Add your feedback on energy supplier People's Energy

caravan_girl

Initially I was really happy with People's Energy, but as time went by, the service went downhill.  They couldn't seem to get a final bill right despite me providing accurate readings for the new supplier to agree with them, and I must have received at least three different ones.

LaurenceMarshall

Awful customer service. Long delay before you get through on phone, only then to be cut off. Live Chat is a complete misnomer. Currently subject to a wait time of 60 minutes. Company admitted they take 7-10 days to get to/answer emails. Complaint procedure claims a complaint will be responded to the same day. No chance, also subject to 7-10 day response. Because they deal with emails so slowly, they failed to respond to mine, cancelling the contract and debited my bank account instead. Their robot talks of ‘people’ being at the heart of what they do. Not sure which people they have in mind. Doesn’t seem to be customers. 

Worst was when they emailed me in the morning to confirm contract and direct debit were set up, then phoned me in the afternoon, insisting their emails were incorrect, and that I then had to reapply there and then over the phone. The caller had none of my details, despite what their morning emails said. It was as though the application via your switching service did not exist. Nothing was said about the cash back offer.

When they asked for my bank account details I refused. 

I then emailed with copies of their morning emails, asking for an explanation, got no reply, emailed again confirming I had no intention of proceeding, got no reply, save that then they debited my bank account under the direct debit, which they had told me, over the phone, was of no effect. I currently await a refund.

I think the problem is around their failure to look at/action emails promptly. And maybe as a result the left hand of the organisation doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. Otherwise their morning emails would be known to those telephoning in the afternoon.

More fundamentally, it’s no good them saying they are ‘very busy at the moment’. Customer care is critical, not a swish website and national TV advertising. Revolving door comes to mind.

Malchester

Have tried to get an answer to a question from them. I said I was thinking of switching and liked their ethos but why, if they were non profit making were they a lot more expensive than profit making firms. 3 weeks later got a reply saying they could not find my account even though I clearly said I did not have an account, just asking. Replied but haven't heard anything back yet after three weeks. Unlikely to switch them

Luto

My experience of People's Energy has been very poor so far after I switched using the cheap energy club search. I received no confirmation from them when the switch was going to take place, no account details etc and only found out the switch had occurred when a direct debit went out and I confirmed with my old supplier (Bulb; who have excellent customer service). I emailed People's Energy and days later had s reply confirming I had been switched and with my account number.
I ve tried multiple times to set up an online account to get full account info and give meter readings, but the confirmation they send in order to activate the account never arrives (including in junk box).
I ve tried phoning; first time got cut off after 10 minutes in queue then next time after a long wait was advised to use web chat before cut off (despite phoning in a 'quiet' period). After 4 hours waiting for web chat conversation I gave up on that too. I ve now emailed and 48 hrs later still waiting for a reply.
I think I ll be switching again......

gr3g0ree

Have been with People's Energy for 2y+, and some other providers in the past.
They are good if all goes well, as soon as something needs to be done it is a complete mess. Currently in the prociess of raising 3x complaints with them:
1) gas meter counter replaced this January and accounts are still not updated. This can't take 5x months to sort
2) switch to new provider rejected 3x times after all that needed to be done was done - balance paid, etc. When chased this one the 2nd time, was assured the switch will go ahead as there are other issues preventing this.
3) complaint raised when called 2x days ago was not processed, no acknowledgement received, no same day solution provided (as been told on the call)

At the end, can't wait to get rid of them and should they be the cheapest or 2nd cheapest provider in the future, will not switch to them back. Also awaiting reply to my complaints email sent and will be taking this up with the Ombudsman services. Avoid at all cost, their team is an amateur, incompetent and useless bunch as well as their management team (who had to clear a request for my switch. They did it initially, requested switch, then they refused. Queried. No issues found, switch refused again. Now I'm fuming).

Luto

My experience of People's Energy has improved thankfully. They actually answered my telephone call within 9 minutes and an accurate queue counter kept me updated with my place in the queue. Once answered my issues were dealt with efficiently and very pleasantly. Here's hoping they ve got on top of whatever problem they had with customer service....I ll wait and see.

EternallyGrateful

My experience of People's Energy is all bad. My issues started with an error passed to them from Scottish Power (my previous supplier) but instead of dealing with it they have only managed to make things worse. Scottish Power installed a new gas meter last August (2020) but never amended my account. Consequently they passed over the wrong closing meter reading. I have emailed People's Energy many times, I have sent them a picture of the gas meter twice, I have also spoken with them on several occasions - all to no avail. PE also opened my Electricity account with an incorrect meter reading. That could very well have been SP's fault too but PE have stopped communicating with me.
Further, in their small print is a late summer/autumn 25% increase in Direct Debit payments to cover higher winter usage. I always thought paying one twelfth of your annual usage during the summer months did that. I know I will get the money back but I have already paid them twice the value of the energy I have consumed so they are literally double accounting.
In all my experience of People's Energy is only bad - maybe even as bad as Scottish Power!

ianmak

I have been fine with PE for a few years, until the past month when they are pushing seasonal payments onto me, just after signing up to a fixed tariff. I find it crazy that there isn't an option of sticking with regular DDs.

I believe this is the case with a few companies, and they believe that OFGEM will be pushing it across other companies? Has anyone else come across this?