Energy company scamming us

Lynne_sears

I was with Eon and switched to S hell. I gave both companies the changeover meter reading. Eon handed on to shell a vastly inflated (over 2.5 times my usage) fictitious  reading. Then tried to claim this £800 deficit from me. Then I got caught between shell and eon, shell also using a much lower start fictitious reading. It took me over 4 months to sort out. I had proof of everything including where they both admitted  in writing that they had the correct reading in my video of the meter I had sent. I took the matter to the ombudsman and  settled for  my debt wiped and £50 compensation. I wonder how many other people don’t fight it and just  pay up,  all companies are now vastly over inflating our monthly charge, ok we will get it back eventually, but not if we switch company and they do what Eon did to me. It just seems scamming has transferred from Farudsters to large legit companies, 

Lynne_sears

I forgot to mention the endless threatening letters, texts, emails and phone calls the debt being passed on to a debt collector, even though I was dealing with it.  25 hours of documented time spent. 

dunstonh

Energy company scamming us

Accusing a genuine company of scamming you is libellous and you should avoid saying such a thing.    Some posters have faced legal action or threats of legal action for saying similar things on this board. 

What you describe is not a scam.  And for reference, this is the oil, LPG and alternative fuels section.  You have posted in the wrong place.

JJ_Egan

Scam is the latest newbies buzzword .

The_Fat_Controller

No scam, a mistake that was eventually sorted.
As for estimates, move to a company that uses smart meters to bill monthly in arrears and then you only pay for exactly what you have used since the previous bill.

Gerry1

The_Fat_Controller said:

As for estimates, move to a company that uses smart meters to bill monthly in arrears and then you only pay for exactly what you have used since the previous bill.

Most companies don't offer variable direct debit.  They insist on fixed direct debit, so all the confusion over the misguided 'It's All You Can Eat' belief will continue.  Another illusory smart meter benefit.

Lynne_sears

I am not worried to say it. I have a ton of evidence including every conversation recorded and all the transcripts, 6 amended bills. I apologise if this the wrong forum. I couldn’t find  any other remotely connected. You haven’t suggested where this could be brought to public attention,  I think it’s really important that people are aware that they can get caught for an energy bill for energy they haven’t used when they switch companies, despite having given a meter reading. I am sure I am not the only one that this has happened to. If others come forward then it will be shown to be what it is,  I think you have not understood I have a transcript where EON  agree my video meter reading and said that they will pass that correct reading,( which appears in the transcript)  over to shell. Only for shell to call me and give me a different reading that EON  actually  passed over that day. Lower than the original reading but still vastly inflated. Which had I have paid would have still given more money to EON rather than shell. Prior to that day I was being taken to court for £800 I only owed £185 as it turns out. I nearly paid it and it would never have corrected itself. As for a smart meter  I switched to Eon when they said I could definitely have one only to say they couldn’t supply one for economy 7.  I have yet to see if Shell can follow through. 

J_B

Lynne_sears said:

......... You haven’t suggested where this could be brought to public attention, .........

Write to the Daily Mail perhaps?

Reed_Richards

I think the correct protocol is to give the switch-over reading to your new provider and for them to communicate this to your old provider.  I believe there is some intermediary body that checks the credibility of the reading given and can adjust it if it seems inconsistent with previous ones.  If you had posted in the main section of the Energy forum you might have got more responses from those in the know.  

Gerry1

Reed_Richards said:

I believe there is some intermediary body that checks the credibility of the reading given and can adjust it if it seems inconsistent with previous ones.

That's The Mysterious Third Party.

wild666

OFM tried it on with me in December 2018 after I left them. It took 7 months for me to get a bill they tried saying the reading I gave to them was false, even though I took the readings at 23:59 on my last day with them and my meter now hasn't even reached the figure they said and that's 30 months after I left them.
If I had took their readings I would still be getting free electric and gas from my supplier. Ofcom awarded me £70 and my account was still in credit when I left them but only by £6 so they paid me £76 when it was credited to my account.  
When you gives readings that are so close, minutes before leaving, even the validating of the readings must be taken as true to within 1 Kwh below the reading submitted when the user submits readings that close to the moving date