Spark energy

Clairen23

I see lots of people having very similar issues with spark energy as I am having. I lived in a property for 2.5 years and have been seriously overcharged for energy usage on a small two bedroom house, an average monthly bill of £205 per month which is impossible when we were all out at work most days. I lodged a complaint with the ombudsman who informed me that because I have moved out, tests that should have been done while I was in the property now can’t be done. I provided copies of my bills for the new house I have moved into, same appliances and a bigger house and I am using 1/3 of what spark claim I was using, however the obmudsman have said that they can’t compare two houses with different suppliers. I paid spark over £1300 which on my usage which should mean I owe them a few hundred pounds but I am being chased for £3600 by spark and £1600 by a debt collection company for the period before spark went in receivership. Has anyone fought them through court? Surely there is requirement for them to prove I have used it? 

I am stuck and on principle I do not want to pay there extortionate costs when I do not believe they are correct. 

JJ_Egan

You have meter readings for the period in question .

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.  Unfortunately without having the relevant evidence you're on a very sticky wicket.  It's completely pointless complaining that Spark are extortionately expensive, that's like complaining that you chose to pay 159.9p per litre for petrol on the motorway when you could have paid 129.9p at Tesco.  Similarly, it's pointless complaining that your old car used more petrol than your new car, it's irrelevant.

The only grounds you have for complaint would be that you have been charged for more energy (or days on supply) than you have used, or that the rates were higher that as notified or in a fixed contract.  Did you give meter readings and have you kept copies of the opening bill and final bill?  It's quite easy to check, subtracting the opening readings from the final readings and doing the sums based on the costs per kWh and the number of days.

Sorry, but you need hard evidence, not vague emotion.

Make sure that you're not now repeating any previous mistakes. Do a comparison for your current usage, starting with the Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?' sites. Use annual consumption figures from actual meter readings (if you've been there long enough) and compare annual costs, not monthly direct debit amounts.

Robin9

Can you post a copy of your very first and very last bills with Spark please and then we can make constructive comments? Is this gas and electric ?

2.5 years at £205 a month is about £6000 and you are being chased for £5200 - was your DD for that period really £27 a month ?

MWT

Just provide the meter readings, if the opening reading when you moved in and the closing reading when you moved out don't show the use that Spark are claiming then you have a case, if they do show the use they are billing you for then you don't have a case...