Another Spark Energy Complaint

Mark_Townsend

Jenny, I see you invite contact here to help resolve issues but I can't find your contact details which you say is available on your profile? I have the same problem as everyone else here. Please can you message me your email address.
Thanks
Mark

System

Hi,

Our story dating back April 2018, we moved into a flat as a tenants.

We had a meter reading (actually 3x meters)recorded by agency, agency contacted Spark then without providing a bill they demanded ~620GBP for 1 month of electricity!
Asking money for a service without a price breakdown is money fraud in the UK!

Usual pattern, sending text messages, then sending debt collectors to collect money we never owned.

We have send 85x emails(yes you read it right 85x) to customer services and also 30x phone calls(yes 30x we were promised by every single operator/manager/team lead/customer advisor that of course they will remove debt collection and record correct the meter reading. THIS NEVER EVER HAPPENED!
Entire customer service, including many managers are just a bunch of liars.

As a result we were blocked from switching supplier and unpaid debt was keep growing, credit score is totally ruined for no reason.

After SPARK seized to exist -as last move- our meter reading was set to a random value creating 30000kWh usage for 9 month, we have called SPARK with readings another 30x times emailed SPARK another 12x, we were of course promised to correct meter readings and provide a bill.
This NEVER HAPPENED since Nov 2018, it has been ongoing for 14 months.

Our credit score is ruined for no reason, we have been through tremendous stress and humiliation as debt collectors appearing at our doors step...we have done nothing wrong.

SPARK using un lawful methods, creating fake debts and ruining people's life with government assistance!

It is a disgrace that such practise and company can exist, not to mention SPARK's customer service, what an awful, ignorant department with full time liars.

Ignoring 85x emails and 60x odd phone calls is not an administration error, that excuse is full of garbage too!!!

Emmalouwah

Sorry to hijack the post but i wondered if you could contact me Jenny, i too am having horrendous problems with Spark and can see no way out, im geuinley at a loss with them.

Spark_Energy:_Jenny wrote: »

Hi lisaxcath

Sorry to hear about this.

Can you please contact me via the email address in my profile so I can get this sorted out for you?

I'll need your MSE screen name, your full real name, your supply address and photographs that clearly show the readings on your meter and the rates they relate to.

If your readings are given before the end of the month then your bills will be estimated for a small number of days, if your bills must be based on actual readings up to the end of the month then you'll need to provide them on the last date of the month.

I'm sorry if you weren't aware that we'd be your supplier. There's generally a clause in your tenancy agreement to state that we'll either already be supplying your property or in the process of taking the supply, and your letting agent should have made you aware of the clause.

If there's an overdue balance on the account, we would reject any transfer requests, but that's something I can look at if you contact me.

More than happy to help if I hear from you.

Kind regards

Jenny
Customer Relations Manager

Former Spark Representative

Hi Emmalouwah

No problem!

If you can drop us a line to the email address given in our profile, we'd be happy to help. You'd just need to confirm your full name, your full address and give as much information as you could about the issues you're having.

Kind regards

Jenny
Customer Relations Team

Emmalouwah

Hi all,

i write this at my wits end with Spark and unsure how to resolve and move forward with them.

Myself and my 11 year old son moved into a 2 bed flat at the beginning of the year. The current provider was Spark so i decided to stay with them (despite warnings that i shouldnt) they suggested as i was a middle floor flat with just myself and 11 year old son that £40 a month by DD would be the average consumption . i obviously knew it would go up slightly and expected to maybe be paying around £60, the flat is electric only. At this point i asked if he would like the meter reading to which i was told no and he would put me through to sxomeone that would take it, however they gave it the hard sell on the smart meters and said not to worry about the meter reading for now, if im honest i think they are a good idea and was all for a smart meter, however they couldnt book it in and i was told someone would ring me back. they did and again could not book it in, and yet again i was told someone would ring me back, they didnt.

i then gave up on the smart meter but thought i better give them a meter reading (later than i had planned) i also reported a fault with the meter, as it flashed from the reading to 00000 and back to the reading and back to 000000. i have reported this and even emaild videos.

i then recieved a bill saying my next DD would be for £175 a month (this was estimated) i obviously rang at this point and an employee who was in agreement that the estmated £175.00 was excessive and suggested i fill out a meter useage form, which i did, although missed two days due to being away with work. but thought it may give them an indication so prceeded with the form and emailed it back to them.

i then had to ring as i heard nothing from them and was told there was nothing wrong with the meter and my useage is £175.00 a month, by this time, another month had passed.

i have spoken with various people at Spark to no avail, i have sent various emails to which i have had no response. i have now sent to two formal complaints. no response and im also still awaiting a call back from a manager which i was told would be the same day, this was well over a week ago. all the while they dont respond im left worrying about further bills.

i have requested to switch but they will not let me as they say i owe them money. i am a single mum who works full time, i do not claim any benefits and i cannot afford to stay with an energy provider that charges that much, yet whilst im with them im spirraling into debt. i have not once said i will not pay what i owe but how can they confidentially say i owe that when the meter is clearly faulty. i have at present been paying 110 a month to keep debt collectors from my door and my credit rating intact. i just want to change provider and pay what i rightfully owe if anytning.

i have lived in a 4 bed detacted house and not paid anywhere near this amount a month. im sorry for the war and peace, im just a loss, im losing sleep and feel emotinally drained and depressed over this. i simply want to change provider and pay my bills each month and get on with working hard and providing a future for my son and i.


Any advice would be greatly appriciated.

Emmalouwah

Jenny,

I have sent an email to address in your profile, but says it can take up to 10 days

Spark_Energy:_Jenny wrote: »

Hi Emmalouwah

No problem!

If you can drop us a line to the email address given in our profile, we'd be happy to help. You'd just need to confirm your full name, your full address and give as much information as you could about the issues you're having.

Kind regards

Jenny
Customer Relations Team

Gerry1

Forget the DD figures, just keep an accurate record of meter readings. It's very unlikely that the meter is faulty, so don't get distracted titing at windmills. Just do the basic checks such as making sure that the serial number of the meter matches that on your statement, that the meter figure stays stationary when everything is switched off for an hour or two. Make sure you're not on a deemed tariff. Make sure your readings always appear on the bills, don't let them use any estimated readings.

If you're entitled to any benefits, claim them. Check with Citizens Advice. No point in being heroic if help is available.

Being all electric will always be expensive. What's your heating? Consider whether an Economy 7 tariff would be cheaper and set the immersion heater to come on towards the end of the cheap rate period. If you don't have an E7 meter you may find it's available at no charge, but check with your landlord.

How much are you in debt? As you're in full time work, it might be worth asking your employer for an advance against your salary so that you can escape from Spark. Alternatively, perhaps the bank could arrange an overdraft at reasonable rates if you explain the problem. Obviously it's not a good idea to borrow unnecessarily, but as the money has to be repaid and it will allow you to save money on a cheaper tariff it may be justifiable. Sadly, the lesson to be learned is always to submit a meter reading the moment you move in to a new property, but it may be too late to do much about that now.

Emmalouwah

Hi

Thank you for the reply, I will check the serial number against the bill etc.

As for benefits I’m certainly not heroic, I’m not entitled to anything.

Even when I have sent meter readings on closer inspection of the bills I still have partial estimations.

I will gladly pay what I owe and understand that I’m in a flat so will be more expensive, I don’t plan on staying here too long, this is a temporary solution following a split.

I just can’t get my head round they can estimate a flat at 175.00 a month (this is way above the national average) on researching however this tends to be the figure they estimate everyone whether it’s a flat/4 bed house regardless of how many occupants.

I’m unable to borrow money, and also feel I shouldn’t have to, I simply want to change provider and at least get out of this cycle.

farenkaren

I have a similar problem to all of the above.
I am being blocked from changing from Spark because, apparently, I have a debt with them for £1640. I moved in in August 2019, the central heating was only installed in September (no other gas appliances) and I am on a pay as you go meter so HOW?? could I possibly have a debt of £1640? I give up with trying to contact Spark so I am just making everything a complaint on Resolver until it can go to Ombudsman.

Lets see if the ombudsman has any teeth for this??

Jhill

I too am having problems with Spark. I joined them 92 days ago and have been paying monthly direct debits on £75. I have received an email tonight stating that i owe £1107. They are saying that in this short period i have used £1045 worth of electricity and £201 of gas. The gas could be correct. The electricty certainly is not.
Before i joined spark i was with Boost which was a pre payment. And then at the very heart of winter with their ridiculous standing charges i only used £130 per month for both gas and electric. In summer roughly around £60 per month.

Now spark are saying i use about £320 per month just on electric.

When i changed over i was told i did'nt have to do anything. So i did'nt.

Now looking at my meter readingds in my account online is says: 21st Oct 2019 reading (estimated) 8160 then 10 days later reading 13044. Where did they get this estimate from. Surely Boost would have given them the correct reading? I have read my meter tonight and it's current reading is 14364.

I just dont understand it at all. Yes, if they said we are putting your DD up to £120 or £130 until summer. But they are asking for £252 plus the £75 that i already pay.

I am devastated hence why i am still up at 2.45am worrying.

Please help