almost a year. And now with the failure to setup a Direct Debit. I did go through to their complaints department who fair enough did offer compensation. But shortly afterwards provided a bill with a guesstimate for the gas instead of using the meter readings I've been regularly supplying. They never suggested who I could complain to, I had to research this myself and hence never advised there was a limited timescale to do so. I will take your advice about OS-Energy but first I am going to see if the sixth attempt to setup the Direct Debit actually works.

naedanger

JFouracre wrote: »

In response to reply one, I can only assume you did not read the post? I am willing to pay but am NOT willing to pay all at once. In fact if it didn't take them almost a year to produce the first bill I wouldn't have a problem. All I want to do is setup a fixed Direct Debit to chip away slowly at this and yet on five occasions they have completely failed to set this up. Don't even get me started on the letters of harassment I receive from them.


To the second responder. I have been complaining continually, first about getting a bill, which took almost a year. And now with the failure to setup a Direct Debit. I did go through to their complaints department who fair enough did offer compensation. But shortly afterwards provided a bill with a guesstimate for the gas instead of using the meter readings I've been regularly supplying. They never suggested who I could complain to, I had to research this myself and hence never advised there was a limited timescale to do so. I will take your advice about OS-Energy but first I am going to see if the sixth attempt to setup the Direct Debit actually works.

If your sixth attempt is unsuccessful then: as your supplier never told you about your ability to complain to OS-Energy then I would write back to OS-Energy saying you believe it is unfair that your complaint is time barred because the reason you never complained earlier was that you were unaware you had the option to complain to them as your supplier never informed you about this right. If they then still refuse to consider your complaint then post back here.

footyguy

JFouracre wrote: »

In response to reply one, I can only assume you did not read the post? I am willing to pay but am NOT willing to pay all at once. In fact if it didn't take them almost a year to produce the first bill I wouldn't have a problem. All I want to do is setup a fixed Direct Debit to chip away slowly at this and yet on five occasions they have completely failed to set this up. Don't even get me started on the letters of harassment I receive from them...

Best not to assume

amcg100

Since you have a significant bank of evidence I think you have heaps of rights here. If your energy company has been negligent in the management of your payment accounts then they can be brought to book.
The first thing is to secure your supply.
1. Seek an injunction in your lower court to prevent disconnection of supply.
2. Make arrangements to save money in a bank account which is equivalent to what you owe.
3. Appoint a solicitor to sue the company for negligence.

JFouracre

Quick update:

They finally got the direct debit sorted, funnily enough threatening to not pay at all does seem to do the job. However to little too late I have switched to another supplier now and was just going to finish off whittling down the amount I owe First Utility.

However, despite the fact I have left them I have just noticed I am still being charged by them. I have sent them an email regarding this, along with an email to my new supplier to get confirmation that they did in fact advise First Utility of the switch over.

jbuchanangb

If you have a large amount outstanding with F-U then they may decide to block your switch to another provider. A year or so back when F-U failed repeatedly to activate a DD, I made a debit card payment to them over the phone. I did in fact pay the full amount owing, but in your case you could have offered a reasonable amount, funded from the money you were putting aside to cover the DDs which weren't happening.

JFouracre

I am already with the new supplier who have gotten back to me advising the below.

Ecoes (the Industry website for Electric meters) and Xoserve (the industry website for Gas meters) they will be able to see this.

[FONT=&quot]They should have produced your final bill up until the 3th July 2015.

After eight days FU have not responded at all, I have now sent them a final email advising they have seven days to get the bill calculated to the correct date or I will be taking them to the small claims court for the stress involved in this whole fiasco.
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