Switchover Fiasco - Help!!

nicki_moo

Hi

I recently switched from Scottish Power to Sainsbury's Energy. Sainsbury's Energy have submitted an incorrect final meter reading to Scottish Power (though we submitted it to them correctly), and as a consequence SP attempted to remove £8,910 from our bank account on Saturday. As it was scheduled to come out on Monday, even though it had not left our account it meant we were over £7k overdrawn and we had no access to our money over the weekend. We had to borrow money from parents just to put food on the table and fuel in the car instead of spending a weekend at the seaside with our children as we could not afford to get there!

It was lucky that I happened to try to purchase something online and it was declined so I logged on to my bank account to query why - when I saw this massive (incorrect) charge.

The amount of time, effort and stress this has caused has been staggering and my husband is not in the best of health - stress does not help him at all! We managed to stop the DD on Monday although the funds didn't clear until Tuesday. Our Mortgage and other bills were due out on Monday and thankfully the bank managed to force them through so at least they have been paid.

We feel really let down by both energy suppliers and our bank - as not one of them spotted this massive bill and to be honest they were all really unhelpful when trying to resolve it - all passing the buck to one another.

This was only a short term issue however, we have put in a letter of complaint to all three companies. Scottish Power have been the first to really contact us, and have offered us £50 compensation. I believe that for the stress and effort we should be entitled to more, but most of all I think there needs to be a look at how things like this are managed and to address why not one of the three companies realised there had been a massive error and put a stop to it. I think if it had been a credit for the same amount this would certainly have been stopped.

Coincidentally, SP have confirmed today that our gas account is actually in credit by over £600!

We have not yet heard from Sainsbury's Energy or Nat West about our complaint.

I'm all for taking this to the ombudsman - not particularly for the money, but I want systems to be put in place to ensure that they can't do this to customers. I worry about vulnerable people and also what would have happened if I hadn't spotted the payment going out in time as it would have meant that my mortgage and other bills would not have been paid - which would have affected my credit rating.

Any advice?

JJ_Egan

If you want more then you will need to quantify your losses .

System

nicki_moo wrote: »

Hi

I recently switched from Scottish Power to Sainsbury's Energy. Sainsbury's Energy have submitted an incorrect final meter reading to Scottish Power (though we submitted it to them correctly), and as a consequence SP attempted to remove £8,910 from our bank account on Saturday. As it was scheduled to come out on Monday, even though it had not left our account it meant we were over £7k overdrawn and we had no access to our money over the weekend. We had to borrow money from parents just to put food on the table and fuel in the car instead of spending a weekend at the seaside with our children as we could not afford to get there!

It was lucky that I happened to try to purchase something online and it was declined so I logged on to my bank account to query why - when I saw this massive (incorrect) charge.

The amount of time, effort and stress this has caused has been staggering and my husband is not in the best of health - stress does not help him at all! We managed to stop the DD on Monday although the funds didn't clear until Tuesday. Our Mortgage and other bills were due out on Monday and thankfully the bank managed to force them through so at least they have been paid.

We feel really let down by both energy suppliers and our bank - as not one of them spotted this massive bill and to be honest they were all really unhelpful when trying to resolve it - all passing the buck to one another.

This was only a short term issue however, we have put in a letter of complaint to all three companies. Scottish Power have been the first to really contact us, and have offered us £50 compensation. I believe that for the stress and effort we should be entitled to more, but most of all I think there needs to be a look at how things like this are managed and to address why not one of the three companies realised there had been a massive error and put a stop to it. I think if it had been a credit for the same amount this would certainly have been stopped.

Coincidentally, SP have confirmed today that our gas account is actually in credit by over £600!

We have not yet heard from Sainsbury's Energy or Nat West about our complaint.

I'm all for taking this to the ombudsman - not particularly for the money, but I want systems to be put in place to ensure that they can't do this to customers. I worry about vulnerable people and also what would have happened if I hadn't spotted the payment going out in time as it would have meant that my mortgage and other bills would not have been paid - which would have affected my credit rating.

Any advice?

Under the terms of the DD Guarantee, the supplier should have notified you in advance of this withdrawal. If the supplier complies with the terms of the DD Scheme, then your Bank cannot refuse payment unless there are insufficient funds in your account.

The fault here lies with the gaining supplier. You provided meter readings as requested which go through a third party (independent) for review. The 'reviewed' meter readings are then passed to the gaining and losing suppliers. At this point, the gaining supplier should have noted the discrepancy and raised a dispute as the adjudicated readings were clearly outwith industry-accepted norms. Had a dispute been raised, then your final bill process would have been halted.

Taking it to The Energy Ombudsman is a protracted process that takes months. I doubt that you will be paid any more compensation and I am not sure that The Energy Ombudsman has any method of protecting vulnerable people. Having had experience of the system, I found it to be an ineffective resolution service as they just didn't bother to read much of the supporting paperwork provided to them.

Nathan94

nicki_moo wrote: »

Hi

I recently switched from Scottish Power to Sainsbury's Energy. Sainsbury's Energy have submitted an incorrect final meter reading to Scottish Power (though we submitted it to them correctly), and as a consequence SP attempted to remove £8,910 from our bank account on Saturday. As it was scheduled to come out on Monday, even though it had not left our account it meant we were over £7k overdrawn and we had no access to our money over the weekend. We had to borrow money from parents just to put food on the table and fuel in the car instead of spending a weekend at the seaside with our children as we could not afford to get there!

It was lucky that I happened to try to purchase something online and it was declined so I logged on to my bank account to query why - when I saw this massive (incorrect) charge.

The amount of time, effort and stress this has caused has been staggering and my husband is not in the best of health - stress does not help him at all! We managed to stop the DD on Monday although the funds didn't clear until Tuesday. Our Mortgage and other bills were due out on Monday and thankfully the bank managed to force them through so at least they have been paid.

We feel really let down by both energy suppliers and our bank - as not one of them spotted this massive bill and to be honest they were all really unhelpful when trying to resolve it - all passing the buck to one another.

This was only a short term issue however, we have put in a letter of complaint to all three companies. Scottish Power have been the first to really contact us, and have offered us £50 compensation. I believe that for the stress and effort we should be entitled to more, but most of all I think there needs to be a look at how things like this are managed and to address why not one of the three companies realised there had been a massive error and put a stop to it. I think if it had been a credit for the same amount this would certainly have been stopped.

Coincidentally, SP have confirmed today that our gas account is actually in credit by over £600!

We have not yet heard from Sainsbury's Energy or Nat West about our complaint.

I'm all for taking this to the ombudsman - not particularly for the money, but I want systems to be put in place to ensure that they can't do this to customers. I worry about vulnerable people and also what would have happened if I hadn't spotted the payment going out in time as it would have meant that my mortgage and other bills would not have been paid - which would have affected my credit rating.

Any advice?

How did anyone try to take £8,910 from your bank account on Saturday?

As the attempt failed, how come your are £7k overdrawn? Or is this nothing to do with the fact someone attempted to take £8,910 from your bank account on Saturday?

How did you allow your gas account become £600 in credit?

I guess the possibilties of seeing the the actual bills for this is probably less than the chances of winning the lotto jackpot for the next 4 weeks in a row - on both Wednsdays & Saturdays.

Not that I doubt a word you say, of course...

Talk about a fiasco