Add your feedback on energy supplier Iresa

Al_Ross

HappyTracey wrote: »

REALLY unhappy with Iresa customer service. I was told I was over £400 in credit and could have it back, told to wait ten working days, did so, nothing received. Called them only to be told they had made an error and had told me completely incorrect information, full of apologies and said they would take ownership and put it right for me. They did not keep their promises at all. I chased it again only to be lied to and told the person I wanted was 'busy' and then within two minutes was actually off sick ! Then when asked for a manager was told that was not ' company policy' and there were no managers there as they do ' different things' ! I am now in the process of raising this as a complaint in the second stage of their process and I do not intend to remain with this company and wish I had never moved to them in the first place. I am happy to pay for what I use BUT like most people when told £400 is going back into my account, those funds quickly became allocated for other purposes ( I am unwell and am unfortunately currently find myself reliant upon benefits so this is especially pertinent !). My person advice, out of choice, LOOK ELSEWHERE for a provider.

I had the same problem,£400 in credit, they told me it was passed to their finance department to do.3 months later, still no refund. I complained to the Energy Ombudsman and it was quickly done after that.

The Ombudsman awarded me £30 for all my troubles, but I have just heard today they are disputing it.

My advice to all if your complaint is if not being met by Iresa ,get onto "The Energy Ombudsman" and let them handle it.

The service is free and you may be entitled to something for your troubles.

System

Al_Ross wrote: »

I had the same problem,£400 in credit, they told me it was passed to their finance department to do.3 months later, still no refund. I complained to the Energy Ombudsman and it was quickly done after that.

The Ombudsman awarded me £30 for all my troubles, but I have just heard today they are disputing it.

My advice to all if your complaint is if not being met by Iresa ,get onto "The Energy Ombudsman" and let them handle it.

The service is free and you may be entitled to something for your troubles.

It also costs the supplier £400 a complaint in Ombudsman fees.

Al_Ross

Hengus wrote: »

It also costs the supplier £400 a complaint in Ombudsman fees.

If the ruling is found in Iresa favour,I presume they don't have to pay?

footyguy

Al_Ross wrote: »

...
The Ombudsman awarded me £30 for all my troubles, but I have just heard today they are disputing it....

You must have heard wrong.

There is no appeal against the ombudsman's decision/resolution (and your subsequent agreement to that decision)

footyguy

Al_Ross wrote: »

If the ruling is found in Iresa favour,I presume they don't have to pay?

You presume wrong (in most cases)

It is an investigation fee, and arises where the supplier has failed to resolve the matter directly with the customer.

Exceptions do apply, such as where the supplier has not been given the opportunity to resolve the matter, where the claim is considered vexatious, etc.
In those instances, the fee does not apply as there is no proper investigation by the ombudsman.

macman

Just to update others who may be in a similar position. My billing complaint was upheld by the OE about a month ago, and Iresa confirmed to them they they had complied with the ruling. In fact, they had only partially complied. Electricity meter point set up, reads correctly recorded, £50 credit applied, but no actual bill. The OE asked me to give them 14 days to validate the readings and generate a bill. That 14 days grace period expired today without any sight of a bill, so I have gone back to the OE and asked them to take further sanctions.
If this costs Iresa another £400, so be it. My patience has run out after 7 months.
The sting in the tail is that I'm in credit overall by about £220, but they refuse to reduce my DD because they have no bill to base any reduction on!

ASavvyBuyer

Al_Ross wrote: »

I had the same problem,£400 in credit,

How did you (and others) manage to build up a real credit of £400 ? The usage figures you used for signing up must have been a lot higher than your normal usage, thereby inflating your monthly direct debit payment. I can understand building up a credit in the summer months to offset winter consumption, but it should balance out over the year.

When we noticed we were using slightly more electricity than estimated we asked Iresa to increase our DD by a couple of pounds and it was actioned by the next payment. When it comes to the end of the one year contract, we estimate being no more than £20 in credit.

grumpycrab

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

How did you (and others) manage to build up a real credit of £400 ? I can understand building up a credit in the summer months.

What's the difference between a real credit and current credit? My current credit is £350 - built up over the summer months - is that not how it works? (oh damn - that's me paid off another Iresa fine from the OE !)

ASavvyBuyer

grumpycrab wrote: »

What's the difference between a real credit and current credit? My current credit is £350 - built up over the summer months - is that not how it works? (oh damn - that's me paid off another Iresa fine from the OE !)

Is that credit based on actual up to date readings & up to date bills? Or is it because you have not been billed for some of your electric or gas consumption so far? I am assuming that you have submitted meter readings every month and checked that the bills match those readings.

grumpycrab

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Is that credit based on actual up to date readings & up to date bills? Or is it because you have not been billed for some of your electric or gas consumption so far? I am assuming that you have submitted meter readings every month and checked that the bills match those readings.

Yes ,sorry for clouding the issue, my credit is a "summer credit" with uptodate meter reads+bills. It'll soon disappear when the temperature drops, assuming Iresa are still in business by then.