ScottishPower - New Customer - Gas remains in progress a week after Electric completed?

saintscouple

Never had this when switching to a new supplier before. 
Gas still remains outstanding over a week from when electric was completed, yet throughout the process my account on the website and the app, have differed in the information given. i.e Website saying they don't need gas reading yet, App states they have sent readings to previous supplier! 
Electricity switch was completed over a week ago. 
No information from Scottishpower as an update, and as i say conflicting info on website and app. 
Unable to get an answer by phone, so guess i have to raise a complaint... not a good start to the relationship. 
What i don't like is whilst the gas is still with the old supplier i'm expected to pay both them and Scottishpower for duel fuel on both! 
Anyone had an experience like this, and any ideas how to get it resolved? 

Many Thanks

[Deleted User]

Are you sure that both utilities haven’t transferred across on the agreed date? The fact that details are not showing in your new supplier’s online account is probably because the industry procedures that are required when a transfer takes place are different for gas and electricity. Google ‘ who is my gas supplier’ and you can check whether the transfer has actually taken place.

saintscouple

[Deleted User] said:

Are you sure that both utilities haven’t transferred across on the agreed date? The fact that details are not showing in your new supplier’s online account is probably because the industry procedures that are required when a transfer takes place are different for gas and electricity. Google ‘ who is my gas supplier’ and you can check whether the transfer has actually taken place.

Thank you, 
I just looked, and Gas is showing as still with my previous supplier. 
Thus currently my electric and gas are with different suppliers, yet i'm on duel fuel tariffs for both. 

saintscouple

Finally got hold of someone at ScottishPower, well got hold of 2 people actually. 
1st was via Facebook Messenger to advice they have no order for the Gas and for me to ring the sales line! 
2nd was on the phone who advised the Gas transfer has got stuck, but she will raise it with the appropriate team for it to become 'unstuck' and that can take 14 days. 
So i guess meanwhile i have to keep paying for not one, but two dual fuel tariffs. 1 for ScottishPower, and 1 for my old suppler who still has the gas, E.on. 

Would be reassuring if anyone else has had an experience like this, regardless of supplier, that can put my mind at ease that these things do resolve quickly. 

saintscouple

I was just googling for more information on this, and came across an article which states if a switch doesn't complete within 15 working days, then i'm entitled to £30 compensation payment from the new supplier...... they never mentioned that on the phone!
15th Feb is when Scottishpower sent me a welcome email to say they are switching me, so the 15 working days has expired. 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/new-customer-compensation-payments-further-improve-switching 

phillw

I switched away from scottish power and it took ages for the account and the database to show that I'd switched away, while the electricity was instant. When the gas switch showed up, it was backdated to the original switch date I'd been given.

saintscouple

Finally got a reply to my stage 1 complaint from Scottishpower. 
They have ignored the fact that i told them i had spoken to them on the phone and they had already admitted the failed gas switch is due to a technical glitch their end.
They have also ignored my statement on Ofgem compensation where if a supply fails to switch within 15 workings days, then a £30 compensation payment should be automatically paid by the new supplier, and a further £30 if that payment hasn't been made within 10 working days of the default. Both these payments are now due. 

Instead they replied saying the gas switch LIKELY failed due to an objection from E.on and i MUST have had an objection letter from them.  ------- This is incorrect, E.on has raised no objection, and as previously stated, Scottishpower already admitted on the phone it failed due to a technical glitch their end. 
They said if i wanted the gas to to be supplied by them i have to call the sales team to make this happen. 
They have instructed a payment of £25 as a gesture of goodwill to be credited to my bank account. 

So i have replied, again stating the facts, rejecting the £25, and requesting escalation to stage 2 of the complaints procedure. 

I still remain on a dual fuel tariff with them, with only the electric supplied. 
E.on informed me a week ago to cancel the direct debit with them for the gas, they can still see the flow active and is waiting for Scottishpower to complete. But then i get an email from E.on saying as i cancelled the direct debit, my gas prices will now increase. 

I'm really getting so stressed with this all, and not sure who much longer i can cope with Scottishpower behaving this way in messing up my energy switch. They haven't abide by Ofgem rules, and seem to have no intention to do so. 
I'm confused, upset, stressed, and really struggling, whilst trying to ensure the right thing is done. 
I can't switch away from Scottishpower, i.e switch the electric away from them, and the gas away from E.on to a completely new supplier, as there is a £60 early termination fee from Scottishpower. 
I want to hold on to what should be right, i.e Scottishpower taking over the gas as well, and for me to compensated correctly as per Ofgem rules.... why should Scottishpower get away with neglecting ofgem rules? 

Any advice at all, or is it simply a case of digging in until the matter is resolved? 
I suffer from mental health problems, and this experience is having a detrimental effect on me. 

GunJack

Just because it's a dual-fuel tariff, you won't pay for your consumption twice-over. Once the switch is sorted out both companies will use the same meter reading to close & open the gas accounts - the only thing may be you end up paying for more consumption with Eon and less with SP, but not double-charged. Just ensure Eon's final reading and SP's opening reading use the same figure.

saintscouple

Finally spoke to someone at Scottishpower who seems to know the problem and how to fix it.

The smart Gas meter which E.on installed, they registered it incorrectly as a high usage, hence it has a large site indicator on the national database, which has stopped the switch going through.

E.on states on our bill that we average 6,932kwh per annum, high storage is over 75,000kwh. I’m advised to contact E.on to remove the large site indicator on the national grid database. Only when that is done can the switch happen.
Once done they can request the transfer of the Gas supply to them, but the tariff i was switching to, which i have my electric on, is no longer available so they won't be able to switch the gas to the same tariff..... cross that bridge when it comes to it i think. 
Now trying to get hold of E.on to see how long it will take them to remove the large site inidicator off the national database. 
Have messaged @E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena here as can't seem to get through on the phone or live chat on their website. 
@E.ON_Company_Representative @E.ON_Company_Rep_Chris if you guys can help if Helena isn't around, please message me. 
Thank you 

saintscouple

Update:
The above was all rubbish, none of the E.on representatives replied on here or to my direct message (what's the point of them being on here?) Anyhow made a formal complaint, and got E.on to reply that way. There was no large site indicator on the meter, but the address did include 'plot 19' which they've had removed. They also confirmed that SP have never requested to take over my gas supply. 

I contacted citizens advice who processed an escalated complaint to SP.
But in the time they've had the complaint the only thing they state is they are puzzled! 
The case handler keeps passing the problem to different departments only for them to reply to him with no resolution on how to correct the problem. He even says there is a message on the system he hasn't seen before, and everyone else he has spoken to hasn't  seen it before either.
He said they were discussing my case in a meeting at noon today and that he'll update me this afternoon.... but like all callbacks promised prior, this hasn't happened. 
Been 4 weeks now since i raised the original complaint with SP, and not only has anything progressed, but i still haven't been made aware what their complaint procedure is.
So yeah, 4 weeks since the electric supply was transferred and no nearer to getting the gas supply transferred. 
Looking at the Ofgem site, i have to give them 8 weeks before i can escalate to Ofgem... so on it goes......  

[Deleted User]

saintscouple said:

Update:r
The above was all rubbish, none of the E.on representatives replied on here or to my direct message (what's the point of them being on here?) Anyhow made a formal complaint, and got E.on to reply that way. There was no large site indicator on the meter, but the address did include 'plot 19' which they've had removed. They also confirmed that SP have never requested to take over my gas supply. 

I contacted citizens advice who processed an escalated complaint to SP.
But in the time they've had the complaint the only thing they state is they are puzzled! 
The case handler keeps passing the problem to different departments only for them to reply to him with no resolution on how to correct the problem. He even says there is a message on the system he hasn't seen before, and everyone else he has spoken to hasn't  seen it before either.
He said they were discussing my case in a meeting at noon today and that he'll update me this afternoon.... but like all callbacks promised prior, this hasn't happened. 
Been 4 weeks now since i raised the original complaint with SP, and not only has anything progressed, but i still haven't been made aware what their complaint procedure is.
So yeah, 4 weeks since the electric supply was transferred and no nearer to getting the gas supply transferred. 
Looking at the Ofgem site, i have to give them 8 weeks before i can escalate to Ofgem... so on it goes......  

Ofgem does not investigate or arbitrate on individual consumer complaints. All escalated complaints are dealt with by Ombudsman Services - a private company - of which The Energy Ombudsman is just one part. The Energy Ombudsman does not have Statutory Enforcement powers (ie, they are not a Court of Law). Final Decisions are binding on a supplier but, in my experience, binding does not always mean full compliance. I am always wary of going down The Energy Ombudsman route without first thinking through the possibility of a rogue Final Decision: ie; a Decision that was not expected. As a consumer, you have the right not to accept a Final Decision but doing so gets the supplier off the hook and the complaint is closed.