Major problem with Simplicity Energy

someanonbloke

Hi, earlier in Summer I transferred over to Simplicity Energy from Avro Energy. There was a dispute over final meter reads in spite of Avro having 12 months of consistent reads and photos of my meter and its reading. Eventually, Avro accepted my argument and reimbursed me some credit which had accrued.

However, now Simplicity are trying change my starting meter read by 1000kwh, in spite of having a photo of my meter.

I don't understand why there's any discrepancy but aside from providing meter reads which they ignore, I don't know what else to do.

How do I challenge this when they reject my evidence?

dogshome

Within the 'System' there is a 3rd party Agency to whom all the supply companies report customers readings, including the suppliers guess of a customer annual consumption.


When a customer moves suppliers, the Exit readings are passed to the Agency for verification - If the readings don't tally with the Agencies records, an Estimate that does tally with the records is imposed


There are limits on this Estimate, it must be within 1200Kwh for Gas and 250 Kwh for Electric of the customers reading.
So if your extra 1000 Kwh is on the gas it's within the frame, but if its on the Elec its way out of order.


Your problem started with the reading dispute with Avro.
They eventually accepted your figures, but did not inform the Agency who imposed their Estimate based on the previous erroneous Annual Consumption figures from Avro.

All is not lost - WRITE a letter headed Complaint to Simplicity, backing it up with any Emails/documents from Avro and the photo of your meter.


I've had a run-in with this - got it sorted but it took time
It appears that those notices on your bills saying "We estimate your Annual Consumption will be XXX" are the problem
.
Even if you bother to read them, if they are way over what you know will be your consumption, your thought is "In your Dreams mate"
BUT BE BEWARE - It's these figures the Agency are working on

someanonbloke

Actually, when I informed Avro I was leaving they initially cooked up a final bill where 4000 extra kwh for elec mysteriously appeared on the bill. Naturally, I challenged this with photos of the meter and a year's worth of manual meter reads I'd entered into Avro's meter read system. I immediately informed Simplicity of this and the dispute process between suppliers began. After more than 2 months, nothing had happened and so I rang Simplicity to ask what was going on and they said they'd look into it. Not long after, I was contacted by Avro who said they'd sorted a final bill and I was due some money back, which I've received. I was then informed by Simplicity that they'd agreed on a final reading with Avro (see first post).

TBH, I think Avro were just trying it on initially with the mysterious extra 4000 kwh. I'm guessing there might have been some discrepancy with the meter reads owing to their slack administration from when I first joined (as you stated).

One small problem I have is that I can't 'prove' the start meter read was what it was on the day I moved to Simplicity because I just gave the reads over the phone. I have a photo of the meter a couple of weeks later which obviously has a different reading to what I said ti was on the date.

The records of my meter reads with Avro no longer appear in my Avro account but I have screen grabs showing the record of meter reads.

TBH, I'm quite angry about this because I did everything correctly (except send photos of my meter reads) and I feel that fobbing customers off with dodgy meter reads which have to be paid is all part of the business plan.

dogshome

So Simplicity informed you that they had agreed a final reading with Avro, yet their Start Read is 1000 Kwh more than the figure on Avro's Final Bill ?
As you gave a verbal Start figure to Simplicity, this could be down to a simple mis-understanding



Send that letter headed Complaint to Simplicity, enclosing a copy of Avro's Final Bill.

Flt._Lt._Biggles

So you decided to raise your compalint with the old supplier, rather than your new one? :huh:

Fair enough. At least you got the resolution you were hoping for. If that resolution is not being adhered to (by either/both suppliers) ask for the complaint to be re-opened until such times as the agreed resolution is adhered to.

Dop not raise a new complaint, as there is a very real danger it will be closed on the basis it is a duplicate of a complaint already raised by you.