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Extra Energy causing me so much stress! Long
I've been dealing with this company for 2 years now and I'm fed up, stressed out and don't know what to do,
I have opened a case with the energy ombudsman and have to call them tomorrow to see what they will do but I'm not sure what they can do??
The gist of it is I called the company after my ex partner moved out and I knew he probably wasn't paying the bill which was in his name, I said I wanted It moved to my name so I could start paying, which they agreed to and said it may take a few months (same situation with the water company and they managed sort it and send me a bill within about a week).
It took extra energy 9months...after phone calls from me every month asking them to sort it and numerous emails airing my concerns about the debt that was accumulating. When they finally sent the info through they got my name wrong, the direct debit amount was zero and the date to start taking the payment was a month after agreed, they didn't in the end take it again so I had to call again, and they told me I would have to go through the sales process again as whoever done it last time didn't complete the sale! They then put the amount up, so I ended up speaking to a senior and was told they could keep it the same price as agreed before after much debate, and when I asked about the 9month owed for the period they didn't bill me I could not seem to get a straight answer and was told it would be passed to the arrears team and they would be in touch about it.
They actually started taking the direct debit payments of £96 every month and I didn't hear back from them, until 10months later when a bill landed on my doorstep for £252 per month!
When I called they said it was because I was on a variable tariff which is more expensive, still I suggested it shouldn't be that high, she put me on hold for a while and came back to say this was because of a debt and was actually £271...what so it went up in the 2mins I was talking to her! Funnily this amount was never mentioned again?! Anyway I explained what had happened and that I had raised a complaint about the non billing etc. and it was never sorted, I was then told there was never a complaint logged!!Even though I had been told on several occasions by different people that it had been passed to the complaints team to hurry it up, and even passed to the complaints manager at one point. I also raised a formal complaint after they made the mistake with the sale.
I was then told I would need to go back through to sales to get back onto a fixed tariff, I told them I was not sure about this as I did not know if I wanted to stay with them, I was reassured I needed to do this to get a accurate bill, I went through to sales and when he went through the Jargon and asked to agree I again said no as I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay as Id been messed about etc, again assured this was just a process and the adviser had told him of my situation and once they could get a new price on the correct tariff he would put me back though to the advisor to continue my complaint. I felt like I had to agree to resolve the issue. I was given a new price of £95 a month.
I spoke to a senior advisor who logged another complaint and agreed I had terrible service and that I wasn't to worry they would not take the £252 out of my account, my account was blocked and I was told only the complaints department could invoice me and I should be contacted within 2 weeks....one week later the money came out...I was livid!
I called and was advised to contact my bank to make an indemnity claim and someone would call within 48hrs. Called the next day by someone going on bout being on the wrong tariff reason being bill was high no mention of debt, when I brought up the debt she couldn't answer my questions, I reiterated the terrible service and how I was unsure if I wanted to stay with tem, she told me I had greed to another year contract with them! I noted I was within my 14 day cooling off period and she agreed and I also clarified it was 14 working days and not 14 rolling days. I argued I had not agreed and was told that was a process I had to g through to deal with my complaint! She couldn't answer my questions and said she would need to take a proper look at my account and would call me back next day.
Called back and told me £980 would be wiped for the period that they failed to bill me under ofgem regulations but I would still be liable for the outstanding balance, I asked what outstanding balance as I've paid my bill every mon up until now however she could not answer this simple questions and kept referring to the back bill which I understood, she then passed me to a colleague who again was going on about the back bill mandate
I asked if the outstanding balance was because my monthly direct debit had not covered my usage, he said yes! 'hallelujah'
He could not however tell me what the upstanding balance was and said a new bill was yet to be produced and would call back...of course he never did...at this point I have no idea how much I'm suppose to be paying!
Called back myself and spoke to customer service and asked if there was any update and she said a bill had been produced for £215 now
Spoke to complaints again a few days later told them I wanted to leave and they said there would be an exit fee now and I argued there would not as I was still within my cooling off period and they told me I wasn't and it was 14 rolling days not working days! miss information again!!
After complaining about this was offered the fees to be wiped if I wanted to leave, was then finally given an outstanding balance of £414.
I was put through to payments team who said I could pay £132 per month this would include the £95 per month for consumption and £37 towards the £414 debt for 11 months this was the minimum amount possible they could offer, after thinking it over for a few days I decided to stay with them as I wanted to spread the cost of this debt and called them back to say so and was told I could not as this was not cover the cost at the end of the 11monthd as my consumption was on average £102 per month, if I raised the direct debit to £150 it was passible, argghh I said it was agreed only a few days ago why am I now being told different. I asked why they have agreed a payment of £95 if my consumption is £102 as surely I will need to owe them money again at the end of the year, she could not answer, I told her the agreed repayment was based on 95 consumption. She worked it out by my annual consumption which was 1,470 and divided it and came up with 66per month...eh? so why have I been paying 96 and still owe money? She was confused herself and thne said the 414 was gas only and put me on hold to check, she then came back and apologised and said the bill was correct and said we could go ahead with the £132 a month, I asked for this in writing in an email which she agreed but never sent.
Another 3 days pass and I receive another bill for £202 a month...confused.com!!
Called again(getting rather fed up at this point) and apologised to and said that bill was produced before I agreed the re-payment amount and it will be £132 and this guy did actually email me to confirm this.
So I thought all sorted..nope.
Received a bill on new years eve for a new direct debit of £233. For period 14/10 to 01/12 - 6weeks
Looking at this bill they have taken 2 payments from me of 132 since I last spoke with them totalling £264 but this has come off the 414 debt and not paid the consumption costs.
Call today to be totally confused again and told this was based on a estimate I asked why as they had meter readings, he looked at the latest one and re-calculated the bill and said it was now £199 a month...I kept asking why as I've agreed a set payment for the next 11 months and the consumption cost are included in that, I think from his end it didn't not look like they were and also said the bill would not show the 132 repayment plan...god its getting so confusing.
He then spoke with the payment teams who confirmed I should not of been billed £233..even though they tried to take that amount (I cancelled the direct debit before they could). He said I will be able to view the new bill tomorrow and it will show £199 but they will only take £132, I started getting a bit irate with him at this point as I quite clearly cannot trust them to not take the higher amount.....
.Im stuck with what to do now, I know I need to leave, but one I would have to pay the debt in a lump sum and 2 I'm so worried that they are going to send me a final bill which will be wrong....HELP!! I'm also very suspicious of how they came up with the 414 debt in the first place but how can I work this out iys so confusing. I also have not paid them anything this month now as I cancelled the DD, I'm also not good as all this comparison stuff and never usually had to deal with all the gas/Elec bills
It s a big mess that causing me a lot of stress and taking up a lot of my time. Im already aware they are one of the worst complained about energy companies.
What can ombudsman do...or is they anything else I can do?
I have opened a case with the energy ombudsman and have to call them tomorrow to see what they will do but I'm not sure what they can do??
The gist of it is I called the company after my ex partner moved out and I knew he probably wasn't paying the bill which was in his name, I said I wanted It moved to my name so I could start paying, which they agreed to and said it may take a few months (same situation with the water company and they managed sort it and send me a bill within about a week).
It took extra energy 9months...after phone calls from me every month asking them to sort it and numerous emails airing my concerns about the debt that was accumulating. When they finally sent the info through they got my name wrong, the direct debit amount was zero and the date to start taking the payment was a month after agreed, they didn't in the end take it again so I had to call again, and they told me I would have to go through the sales process again as whoever done it last time didn't complete the sale! They then put the amount up, so I ended up speaking to a senior and was told they could keep it the same price as agreed before after much debate, and when I asked about the 9month owed for the period they didn't bill me I could not seem to get a straight answer and was told it would be passed to the arrears team and they would be in touch about it.
They actually started taking the direct debit payments of £96 every month and I didn't hear back from them, until 10months later when a bill landed on my doorstep for £252 per month!
When I called they said it was because I was on a variable tariff which is more expensive, still I suggested it shouldn't be that high, she put me on hold for a while and came back to say this was because of a debt and was actually £271...what so it went up in the 2mins I was talking to her! Funnily this amount was never mentioned again?! Anyway I explained what had happened and that I had raised a complaint about the non billing etc. and it was never sorted, I was then told there was never a complaint logged!!Even though I had been told on several occasions by different people that it had been passed to the complaints team to hurry it up, and even passed to the complaints manager at one point. I also raised a formal complaint after they made the mistake with the sale.
I was then told I would need to go back through to sales to get back onto a fixed tariff, I told them I was not sure about this as I did not know if I wanted to stay with them, I was reassured I needed to do this to get a accurate bill, I went through to sales and when he went through the Jargon and asked to agree I again said no as I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay as Id been messed about etc, again assured this was just a process and the adviser had told him of my situation and once they could get a new price on the correct tariff he would put me back though to the advisor to continue my complaint. I felt like I had to agree to resolve the issue. I was given a new price of £95 a month.
I spoke to a senior advisor who logged another complaint and agreed I had terrible service and that I wasn't to worry they would not take the £252 out of my account, my account was blocked and I was told only the complaints department could invoice me and I should be contacted within 2 weeks....one week later the money came out...I was livid!
I called and was advised to contact my bank to make an indemnity claim and someone would call within 48hrs. Called the next day by someone going on bout being on the wrong tariff reason being bill was high no mention of debt, when I brought up the debt she couldn't answer my questions, I reiterated the terrible service and how I was unsure if I wanted to stay with tem, she told me I had greed to another year contract with them! I noted I was within my 14 day cooling off period and she agreed and I also clarified it was 14 working days and not 14 rolling days. I argued I had not agreed and was told that was a process I had to g through to deal with my complaint! She couldn't answer my questions and said she would need to take a proper look at my account and would call me back next day.
Called back and told me £980 would be wiped for the period that they failed to bill me under ofgem regulations but I would still be liable for the outstanding balance, I asked what outstanding balance as I've paid my bill every mon up until now however she could not answer this simple questions and kept referring to the back bill which I understood, she then passed me to a colleague who again was going on about the back bill mandate
I asked if the outstanding balance was because my monthly direct debit had not covered my usage, he said yes! 'hallelujah'
He could not however tell me what the upstanding balance was and said a new bill was yet to be produced and would call back...of course he never did...at this point I have no idea how much I'm suppose to be paying!
Called back myself and spoke to customer service and asked if there was any update and she said a bill had been produced for £215 now
Spoke to complaints again a few days later told them I wanted to leave and they said there would be an exit fee now and I argued there would not as I was still within my cooling off period and they told me I wasn't and it was 14 rolling days not working days! miss information again!!
After complaining about this was offered the fees to be wiped if I wanted to leave, was then finally given an outstanding balance of £414.
I was put through to payments team who said I could pay £132 per month this would include the £95 per month for consumption and £37 towards the £414 debt for 11 months this was the minimum amount possible they could offer, after thinking it over for a few days I decided to stay with them as I wanted to spread the cost of this debt and called them back to say so and was told I could not as this was not cover the cost at the end of the 11monthd as my consumption was on average £102 per month, if I raised the direct debit to £150 it was passible, argghh I said it was agreed only a few days ago why am I now being told different. I asked why they have agreed a payment of £95 if my consumption is £102 as surely I will need to owe them money again at the end of the year, she could not answer, I told her the agreed repayment was based on 95 consumption. She worked it out by my annual consumption which was 1,470 and divided it and came up with 66per month...eh? so why have I been paying 96 and still owe money? She was confused herself and thne said the 414 was gas only and put me on hold to check, she then came back and apologised and said the bill was correct and said we could go ahead with the £132 a month, I asked for this in writing in an email which she agreed but never sent.
Another 3 days pass and I receive another bill for £202 a month...confused.com!!
Called again(getting rather fed up at this point) and apologised to and said that bill was produced before I agreed the re-payment amount and it will be £132 and this guy did actually email me to confirm this.
So I thought all sorted..nope.
Received a bill on new years eve for a new direct debit of £233. For period 14/10 to 01/12 - 6weeks
Looking at this bill they have taken 2 payments from me of 132 since I last spoke with them totalling £264 but this has come off the 414 debt and not paid the consumption costs.
Call today to be totally confused again and told this was based on a estimate I asked why as they had meter readings, he looked at the latest one and re-calculated the bill and said it was now £199 a month...I kept asking why as I've agreed a set payment for the next 11 months and the consumption cost are included in that, I think from his end it didn't not look like they were and also said the bill would not show the 132 repayment plan...god its getting so confusing.
He then spoke with the payment teams who confirmed I should not of been billed £233..even though they tried to take that amount (I cancelled the direct debit before they could). He said I will be able to view the new bill tomorrow and it will show £199 but they will only take £132, I started getting a bit irate with him at this point as I quite clearly cannot trust them to not take the higher amount.....
.Im stuck with what to do now, I know I need to leave, but one I would have to pay the debt in a lump sum and 2 I'm so worried that they are going to send me a final bill which will be wrong....HELP!! I'm also very suspicious of how they came up with the 414 debt in the first place but how can I work this out iys so confusing. I also have not paid them anything this month now as I cancelled the DD, I'm also not good as all this comparison stuff and never usually had to deal with all the gas/Elec bills
It s a big mess that causing me a lot of stress and taking up a lot of my time. Im already aware they are one of the worst complained about energy companies.
What can ombudsman do...or is they anything else I can do?
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