Add your feedback on energy supplier Iresa

brewerdave

There is now a note on the main IRESA landing page re "Payment for Energy charges" and "Direct debit increase" which has been added ( presumably) because of the horrendous wait times on the phone lines - they are obviously scrabbling around to maximise inbound cashflow.
I'm checking my account every morning to make sure they don't try to pull a fast one on me!!

footyguy

webbit wrote: »

very difficult to contact, gave me 5 days notice of 20% increase in DD which i rang them to get them to alter yet they said it could not be done for 3 months (well i did it and canncelled my dd), contract ended now so moved to another company

webbit wrote: »

just moved to ovo from Ireasa hopefully better customer service

So you came here to post the same post 3 times in different threads?

Enjoy paying the higher prices

Good luck!

footyguy

footyguy wrote: »

...
In my case, they have now added a comment to my support log saying that the current balance as shown on the first page is absolutely correct for all consumption according to the meter reading I gave on 31 Dec

A shame it isn't, but if that is what they want to declare, then I'm prepared to forego interest they owe me for the consumption they have have not billed. I'll let them find the error, but it's glaringly obvious if they look at the transactions page (a copy of which I have downloaded today)

Further update.

Iresa have now identified the consumption they didn't bill me for, so have gone in and changed the bills again (deleting, without trace, the erroneous ones ... but I already have a copy downloaded!)

Which means the written statement they provided confirming the balance at 31-Dec was itself wrong (I knew it was, but no one wanted to hear me)

So now I'm back to arguing where my interest is I say they owe me.
That'll need more revised bills, presumably :rotfl:

At least the bill history page now stacks up. But that will probably have to change again if/when they give me the interest I say they owe, due to the revised bills I expect again.

To cap it all, I also received an email from gocardless.com regarding the next payment to be collected by DD. Seems Iresa have forgotten to tell them what we agreed.

Johncharlesp

I signed with Iresa for 'leccy on a Flex 4 12 month Fixed Direct Debit. Supply commenced May '17.
They bill me £18.56/month which covers the units, standing rate and vat. My usage is pretty constant year on year at 1500 units so this figure is appropriate for their unit cost & standing charge. By my maths I'm currently a few pounds in credit and my online account agrees.

Nevertheless on 12/17 they mailed me stating the DD would increase to £28 & yesterday stating the 1st higher DD would be taken on 22/1/18. I phoned them at 10.12am and got thru at 11:46 am. They claimed the DD increase was because the account was not in credit as the 1st DD was a month in advance (ie implying it didn't count) and the T&Cs permit an increase on a fixed 1 yr account if in debit. I see no such clause in the T&Cs & told 'em that if they don't restore my original agreed DD I'm off. They are raising a "ticket" and will advise by email.

Note:

1. If you switch to Iresa RECORD ALL READINGS, DON'T LEAVE THE MATHS TO THEM and CHECK ALL PAYMENTS.
2. If you call be prepared to wait OVER AN HOUR to get thru'.
3. Be prepared for an on line account WHICH IS NOT STRIAGHT FORWARD TO INTERPRET
4. Accept there WILL be hassle.

footyguy

trickytree1963 wrote: »

With all the one off DD stories are Iresa trying to do a cash grab due to a poor financial situation or did they mislead in setting up DD's to gain customers as most customers look at DD figure rather than kWh and annual usage?

It all stems from a billing error for Oct & Nov 2018 (and they say it only affects some accounts)

You will see there were problems with billing in Oct, and they tried to resolve this in Nov, by billing for 2 months (Oct & Nov)
However, they initially failed to account for November's consumption, and when they did eventually realise, they rebilled (replacement, without notification) where they double billed.
Because people did not realise they had been rebilled, it did not become apparent to those affected until the December bill (issued about 10th Jan) when the opening balance of the December bill was not what was expected.

Once those affected contact Iresa to inform them of the billing error, then they will revert any change in the monthly direct debit (if appropriate) and remove any requirement for a one off payment (if the account is not in debit)

i.e this is all caused by the Iresa computer believing affected customers are using more energy than they originally estimated (change in monthly direct debit) and that the account of the affected customer is currently in debit (albeit often erroneously) - the one off payment is to put the account back into credit in line with the terms the customer agreed to.

footyguy

Johncharlesp wrote: »

... They claimed...the T&Cs permit an increase on a fixed 1 yr account if in debit. I see no such clause in the T&Cs...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=73717876&postcount=6

Johncharlesp wrote: »

...

Note:

1. If you switch to Iresa RECORD ALL READINGS, DON'T LEAVE THE MATHS TO THEM and CHECK ALL PAYMENTS.

With regards to readings you submit, you should receive an email confirming those meter readings ... so you have a record anyway
(I have not experienced any change of meter readings I have ever submitted to Iresa)

But otherwise I support what you say, and would go further to suggest everyone does this for any supplier (not just energy, but every supplier, including banks, etc)
Wherre any account is managed only online, I would suggest bills, ststements, correspondence, etc is also downloaded for your own records.
Note that where Iresa post a comment to your online support account, you should get an emal of that comment anyway

Johncharlesp wrote: »

2. If you call be prepared to wait OVER AN HOUR to get thru'.

The call waiting time will be dependant on when you call, and how many are in the waiting list.
You wuill see I had reason to call Iresa twice over recent times, and the first time I called I waited less than 2 minutes as I was Number 2 in the waitlist. I made that call about 3pm one day. The second time, it was about an hour, as I was Number 50+ in the waitlsit.
You are regularly updated during the hold as to where you accually are in the waitlist, which is something I have not found any other supplier to offer
(I think there was one, Scottish Power?, who said where you were in the waitlist when you called, and offer a call-back instead. According to the feedback thread, I read many complaints that supplier failed to call back)

Whatever the wait, at least they are paying the cost when you use their FREEPHONE number .... something again, many of the newer, low cost suppliers do not provide.

Johncharlesp wrote: »

3. Be prepared for an on line account WHICH IS NOT STRIAGHT FORWARD TO INTERPRET

Yes you have to accept online account management, including online billing. This is stated in the terms you agree to and is not uncommon many of with new, low cost suppliers.
However, there is telephone support, something some suppliers who ask you to accept online account management do NOT support.

What exactly do you find difficult to interpret with the Iresa online account? Seems very straightforward to me.

Johncharlesp wrote: »

4. Accept there WILL be hassle.

There is hassle from any supplier you have cause to complain about. Many of the bigger, more expensive suppliers receive numerous complaints too, as their feedback threads here demonstrate.

Good luck!

macman

Not surprisingly, Trustpilot has a recent deluge of posts about Iresa, 95% of them being complaints about an unjustified increase in their DD, or that Iresa are taking a one-off additional payment by DD.
I can't help also thinking that their cashflow is currently less than healthy.

footyguy

macman wrote: »

Not surprisingly, Trustpilot has a recent deluge of posts about Iresa, 95% of them being complaints about an unjustified increase in their DD, or that Iresa are taking a one-off additional payment by DD.
I can't help also thinking that their cashflow is currently less than healthy.

LOL - we all know you cannot trust Trustpilot

See post#1539 in this thread for the explanation as to what has gone wrong, why the one-off payment requests are being made, and most importantly, and how to correct it

grumpycrab

footyguy wrote: »

...why the one-off payment requests are being made, and most importantly, and how to correct it

Yep, just leave

johnpr98

This DD increase when in Credit issue seems to have overwhelmed Iresa as they are not replying thus far, via email, Support ticket or Twitter DM's.:mad: