How do I get my money back from previous energy supplier?

Loonytunes

I changed my energy supplier from Solarplicity in January. At this point I was a couple of hundred pounds in credit. Since January I have been asking for a refund. My emails have been left unanswered and I just get fobbed off on the phone saying that it will get sorted eventually. I tried sending them messages via Twitter as in the past raising problems publicly with companies has got results. Again, I get fobbed off. To my last tweet, the member of staff sent me a DM suggesting I try for an indemnity claim with my bank. I've tried this but was told that as there was not a mistake in payment, I can't make a claim.
It is now almost 6 months since I left and there is still no sign of my money. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks

masonic

If one of the emails you've sent them was a complaint, and it has been 8 weeks since you sent it, then you can refer your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman https://www.ombudsman-services.org/

Enterprise_1701C

Do a search for them on Facebook, there is actually a complaints forum for them there, tbh my heart sank when I searched on there.

Might be worth contacting Watchdog, there is also Resolver (online complaints tool) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/resolver/.

Personally I would say throw everything you have at them, and I wish you the best of luck.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but it could be worth ringing them at least every day, make a nuisance of yourself, get it to the stage where they would happily pay to get rid of you.

kapum

Loonytunes wrote: »

I changed my energy supplier from Solarplicity in January. At this point I was a couple of hundred pounds in credit. Since January I have been asking for a refund. My emails have been left unanswered and I just get fobbed off on the phone saying that it will get sorted eventually. I tried sending them messages via Twitter as in the past raising problems publicly with companies has got results. Again, I get fobbed off. To my last tweet, the member of staff sent me a DM suggesting I try for an indemnity claim with my bank. I've tried this but was told that as there was not a mistake in payment, I can't make a claim.
It is now almost 6 months since I left and there is still no sign of my money. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks

If you have cause for complaint, you should follow the suppliers complaint procedure IN FULL.

The ombudsman service will not be able to assist you unless and until you have.

masonic

kapum wrote: »

If you have cause for complaint, you should follow the suppliers complaint procedure IN FULL.

The ombudsman service will not be able to assist you unless and until you have.

Actually that's not true. Providing you have complained and given the firm 8 weeks to resolve your complaint, if they have not done so then the Ombudsman Service will take up the complaint whether or not the supplier's complaint procedure has been exhausted.

For example, I recently complained about the same issue with a different supplier and got no response to my complaint at all, not even an acknowledgement to my original complaint, or follow-ups. Despite my complaint not being progressed through the suppliers complaint procedure at all I was able to take my complaint to Ombudsman Services and miraculously the company jumped into action, though they've yet to implement the agreed resolution.

kapum

masonic wrote: »

Actually that's not true. Providing you have complained and given the firm 8 weeks to resolve your complaint, if they have not done so then the Ombudsman Service will take up the complaint whether or not the supplier's complaint procedure has been exhausted.

For example, I recently complained about the same issue with a different supplier and got no response to my complaint at all, not even an acknowledgement to my original complaint, or follow-ups. Despite my complaint not being progressed through the suppliers complaint procedure at all I was able to take my complaint to Ombudsman Services and miraculously the company jumped into action, though they've yet to implement the agreed resolution.

Actually what I wrote was entirely true.
Your example presumably proves it, as you appear to have followed the suppliers complaint procedure before involving the ombudsman. You don't have to have received a reply!

The supplier does not have to follow their own complaint procedure before you can escalate the matter to the ombudsman, but you do.
If the supplier had to, they could simply ignore all complaints safe in the knowledge you would be unable to escalate the matter :cool:

In the example of Solarplicity as per the OP, note that there are two stages to their complaint procedure and the ombudsman service will seek proof of completing BOTH parts before accepting the complaint.
When I asked why, I was informed by the ombudsman that the supplier could reject the ombudsman intervention if I had not followed the complaint procedure IN FULL.

masonic

kapum wrote: »

Actually what I wrote was entirely true.

Actually, it is not and my example proves it.

Your example presumably proves it, as you appear to have followed the suppliers complaint procedure before involving the ombudsman. You don'yt habe to have received a reply!

My provider's complaint procedure requires me in Stage 2 to "get in touch again and tell us you want your complaint to be referred to our Management Team", then in Stage 3 "Ask for a ‘final response’ or ‘deadlock letter'".

I did not follow either of these steps because I did not receive a response at Stage 1. After 8 weeks, I went directly to Ombudsman Services, who were willing to take up my case because it had been 8 weeks since I originally complained.

In the example of Solarplicity as per the OP, note that there are two stages to their complanint procedure and the ombudsman service will seek proof of completeing BOTH parts before accepting the complaint.
When I asked why, I was informed by the ombudsman that the supplier could reject the ombudsman intervention if I had not followed the complaint procedure IN FULL.

They didn't for me, all they asked was for the date I had first complained to the firm. It may be the case that a supplier can contest the intervention if the complaints procedure has not been exhausted, but it certainly isn't the case that "The ombudsman service will not be able to assist you unless and until you have".

kapum

masonic wrote: »

Actually, it is not and my example proves it...

Actually it is, and my experience with Solarplicity and the ombudsman proved it.

Still, nice that you wish to express an opposing view, even though you clearly do not have the same experience I do in this regard

masonic

kapum wrote: »

Actually it is, and my experience with Solarplicity and the ombudsman proved it.

Actually it is not. Your error is in thinking if something sometimes happens it always happens.

Still, nice that you wish to express an opposing view, even though you clearly do not have the same experience I do in this regard

I'm expressing an opposing experience, and a view that takes into account both of our experiences, namely that Ombudsman Services CAN assist even if you haven't followed the suppliers' complaints procedure in full, but not that it will in every circumstance.

There are obviously instances where Ombudsman Services cannot help, for example when the complainant hasn't cooperated with the complaints process.

Similarly there are instances where Ombudsman Services can help, for example when the firm has failed to progress the complaint through their own process. If this were not true, energy firms could string customers along indefinitely so that they never had the opportunity to escalate their complaint to Ombudsman Services.

Based on what the OP has told us, it seems likely this case would fall into the latter category.

[Deleted User]

You know how these bottom feeder energy companies black list you at the credit reference bureaus if you're so much as one day late with a payment? Is there no comparable arrangement whereby you, as a creditor, can report them to some organisation that puts them on a black list database?

Loonytunes

I made a complaint in April, which they didn't reply to so have today taken it to the ombudsman. Thanks everyone for your help.