Symbio refusing the switch

elsien

The direct debit guarantee protects you, it’s what it’s there for. I don’t see it as being logical to accrue more debt, even if the switch was blocked before then, because it does give them a valid reason to continue to block.
In your situation I would pay, switch, and then make a complaint about them. 

helpthetenant

elsien said:

The direct debit guarantee protects you, it’s what it’s there for. I don’t see it as being logical to accrue more debt, even if the switch was blocked before then, because it does give them a valid reason to continue to block.
In your situation I would pay, switch, and then make a complaint about them. 

even if I pay, they can block the switch further, so if they really want to resolve it profesionally, they should aknowledge that they are breaking the law by blocking the switch.

elsien

They may, but they probably won’t. 

I guess it depends how much time you want to spend pursuing it, but if your potential new tariff is cheaper and given how long complaints are taking at the moment it’s just going to cost you time and energy for possibly little result. 

Gerry1

helpthetenant said:

they can't block the switch if it was their fault.

helpthetenant said:

In august and september they simply didn't charge me, I really don't know why, as I didn't decline my bank. So my guess is they "forgot" on purpose so they can inflate things further on the final bill.

You've admitted that you really don't know why your DD wasn't collected, hence you really don't know that Symbio were at fault, you have no evidence whatsoever.  Do you honestly believe that Gertrude in Finance was so bored one afternoon that she stopped your automated DD request going out, and did the same thing a month later?

If that had happened to me and caused trouble, I'd immediately have contacted Symbio to establish what had gone wrong, and I'd have made a top-up payment to restore the missing amounts.  If Symbio had initiated the DD in the normal way then I'd have roasted the bank.

Of course, I'd have first checked whether my account had had sufficient funds to make the payments...

helpthetenant said:

in fact I already stopped the DD, and I won't pay a thing until they switch me.

This won't end well.

The industry and Ofgem won't change their rules just to suit you.  If you refuse to pay, Symbio will then send in the debt collectors / bailiffs or, more realistically, install a pre-payment meter.  That will be on an expensive tariff, it will have debt set on it, including their costs of fitting the meter and also the costs of forcible entry if that was necessary.

niktheguru

helpthetenant said:

niktheguru said:

 you're not addressing the fact you probably owe them money (we don't know how much because you haven't bothered to tell us).

I said it twice, they didn't charge me for two months, which means around £60, which again I am happy to pay, and again this is no excuse for blocking the switch.

Have you tried calling them and asking why they blocked the switch (other than the automatic message you received when it was blocked.) surely a phone call could rectify the whole situation, you can pay your arrears and you can reapply the switch? There may be a legitimate reason why your direct debits failed. (either their incompetence or the payment was refused) if you're "happy" to pay, just sort it out quickly rather than prolonging the misery for yourself.

helpthetenant

Gerry1 said:

helpthetenant said:

they can't block the switch if it was their fault.

helpthetenant said:

In august and september they simply didn't charge me, I really don't know why, as I didn't decline my bank. So my guess is they "forgot" on purpose so they can inflate things further on the final bill.

You've admitted that you really don't know why your DD wasn't collected, hence you really don't know that Symbio were at fault, you have no evidence whatsoever.  Do you honestly believe that Gertrude in Finance was so bored one afternoon that she stopped your automated DD request going out, and did the same thing a month later?

If that had happened to me and caused trouble, I'd immediately have contacted Symbio to establish what had gone wrong, and I'd have made a top-up payment to restore the missing amounts.  If Symbio had initiated the DD in the normal way then I'd have roasted the bank.

Of course, I'd have first checked whether my account had had sufficient funds to make the payments...

helpthetenant said:

in fact I already stopped the DD, and I won't pay a thing until they switch me.

This won't end well.

The industry and Ofgem won't change their rules just to suit you.  If you refuse to pay, Symbio will then send in the debt collectors / bailiffs or, more realistically, install a pre-payment meter.  That will be on an expensive tariff, it will have debt set on it, including their costs of fitting the meter and also the costs of forcible entry if that was necessary.

geez you are so negative, you assume too many things, I can understand that companies need their advocates here, but you are just a scarecrow for all the customers who come here in search of support and justice. Shame on you.

Gerry1

helpthetenant said:

geez you are so negative, you assume too many things, I can understand that companies need their advocates here, but you are just a scarecrow for all the customers who come here in search of support and justice. Shame on you.

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.  You've chosen not to provide the relevant information that forumites have asked for, so they can only make assumptions.

If you'd read some of my previous posts you'd certainly know I'm certainly no advocate for Ofgem or any energy company, and I don't have any connections with the energy industry, just like 99.9% of forumites I'm merely a consumer looking to save money and to help others do the same.

Sadly some posters don't like the advice that they are given and resort to personal abuse.

I wish you well but I fear that by fighting a needless and unwinnable battle with Symbio (the ombudsman will probably rule against you) you are digging yourself into an ever deeper hole.

helpthetenant

Gerry1 said:

helpthetenant said:

geez you are so negative, you assume too many things, I can understand that companies need their advocates here, but you are just a scarecrow for all the customers who come here in search of support and justice. Shame on you.

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.  You've chosen not to provide the relevant information that forumites have asked for, so they can only make assumptions.

If you'd read some of my previous posts you'd certainly know I'm certainly no advocate for Ofgem or any energy company, and I don't have any connections with the energy industry, just like 99.9% of forumites I'm merely a consumer looking to save money and to help others do the same.

Sadly some posters don't like the advice that they are given and resort to personal abuse.

I wish you well but I fear that by fighting a needless and unwinnable battle with Symbio (the ombudsman will probably rule against you) you are digging yourself into an ever deeper hole.

I provided every single detail, if you have reading comprehension problems I can't do anything. Saying to people "go and pay, bend your back, send a check" it's not an advice, it's just an insult to justice and to intelligence. If you have 4.5k posts I am not going to read them, this thread has been enough.

finalfantasist

helpthetenant said:

Gerry1 said:

helpthetenant said:

geez you are so negative, you assume too many things, I can understand that companies need their advocates here, but you are just a scarecrow for all the customers who come here in search of support and justice. Shame on you.

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.  You've chosen not to provide the relevant information that forumites have asked for, so they can only make assumptions.

If you'd read some of my previous posts you'd certainly know I'm certainly no advocate for Ofgem or any energy company, and I don't have any connections with the energy industry, just like 99.9% of forumites I'm merely a consumer looking to save money and to help others do the same.

Sadly some posters don't like the advice that they are given and resort to personal abuse.

I wish you well but I fear that by fighting a needless and unwinnable battle with Symbio (the ombudsman will probably rule against you) you are digging yourself into an ever deeper hole.

I provided every single detail, if you have reading comprehension problems I can't do anything. Saying to people "go and pay, bend your back, send a check" it's not an advice, it's just an insult to justice and to intelligence. If you have 4.5k posts I am not going to read them, this thread has been enough.

You need to learn to pick your battles.

You have two options.

1.  Pay off the debt you don't dispute you owe, get a switch done in the next couple of weeks, initiate a complaint against Symbio if you wish.
2.  Dig your heels in, possibly end up with the debt referred to a DCA, a prepayment meter installed, months waiting for an Ombudsman decision that may go against you, switch out once all that is resolved.  All that will involve a lot of back and forth, possibly time and effort unravelling the mess you've essentially made for yourself.

I know which one I'd pick

Jesus, some people don't half like making a rod for their own backs...

helpthetenant

finalfantasist said:

helpthetenant said:

Gerry1 said:

helpthetenant said:

geez you are so negative, you assume too many things, I can understand that companies need their advocates here, but you are just a scarecrow for all the customers who come here in search of support and justice. Shame on you.

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree.  You've chosen not to provide the relevant information that forumites have asked for, so they can only make assumptions.

If you'd read some of my previous posts you'd certainly know I'm certainly no advocate for Ofgem or any energy company, and I don't have any connections with the energy industry, just like 99.9% of forumites I'm merely a consumer looking to save money and to help others do the same.

Sadly some posters don't like the advice that they are given and resort to personal abuse.

I wish you well but I fear that by fighting a needless and unwinnable battle with Symbio (the ombudsman will probably rule against you) you are digging yourself into an ever deeper hole.

I provided every single detail, if you have reading comprehension problems I can't do anything. Saying to people "go and pay, bend your back, send a check" it's not an advice, it's just an insult to justice and to intelligence. If you have 4.5k posts I am not going to read them, this thread has been enough.

You need to learn to pick your battles.

You have two options.

1.  Pay off the debt you don't dispute you owe, get a switch done in the next couple of weeks, initiate a complaint against Symbio if you wish.
2.  Dig your heels in, possibly end up with the debt referred to a DCA, a prepayment meter installed, months waiting for an Ombudsman decision that may go against you, switch out once all that is resolved.  All that will involve a lot of back and forth, possibly time and effort unravelling the mess you've essentially made for yourself.

I know which one I'd pick

Jesus, some people don't half like making a rod for their own backs...

except they don't have the right to block the switch.