Spark Energy Over charging

Shellee

I moved in to my property in March and Spark energy were already the suppliers. Ever since I have been paying around £100-£140 with the odd bill last month of under £50.
I am a one person, don’t turn my heating on most days and I am out half the day. I don’t often use my laptop, I charge my phone and only cook once a day really. I have lived alone for two years and my energy bills have always been under £60 a month. I can’t possibly see how I am being charged this much. I have even had gas and electric safety check to check for leaks ect.

I have been complaining for months. It had take them months just to send one person to scan my meter for two seconds so they could connect to it’s readings. When I try and talk to anybody, nobody has any idea what they’re doing. They even sound shocked with the prices and I’m always put on hold ect.

Is it time to bring in a lawyer because I know this is not right. I am not being listened to and I’m more than certain I am being over charged. Non of my emails ever get replied to either

Thank you

[Deleted User]

@Shellee
I don't wish to add to your worries but this thread shows that Spark are looking to merge with another company. If things do go wrong with Spark, then all your money held by them would be protected by OFGEM so you wouldn't lose out financially.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5925011/spark-energy-misses-14-4m-payment

Former Spark Representative

Hi Shellee

Sorry to hear about this. Could you please email the address given in my profile and confirm the following information:

Your full name
Your full supply address with postcode
A contact telephone number
Your current meter readings

I'd be happy to have a look at this for you.

Kind regards

Jenny
Customer Relations Team

System

Shellee wrote: »

I moved in to my property in March and Spark energy were already the suppliers. Ever since I have been paying around £100-£140 with the odd bill last month of under £50.
I am a one person, don’t turn my heating on most days and I am out half the day. I don’t often use my laptop, I charge my phone and only cook once a day really. I have lived alone for two years and my energy bills have always been under £60 a month. I can’t possibly see how I am being charged this much. I have even had gas and electric safety check to check for leaks ect.

I have been complaining for months. It had take them months just to send one person to scan my meter for two seconds so they could connect to it’s readings. When I try and talk to anybody, nobody has any idea what they’re doing. They even sound shocked with the prices and I’m always put on hold ect.

Is it time to bring in a lawyer because I know this is not right. I am not being listened to and I’m more than certain I am being over charged. Non of my emails ever get replied to either

Thank you

Welcome to the forum. What is it that you expect a lawyer to do?

Suppliers raise bills based on your actual/estimated usage and the tariff that you agreed when you signed up to Spark. Have you been supplying Spark with actual meter readings and are these being used on the bills that you receive? If there is an ‘E’ against the last reading then it has been estimated. Call Spark and provide them with actual meter readings and as them to raise an amended bill. If the bills are based on actual meter readings, then the problem is either your usage; your meter or, possibly, incorrect volume to kWh conversion for gas.

A bit more information on actual usage would help posters provide advice.

PS when you decided to stay with Spark, did you change to their cheapest tariff?

Robin9

Shelley - when you moved into your property in March what were the meter readings you gave to Spark; what are they today and what is the tariff?

We can then do some sums for you .

Darlington_Chikwangwani

Hi Shelley..was your issue sorted ?
I am having a similar problem with Spark right now.
They over estimated my bill and I have been overcharged ever since..I am currently paying £150 every month for a small 2 bedroom house where I only use the stove once a day.
I raised the issue with them because my account showed that I had over £1000 in credit. When I tried to get a refund the credit balance changed to debit and they said I now owe them the money.

Robin9

Darlington - the same questions that we ask people who think their billing is wrong :

What were the meter readings when you moved in - what are they now - have you been providing monthly online readings - do your bills use these readings - what are the tariff rates and standing charges ?

Toddy_141

I moved into my 2 bedroom flat in November 2019, there is two of us living here. Spark Energy were the previous suppliers so we decided to stay with them (stupidly). We called them up and provided a meter reading as soon as we got the keys. We were quoted around £72.50 direct debit a month which we were happy with as our property is electricity only and I knew that is generally more expensive. Our direct debit slowly increased month by month, in March we ended up paying £206 to try and clear/compensate what electric we were using. After a lovely phone call with the call center staff, they then agreed to set the DD back to £98.00 per month. No one explained to us that we had actually been in arrears since the December (-£217.64) to be exact which resulted in our DD payments not being enough to cover the apparent usage. I then received an email informing us that our DD was being increased from £98 to £281.00 .... WOW! I then started looking at our invoices and meter readings and they started our meter reading off as 0, which i'm not sure is correct. They then estimated our next 3 readings before our smart meter was installed.
I'm new to all of this as this is the first home I've lived in after moving out of my parents house. 
I contacted Spark Energy and queried everything, they said I'm now -£480.26 in arrears STILL and that I should be paying £191 per month. I feel like I don't know what to do and I think this is VERY expensive.
Before lockdown, I work full time but now i'm working from home and my flatmate works shifts so it's not like we are in the house all day using everything all of the time.
I'd appriciate any advice & if others have experienced anything similar.

TIA.

Robin9

Toddy  - could you start your own thread please - just so that any comments don't get mixed up with the original thread.
edit  my questions deleted - refer to Toddy's second thread.