First Utility Didnt bill exit fee's but charged for, what my position?

pablo86_2

Hi All,

Hopefully a pretty simple one here.

So I switched from the dreadful first utility last December during a mass MSE switch.

My account was still in credit when leaving and only now have I managed to start getting the cash back.

They have charged me exit fee's which I would have no fuss or objective over as its within the contract.
However they have not billed me for the exit fee's but just taken them off my account credit, which I find unacceptable.

They blame this on a problem with their computer systems but working in I.T myself I know this is not a valid excuse.

I've emailed them to say they basically need to produce me a bill with the charges included or otherwise refund the £60.

I'm pretty sure I'm within my rights to expect a receipt/bill or invoice for the charge for my own records

Even if the charge is wrote into the contract this surely doesn't excuse them from producing some sort of bill for it?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul

modsandmockers

Are you still owed money by First Utility? If not, then I don't really understand the problem. Have you received a final bill which shows the same final meter readings as the new supplier's opening reads? Are you able to check the accuracy of the final bill (with or without the exit fees)? if the final bill itemises the exit fees, then surely you have the necessary figures for your records.

Nada666

As far as I can see your complaint is the balance of your account vs usage was positive. Rather than transferring this sum to you then separately sending a demand for you to pay some of it back they decidedly to simply adjust your account up front.

This, to you, is an egregious violation of your contractual rights.

If you say so.

naedanger

pablo86 wrote: »

Hi All,

Hopefully a pretty simple one here.

So I switched from the dreadful first utility last December during a mass MSE switch.

My account was still in credit when leaving and only now have I managed to start getting the cash back.

They have charged me exit fee's which I would have no fuss or objective over as its within the contract.
However they have not billed me for the exit fee's but just taken them off my account credit, which I find unacceptable.

They blame this on a problem with their computer systems but working in I.T myself I know this is not a valid excuse.

I've emailed them to say they basically need to produce me a bill with the charges included or otherwise refund the £60.

I'm pretty sure I'm within my rights to expect a receipt/bill or invoice for the charge for my own records

Even if the charge is wrote into the contract this surely doesn't excuse them from producing some sort of bill for it?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul

I agree you are entitled to a final bill showing all charges including exit charges.

I suggest you send them a complaint by email (so you have a copy). Also ask for a copy of their complaints procedure and follow it. (If your complaint has not been resolved after 8 weeks then you can take it to the independent energy ombudsman service.)

If they don't resolve the matter efficiently you could ask for some redress for your inconvenience e.g. if they force you to go to the Ombudsman I would suggest a figure of £25.

Personally I would not expect or ask them to waive the exit charges.

pablo86_2

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

Just to clarify I'm not trying wriggle my way out of the exit fee's here. I'm fully aware I entered into a contract that included such fee's and was aware that they would be exercised when I switched.

One of the reasons I switched in the first place though was due to their appalling customer service which I wont go into detail about here.

I've sent them an email in which I state they are clearly entitled to charge the fee's as detailed in the contract but commenting that I equally expect the exit fee's to be have been included on my "final bill".

I wouldn't usually be to bothered but this supplier messed me about so much and continue to do so even when leaving that on this one occasion I feel like flexing my consumer muscle.

As a business owner myself I wouldn't dream of charging a client without presenting them with a bill for a service, item or charge.

So I guess this is really just a matter of principle to me more than anything else.

Thanks again for the replies.