Economy Energy setting debt collectors onto former customers

Lochmaben

I left Economy Energy at the end of October last year (2018)when my fixed rate tariff ended. I was almost £200 IN CREDIT as my final bills showed. I requested a refund of this money, but was, as so many others were, put off with various excuses. When OVO took on Economy Energy they refunded me the money (this was in March of this year, 2019) & I thought that was the end of a harrowing 6 months of fighting for what was rightfully my money.
Well, it wasn’t the end! Now I am being pursued by a debt collection agency who claim I owe Economy Energy! I have sent them copies of my emails to & from Economy Energy AND from OVO agreeing that I was owed money, but it looks as though this may not be enough as strangely, between October and now, there has, most strangely, a DEBIT balance appeared on my online account.
Has anyone else had this same problem? What did you do about it?

Redboot

Lochmaben wrote: »

I left Economy Energy at the end of October last year (2018)when my fixed rate tariff ended. I was almost £200 IN CREDIT as my final bills showed. I requested a refund of this money, but was, as so many others were, put off with various excuses. When OVO took on Economy Energy they refunded me the money (this was in March of this year, 2019) & I thought that was the end of a harrowing 6 months of fighting for what was rightfully my money.
Well, it wasn’t the end! Now I am being pursued by a debt collection agency who claim I owe Economy Energy! I have sent them copies of my emails to & from Economy Energy AND from OVO agreeing that I was owed money, but it looks as though this may not be enough as strangely, between October and now, there has, most strangely, a DEBIT balance appeared on my online account.
Has anyone else had this same problem? What did you do about it?

No I've not had any issues with debt collectors, but then I pay the bills that are due, or contest any erroneous bills I am sent.

Presumably your have already been provided with a revised bill for the amount now claimed as owed.

Bigphil1474

OP, ignore above. If you can check your account, see if you can work out any meter reading difference between the final bill you received last year, and the online debit, and the meter reading that your current supplier started with. If they all tally up, then you may owe the money, even though you had a refund. If they don't, then that may be the issue. It may be that there was an adjustment made when your supplier changed, and they've just got round to sorting it out. Or, it could be complete nonsense of course.

Cardew

Given Economy Energy's chaotic accounting it is quite possible that you were not 'nearly £200 in credit'.

As said above you need to check the 'final bill' to see if it used the final meter readings - which should be the start meter readings for your OVO account.

matelodave

Hopefully you've kept copies of your bills and meter readings so you've got proof of the state of your account when you left EE.

In which case you should have nothing to worry about assuming that it was all correctly paid up and you were actually £200 in credit when the final reading was taken into account. You just show copies of the evidence to the debt collection agency

Lochmaben

Thank you all. I did give final meter readings the day my switch to a new company began and those show on my bills. I see that EconomyEnergy - despite the switch, which involved me telling them I was leaving, and the actual date I would officially leave AND my new company officially agreeing meter readings withEE, that cretinous, company charged me for November.- despite knowing that I had left, and having had an email request from me to refund the credit showing on my final bills! (which I have kept!) I took out a Direct Debit Indemnity since all bills are paid by monthly direct debit and emailed them to inform them I had done so and why. I never heard anything about that, just emails in reply to mine about a refund, promising it was in the pipeline. I have sent a copy of my bank statement, showing OVO’s payment to me (despite the fact that I was never their customer as I left EE 3 months before their collapse) plus copies of my correspondence with EE to ACIC, but they cannot promise that this is enough proof. I think it is absolutely disgusting behaviour, especially since I have NEVER had any communication. from the liquidators AT ALL, let alone saying pay up.
I am sincerely hoping that these liquidators believe my proof, but I somehow suspect not. I have taken advice on the matter today and have been told that since the evidence clearly shows I don’t owe anything, if they still insist I do, then let them take the matter to court, as there my evidence can be examined and will be found to be correct. I am not to pay unless ordered to by a court.

R87Jen

A sales rep knocked on my door in September 2016, my tariff with my current provider was running out in October 2016, I listened to what he had to say and it did sound like a better deal so I was initially interested however after looking online I decided to go with eon energy. I emailed economy energy to advise that I would not be switching to them and I was to go with eon instead. In the months from October 2016 to January 2017 I was harassed with phone calls (3-4 per week) to get me to sign up and switch to economy energy. Then in Jan 2017 I had a letter from economy energy to advise they were closing my account. I called economy energy and spoke to an adviser who confirmed I had an account on their system even though I didn't authorize it. They claimed that I had not paid them anything (despite never receiving a bill) so they were closing my account. I advised I haven't paid anything because I do not owe anything as they are not my gas and electric provider. I emailed with proof to advise that I was never with them and they should cease contact with me immediately or I will take further action. I received a phone call from a manager who apologized and removed my name from the marketing system so I wouldnt be contacted again and I thought that was the last of it. Now... August 2020 I have had a letter from a debt collector to say I owe over £200 to economy energy. I have supplied a screenshot of my old eon energy account which shows the gas and electric supply including the dates; bearing in mind you can not be with two providers at once. I have all the email feeds to advise that I do not require economy energy's services as well as bank statements to prove who I was paying at the time and should I need to I'm sure I could obtain phone records to prove the harassment calls received from economy energy. Worst company ever!! completely incompetent!! I have emailed watchdog and will be contacting the ombudsman should I continue to be harassed and chased for debt that I do not acknowledge or owe.