MSE News: GB Energy goes bust, 160,000 customers affected

Mikeyorks

Hammer_Time wrote: »

I looked back at previous D/D going in and it normally takes 5 working days,

Thanks for that .... you're quite right. I hadn't looked at their posting dates which are up to 5 working days after the payment date! Bit ridiculous really.

Companies tend to work their DDs in one of two ways. Some anticipate the DD and post it to your account when they ask for the money (eg HMRC). And then 'dishonour' it if it fails for some reason. Others wait for the money and then update your account when it's received (eg Halifax CC). But almost invariably use the 'payment date' when doing so. But a bit unusual to get the sort of time delay you'd spotted.

I'd made a note to check my account again next week. But I'll forgive a bit of delay at the relief I'm not scrabbling round for a viable deal in the middle of the winter!

jblackmore

slpj wrote: »

I too haven't had ANY commications from GB energy, since joining them in August this year. No emails from them AT ALL.. I told them when I joined that I wanted paper communications and bills. None received. I rang them the other day and was told that they sent me notification of the increase in the post. I assured them that NOTHING has arrived, and that I did not know about the increase, and hence had no chance to switch.

Now that another person has said the same thing, I'm going to complain and refuse to accept the increase.

I don't think you can equate no post with no emails, I have had other emails so know they have correct contact details, just no notification of the November 30% increase.

Re posting I understand companies can say they have posted letters and that's considered adequate (as they can claim lost in post), email is different as they should be able to show server log that email was sent, and the 'loss' rate on emails should be miniscule, so if more than a few people have not received the emails this would be pretty convincing evidence that they were not sent.

JohnB47

Majestic1919 wrote: »

Have spoken to GB staff twice today. I needed to query the increase emailed in October and was told that all customers received a 30% increase. Was told in the second call that Head Office had sent these emails to everyone by mistake and those on a fixed rate shouldn't have been included.

I am on a fixed deal with GB and I didn't receive any such email.

slpj

Well that was quick. FU Black Friday April 2018 deal has now gone. Only really cheap deal is now Dec 2017.

Anyway ----

jblackmore wrote: »

I don't think you can equate no post with no emails, I have had other emails so know they have correct contact details, just no notification of the November 30% increase.
Re posting I understand companies can say they have posted letters and that's considered adequate (as they can claim lost in post), email is different as they should be able to show server log that email was sent, and the 'loss' rate on emails should be miniscule, so if more than a few people have not received the emails this would be pretty convincing evidence that they were not sent.

Except that when I rang them, they told me at first that they'd sent the notice of increase to my email address. I told them I shouldn't have an email address with them because I's asked for it to be deleted in favour of only paper/postal comms. But guess what, they had my email address on record, and that's been proved to be true, because the CO-OP have emailed me 3 times now. GB energy don't want to admit that they didn't notify me

Everybody tells me that GB statements were monthly. And yet, I've never had one. Not by post or email. So ok, let's suppose one gets lost in the post. They have my correct address, it is inconceivable that every letter they sent to me, has been lost in the post. After the 30 day notice period, they should at least have contacted me for a meter reading, in order to apply the newly increased tarrif to the correct readings. But again, no communication. And how about my DD? That hasn't changed since I joined them. That too should have been increased as soon as the new tariff took effect, and they should have sent me a notice of their intention to increase the DD. But it hasn't increased and I've not been informed of an increase in the DD.

It's pretty obvious that irrespective of the reasons, I was not informed in any way shape or form, of the increased tarrifs. And if I'm not alone, then they've cocked up.

And of course, there is no doubt that for the remaining period of time that I'm with them before I get switched to F/Utility, I'll be charged on the new tariffs. That is, I'll have to pay them that when I get my leaving bill, because I've cancelled my DD now.

You really have to feel sorry for the GB staff, they heard the news on the BBC, and now have to deal with people like me, who feel they've had a bad deal.

I've writen toGB energy, and to the Ombudsman and complained. I may not get far, but I intend to at least cost them, as much as the extra they will have cost me.

Mikeyorks

slpj wrote: »

I've writen toGB energy, and to the Ombudsman and complained. I may not get far, but I intend to at least cost them, as much as the extra they will have cost me.

With respect - you won't get anywhere. The Ombudsman won't accept a complaint until you've exhausted the complaint process of the supplier and received a letter of deadlock. You haven't done that. And with a supplier in liquidation - you're basically wasting your time, and that of everyone else, going down that route?

And I don't really understand your choice of alternatives. Even though you say you're a low level user - there are cheaper fixes out there than the ones you're quoting. If I'd been forced to switch - the cheapest is Robin Hood, but that's a variable tariff which I know has increased. Only the comparison sites don't appear to know. But following just behind that is Npower Intelligent Fix October 2018 which was 'only' a 20% premium on my current GB Energy fix. As opposed to a 55% increase on the First Utility April 2018 tariff you quoted.

Doesn't the Npower option appear on your comparison search? I'm aware prices fluctuate depending on where you live - but not by much. And switching to a fix which expires outside the Winter period makes more sense than having to search again in mid Winter next year when prices traditionally are volatile?

slpj

" --- you're basically wasting your time, and that of everyone else, going down that route? "

I don't see how I'm wasting other peoples time -- other than I hope GB peoples time. As for my own, my time is free. Of course I'd rather have the money back, but I know I won't get it. As I said, I hope to cost GB money, or I perhaps it will be the CO-OP now as they've taken over, and they might be paying the staff that have to respond to my constant, and they will be constant -- emails and phone calls, which all cost time and hence money to respond to.

Yup call me bloody minded. What the hell, as long as I feel satisfied, I'll be happy, and that's all I'm concerned about. But yes you're right, I need a response from GB before the ombudsman will act. But in this case with GB in the situation they are in, maybe they'll have to step in, since I'm sure I won't be alone in complaining.

As for my switch to FU, well that is the cheapest I could find for my consumption, bar "energy Extra" which reportedly has very poor service responses. My pre-increase GB tariff was 45/per month DD. The Black Friday deal with FU that I'm switching to is 47/month, the same as SO energy. But I haven't checked ALL the comparison sites. Before I switched to GB just over 3 months ago, I was with EDF, and they were costing me 54/month DD. So to be switching to FU and getting 47/month for almost 18 months, is completely fine by me.

If I stayed with GB on the premium energy so called saver, and CO-OP honoured that if I stayed with them, then it would cost me £58/month. So my switch is saving me 11/month or 132 quid a year, which is pretty good in my book.

As for Npower intelligent fix, that would cost me 55/month DD for dual fuel. They have a much higher standing charge than FU. As a low user, I do much better from a low standing charge. My annual bill with FU will be circa £580 per year, compared to circa £658 with Npower intelligent deal oct 2018. Plus, the FU April 2018, expires in April 2018, so of course I'll be switching in at the end of the Spring, not the winter.

MCGONIS

slpj wrote: »

Everybody tells me that GB statements were monthly.

Hi. Not sure if this is of any use, but I first signed my mum and dad up to GB in February 2016 for electricity and they received monthly bills.

I signed myself up for electricity in May 2016 and gas in July 2016 and I received quarterly bills. When I asked at the time why I had not been billed, GB told me in an email that they no longer do monthly bills.

I signed my mum up for electricity at another supply address in September 2016 and this account receives monthly bills.

All 4 supplies are in the same postal area so I am unclear why the difference in bill cycles, other than perhaps usage (I spent about £20 on gas and the same on electric each month whereas my parents use double that)

Maybe someone else can shed some light.

slpj

Thanks MCGONIS. That makes the billing period pretty confused then, and I think backs up my argument.

They may believe they sent me bills and notice of the rate increase, but it seems clear that what they did with some customers, isn't what they did with all. It seems to me that they were in a confused mess, more than just over reaching on cheap tarrifs.

sheff6107

Mikeyorks wrote: »

Do I take it you were on a variable tariff with GB Energy? If not - why would you switch?

I had a curious look around on Sat night when I read about the problem - and Robin Hood (Green) was the cheapest tariff at about 15% more than I'm currently paying. But it was 'variable' - so I looked directly on the Robin Hood site to find the comparison site was out of date and the real hike in premiums was just over 25%.

Why would I remain a customer of a company who has gone bust who allege I owe money to them? In any other business sector GB Energy would be seen to have just phoenixed.
And Robin Hood energy came out cheaper anyway when plugging my actual usage into their own website.

gwokka

I'm an ex GB energy customer with about £200 in credit. I was transferred to Avro on 14th Nov. logged on GB energy website today. all my old bills are there upto 30th Oct but not a final Bill, I've had no communication from GB energy or Coop about a refund albeit ive sent them an email through the website.