Tonik Energy Administration

Harmonica89

I switched from Tonik Energy at the start of September to EON and my supply has been final accounted and I've received a final statement from Tonik on the 6th September.

I've been working away a lot this year and bacially I'm over £150 in credit on this final statement but I've never received my money since this date after the switch to EON.

Scottish Power is taking on all Tonik's customers but I'd already left before they went into admininstration so I've not been contacted by them. Does anyone have any advice / contact numbers for me to get my money back? I agree with having competition in energy market but the number of small unknown companies having financial problems is a bit of a joke. Should have stayed with the "big six".

Thanks

bradders1983

Was it taken on a direct debit? Put in an indemnity claim with your bank?

worrywart_3

Scottish power have said they will be refunding even if your not moving over to them there’s a specsil
number on their website try ringing it and see what they say 

superM

I am also in same position owed around £100.  I have spoken with Scottish number. They will not take responsibility for it.  They only taking on active accounts
Closed accounts with credit balance on it has to be dealt by the administrators
 I have spoken with administrators they taken my details but don’t know how long it will take.  I don’t think I will get any money from them
Is it possible Direct debit claim? 

Streaky_Bacon

superM said:

I am also in same position owed around £100.  I have spoken with Scottish number. They will not take responsibility for it.  They only taking on active accounts
Closed accounts with credit balance on it has to be dealt by the administrators

That's not what Ofgem says.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/tonik-energy-customers-your-questions-new-supplier-scottish-power

I’ve left Tonik Energy, but have a credit balance.  Will Scottish Power pay me this money?

Scottish Power will honour credit balances for both current and past domestic customers of Tonik Energy who are owed money.

Scottish Power will review details of any debt or credit on your account. Wait for them to contact you with relevant instructions. They will also be able to answer any questions you may have on credit on your account. The review process can take some time. When calculating your credit balance, Scottish Power will deduct any unbilled charges for your supply by Tonik Energy.

Perhaps the administrators are verifying the balance, but it is Scottish Power's responsibility to deal with the matter and to pay.

It is my personal experience that SP will say anything, and will argue that black is white, all the way up to the ombudsman, so I wouldn't believe a word they say.

Start a complaint now, to at least put a bit of pressure on them, and start a paper trail. Might be easiest via Resolver, but certainly in writing.

inspectorperez

Streaky_Bacon said:

superM said:

I am also in same position owed around £100.  I have spoken with Scottish number. They will not take responsibility for it.  They only taking on active accounts
Closed accounts with credit balance on it has to be dealt by the administrators

That's not what Ofgem says.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/tonik-energy-customers-your-questions-new-supplier-scottish-power

I’ve left Tonik Energy, but have a credit balance.  Will Scottish Power pay me this money?

Scottish Power will honour credit balances for both current and past domestic customers of Tonik Energy who are owed money.

Scottish Power will review details of any debt or credit on your account. Wait for them to contact you with relevant instructions. They will also be able to answer any questions you may have on credit on your account. The review process can take some time. When calculating your credit balance, Scottish Power will deduct any unbilled charges for your supply by Tonik Energy.

Perhaps the administrators are verifying the balance, but it is Scottish Power's responsibility to deal with the matter and to pay.

It is my personal experience that SP will say anything, and will argue that black is white, all the way up to the ombudsman, so I wouldn't believe a word they say.

Start a complaint now, to at least put a bit of pressure on them, and start a paper trail. Might be easiest via Resolver, but certainly in writing.

Does this not raise the question "when does a past customer become a past customer"?

Is the OFGEM statement not referring to customers who have transferred over from Tonik to SP and then switched to another provider, with credit balance still outstanding? Or the other interpretation might be that it covers all past Tonik customers who claim to have a credit balance outstanding?

I must admit that it is difficult to envisage a new host provider clearing up the entire mess of customer and ex customer balances when that basically is what the liquidator is being paid to do IMO.

Streaky_Bacon

inspectorperez said:

Does this not raise the question "when does a past customer become a past customer"?

Is the OFGEM statement not referring to customers who have transferred over from Tonik to SP and then switched to another provider, with credit balance still outstanding? Or the other interpretation might be that it covers all past Tonik customers who claim to have a credit balance outstanding?

I must admit that it is difficult to envisage a new host provider clearing up the entire mess of customer and ex customer balances when that basically is what the liquidator is being paid to do IMO.

It will cover all past customers. SP are obligated to refund the balance, and I believe they can claim the money back from a pot (the SOLR can make different arrangements with OFGEM).

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-safety-net-protects-consumers-cash

However, under the new safety net, Ofgem will now take into account who can best protect consumers’ credit balances as part of the process for selecting a replacement supplier.

Where necessary, Ofgem would allow the replacement supplier to recoup the cost of reimbursing the credit balances through an industry levy.

The administrators may well be involved in calculating balances, but they are not responsible for the refund. They do plenty of other stuff, including chasing debts of old customers.

This is all part of them taking on the role of SOLR. It can't simply be left to the administrators, because the failed supplier may not even have the money to pay the credit balances.

1naquandry

I am in the same boat, with over £100 remaining in my Tonik account, I started the switch process before SP took over the Tonik accounts. A while ago I got a message from SP saying they were taking over my account. I emailed them saying that I had already moved and could they confirm that I was not being switched to them. I had a rely the next day- copied below. I thought the reply sounded vaguely hopeful - must admit I have not phoned them to find out more. 

'Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your recent email.

Don't worry, if your switch was already in progress before Tonik Energy ceased trading, you'll continue to move to your new supplier.

You do not need to take any other action at the moment and we will be in touch with you in due course. In the meantime you can find some of our FAQ's through the following link: https//account.scottish power.co. uk/solr/tonik-energy

If you have any other questions at all you can contact us on 0800 040 7181 between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Manesha Mukherjee

Customer Services Representative
ScottishPower'

The link to solr/toik, answer to 'I have a credit balance on my Tonik Energy account, will I get this money back?'

'If you are owed money because your Tonik Energy account was in credit, please don't worry. Once we receive your meter readings, we'll work closely with Tonik Energy to ensure your account is closed down properly and any remaining credit balance is added to your new ScottishPower account or issued to you by cheque.'

So, now not certain exactly what that means - have emailed Octopus to see if that applies to them or does it mean that SP will send me a cheque...Living in hope!

Streaky_Bacon

1naquandry said:

'If you are owed money because your Tonik Energy account was in credit, please don't worry. Once we receive your meter readings, we'll work closely with Tonik Energy to ensure your account is closed down properly and any remaining credit balance is added to your new ScottishPower account or issued to you by cheque.'

So, now not certain exactly what that means - have emailed Octopus to see if that applies to them or does it mean that SP will send me a cheque...Living in hope!

The email only seems to discuss credit balances for current customer. However, it is crystal clear from the Ofgem press release that SP are to pay credit balances of previous customers also. It also appears that SP are absorbing the cost themselves rather than claiming it from the levy pot.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-appoints-scottish-power-take-customers-tonik-energy-ltd

Scottish Power is offering customers a competitive tariff.  All outstanding credit balances, including money owed to both existing and former domestic customers of Tonik, will also be honoured. Scottish Power will absorb the costs of honouring customers’ credit balances and the migration of customers.

It has nothing to do with your existing supplier Octopus. You should consider putting something in writing the SP as soon as you can (use the Resolver website, or send them an email or letter).

Provide any evidence of your credit balance/final reading and demand that your credit balance is returned to you. Include reference to the Ofgem documentation which clearly states that SP are directly liable for the payment, rather than Tonik's administrators.

Did you ever get a final bill from Tonik? That would obviously be excellent proof of your credit balance.

You will eventually get the credit balance from SP, but there is no reason to not at least get your demand in writing asap.

matelodave

I have been with three bust companies so far and have always go my credit back, however it can take quite a long time for it to come through, especially if the accounts from the failed company are are in a bit of a state.

As you would expect, they concentrate on existing customers to ensure that all their accounts get transferred and integrated - a process which is greatly hindered by those who don't have a clue. don't send in meter readings, dont check their bills and dont know the state of their accounts. Sorting out previous creditors/dbtors takes even longer and probably involves the Official Administrator as well.

It is the company that takes over (the SOLR) that has the responsibility to pay out credits and recover debits - not your present energy company. 

My last episode was when Eversmart turned up their toes about three days after I'd transferred away to Symbio on 1st Sept 2019 - it took a couple of motivational prods and pokes (as a formal complaint) to Utilita (who took over their customers) who eventually paid my £35 credit on 18th December 2019. (I transferred away from Symbio on 1st October who owe me £25 and am waiting to see if my refund gets paid before they go bust)

Just make sure you keep all your Tonik bills and statements (I trust that you had downloaded and saved them them all when you left), just in case you need some proof of the state of your account in the future. It can be really helpful if you keep copies of your monthly bills statements and meter readings whichever energy company you are with (ideally for up to six years) as you never know what might happen in the future.

Kennny

I moved from Tonik last February, as their renewal price wasn't competitive. I had been happy with them, but then found out the hard way how useless their customer service was: I couldn't get my credit balance back off them, or even a final bill. So, in August I turned to the Ombudsman Services; I'd previously had a good outcome using them. I filed all the evidence, and Tonik responded by commiting to refund and compensate me. Fast forward to October, and the Ombudsman Services emails this:

"As you may be aware, Tonik Energy ceased trading on 6 October 2020. As the company is no longer trading, it will not be in a position to carry out any action we may have required.  For this reason, we have unfortunately had to close your case."