OVO Energy...

Niklas33

Hi.

OVO Energy have taken over my energy supplier Spark i paid our £400 bill....we've been contacted by a recovery agency asking for the £400....Spark Energy have given us a new account number and said that OVO has taken our £400 bill as a security deposit and won't return it until we sign up to a direct debit.

We have done...we're waiting on the money to be returned from Spark in order to pay these people that are acting on behalf of the administrators.

Is this normal? Or are we being absolutely scammed.

We haven't been informed of any changes to our account by Spark we just paid our bill as normal we never knew until we was contacted by these collection agents that it's been taken as a security deposit.

F.iona

Same just happened to me. I refuse to be blackmailed into direct debits but am appalled that I now have debt collectors trying to recover Dec bill which i have paid.

matelodave

That sounds a bit fishy.

I've been subject to two energy company collapses, GB Energy who had their customers transferred to Co-op and IRESA who transferred to Octopus.

In neither case was a security deposit asked for or taken and the debit or credit was passed over between the two companies.

Neither was there any claim made by the collapsed company, their administrators or any debt collecting agency to settle any outstanding amount - that was handled by the gaining company

I would be complaining directly to OFGEM who are the instigators of the transfer to find out what they have to say about what is going on and whether this is in the spirit or rules of the SoLR situation.

jk0

Niklas33 wrote: »

Hi.

OVO Energy have taken over my energy supplier Spark i paid our £400 bill....we've been contacted by a recovery agency asking for the £400....Spark Energy have given us a new account number and said that OVO has taken our £400 bill as a security deposit and won't return it until we sign up to a direct debit.

We have done...we're waiting on the money to be returned from Spark in order to pay these people that are acting on behalf of the administrators.

Is this normal? Or are we being absolutely scammed.

We haven't been informed of any changes to our account by Spark we just paid our bill as normal we never knew until we was contacted by these collection agents that it's been taken as a security deposit.

I can't quite understand this.


Do you mean that Spark's Official Receiver are chasing you for money, even though you already paid? That sounds outrageous.


As Matelodave says, refer them to Ofgen

Niklas33

Yes OVO has taken our payment as a security deposit to force us into setting up a direct debit.

Which we have done.

We've spoken to the debt colectors and Spark who said we'll receive the £400 back...into our account so we can pay off the debt collectors.

gt94sss2

matelodave wrote: »

I would be complaining directly to OFGEM who are the instigators of the transfer to find out what they have to say about what is going on and whether this is in the spirit or rules of the SoLR situation.

Unlike the other SoLR cases, Ovo has actually brought the Spark brandname and will be using it in future (though they are not responsible for collecting previous debts of the collapsed company - that will be the 'old' Spark's administrators)

https://sparkenergy.co.uk/useful-info/joining-ovo

Having said that, the OP may want to shop around to see if there is a cheaper company out there for their usage..

Niklas33

We've been told by the Administrators that even if we swapped they'd still need us to retrieve the £400 from Spark and pay them to have this done with.

F.iona

Same here. Been on hold for over 30 mins to try speak to someone at Spark. Still waiting.
I am furious as paid my bill in time but now they are saying they are holding what I paid for Dec bill as a security deposit and have put a debt collection company onto me for Dec money

F.iona

Finally spoken to someone. They say fact my Dec payment has been used as a security deposit is fair. They then say that the fact my Dec payment has gone to debt collectors is nothing to do with them.
Sooo underhand - what was wrong with a letter asking for a security deposit. Although to be honest, i would have declined and moved suppliers which is obviously why they did not give that option.
Very unwillingly i have signed up to DD but as soon as the deposit is back in my bank account i will be shifting suppliers and now i have bad credit rating through no fault of mine and need to find the money to pay debt collectors as he said min of 14 working days before the deposit is returned!

Niklas33

I'm waiting for my better half to get home and for him to check if he's got the money in his account.

I'm getting increasingly more threatening messages from CRS.

I've just spoken to CRS and told them to back the hell off i'm waiting for the deposit back or i'll go to court and wipe up the floor with them.

Stupid *********

BaxAL

I have received the same letter from Past due Credit Solutions. I phoned but didn’t get told any of this, only they will check and get back to me. I certainly won’t be setting up a direct debit as I vacate the property in a matter of weeks. I await a phone call back from them after they speak to Spark.