Switch gone badly wrong - British Gas Evolve

James_N

I switched from British Gas to PFP Energy on 20th June. PFP now supply me - verified and taking direct debit. I left the British Gas direct debit open and had a final bill and a small rectifying refund from British Gas. 
I failed to close the direct debit in time!
On 15th July British Gas Evolve took more money from the previous direct debit for British Gas. They also think they are supplying me. Same reads same meter codes. I did not contract with British Gas Evolve. I contracted with PFP. The changeover date is also identical.
However in all other respects British Gas Evolve are a separate company. British Gas customer service cannot see this, only the closed account. British Gas Evolve are not even available to contact over the weekend.
How is this even possible, given an industry wide database? 
How is it possible for British Gas Evolve to even take a Direct Debit for what is effectively a different company?
How can British Gas Evolve "steal" a supply contract?

I have a direct debit refund coming from the bank (who read me the riot act over the things that could happen if I had made a false statement), and a complaint in via Resolver, plus have contacted PFP Energy, so it remains to be seen how this will run. Of course, the "target" direct debit is now closed, so I expect that before this has run its course I will have a "failed payment" letter to deal with too.

niktheguru

Have you checked with your dno who is "actually" supplying you. You alluded in your message that you have, but make sure you check by going here

https://www.findmysupplier.energy/webapp/index.html

Whoever this says is your supplier is actually your supplier. The other one is who you should be going after.

Good luck

James_N

niktheguru said:

Have you checked with your dno who is "actually" supplying you. You alluded in your message that you have, but make sure you check by going here

https://www.findmysupplier.energy/webapp/index.html

Whoever this says is your supplier is actually your supplier. The other one is who you should be going after.

Good luck

This was very useful, thank you. So British Gas are listed as the supplier, although I rejected them and chose PFP. PFP also confirmed and reconfirmed I was being supplied by them in two separate phone calls, and British Gas confirmed I was leaving for PFP. It seems that British Gas Evolve have indeed "stolen" the supply.

James_N

 The plot thickens. The useful search above shows the GAS supply. A further search for electricity supply at 
http://supplier.westernpower.co.uk
shows our house does not exist. Our neighbours exist so there is nothing wrong with the street. It is NOT a new street.
Neither the address or the meter number show anything.

niktheguru

This sounds completely bizarre. Had you ever contacted British Gas evolve? Had British Gas ever offered you a deal to stay?
it doesn’t sound like pfp have ever been supplying you…..either that or the electricity moved to pfp and the gas went to British Gas evolve. You need to find out your electricity supplier ASAP, and then put formal complaints in.

how did you know you were on British Gas evolve, do you have a login? Are you signed up to any auto switching service such as mse cheap energy club or look after my bills?

niktheguru

For you electricity put your postcode in this checker
https://www.energynetworks.org/operating-the-networks/whos-my-network-operator

then go to the website of that Dno/network operator and search your address.
do you live in the midlands, Wales or southwest? If so then the wester-owner site you supplied is the right site, if not go to the appropriate site for you and do another search.

James_N

niktheguru said:

This sounds completely bizarre. Had you ever contacted British Gas evolve? Had British Gas ever offered you a deal to stay?
it doesn’t sound like pfp have ever been supplying you…..either that or the electricity moved to pfp and the gas went to British Gas evolve. You need to find out your electricity supplier ASAP, and then put formal complaints in.

how did you know you were on British Gas evolve, do you have a login? Are you signed up to any auto switching service such as mse cheap energy club or look after my bills?

I was with British Gas and they said I was being moved to Evolve. BEFORE that happened I contracted with PFP, and contacted British Gas on my own account to advise of move. I know that Evolve took money from the direct debit and they have created an account for me online. I also have an online account with PFP. Both are using the same meter codes and the same start readings. For both utilities.
The original BG account is closed and finalised.

James_N

Thanks. It's Wales and the one I searched for elect is correct. 

niktheguru

James_N said:

niktheguru said:

This sounds completely bizarre. Had you ever contacted British Gas evolve? Had British Gas ever offered you a deal to stay?
it doesn’t sound like pfp have ever been supplying you…..either that or the electricity moved to pfp and the gas went to British Gas evolve. You need to find out your electricity supplier ASAP, and then put formal complaints in.

how did you know you were on British Gas evolve, do you have a login? Are you signed up to any auto switching service such as mse cheap energy club or look after my bills?

I was with British Gas and they said I was being moved to Evolve. BEFORE that happened I contracted with PFP, and contacted British Gas on my own account to advise of move. I know that Evolve took money from the direct debit and they have created an account for me online. I also have an online account with PFP. Both are using the same meter codes and the same start readings. For both utilities.
The original BG account is closed and finalised.

Sounds like pfp messed up your transfer then, and then it went to evolve as planned. Telling British gas you're moving to pfp wouldn't have done anything (tho of course is nice of you to inform them) it's the incoming supplier that is responsible for the switch. Do your pfp bills suggest they are charging you got the electricity and gas used? Are you submitting readings or do you have a smart meter?

I think you have to put in formal written comments to pfp and to British gas. Then contact your DNO to find out who is actually supplying you for electricity.

Let us know how you get on.

James_N

The plot thickens even further ...
Here is the sequence of events, so far, as much as I can establish.
I was with British Gas on a dual fuel deal (this becomes important later). I asked to move to PFP for both utilities. PFP accepted and arranged the move.
I paid up with British Gas and had a final bill and a closing credit to my bank. The online account with BG is closed. Both utilities finalised and paid in full.
Transfer to PFP 20th June.
I have an online account with PFP. I pay PFP by DD a month in advance. I submit and have confirmation of meter reads from PFP.
15th July I notice that BG has taken money from the old DD.
Chat with BG (on a Saturday). "Not us they say your account is closed, finalised, completed. We paid you a refund. But our records show you moved to Evolve. Ask them. Evolve is not BG (this becomes important later).
But you can't contact Evolve on a weekend!
Advise bank of erroneous DD, get read the riot act over false statements, get a refund.
I check the online PFP account. Final reads from BG - opening reads for PFP - check
Payment to PFP set up - check
Meter Reads to PFP - check.
Date of finish for BG and start for PFP - check
Open Evolve website. Create a new online account with my details - which are accepted ...
Evolve have the same electricity and gas readings as taken over on the same day as PFP.
Check the meter reference codes on the Evolve site - they are mine.

So what has happened?
Today I chatted with an Evolve "expert" (is this a joke?)
Apparently Evolve "objected" to the switch of the gas - but not the electricity. This was due to Evolve claiming there was a shortfall on the account. This despite the fully paid up BG account. No explanation of the electricity appearing on the online account for Evolve, but claimed that they are not suppling electricity to me. 
Online search (kindly provided above) shows that indeed Evolve ARE supplying me with gas,
There appears to be no record at all on Western Power site. We don't exist.
(remember BOTH suppliers show the full and correct meter details on the online records)
When I object to the Evolve chat person about an unauthorised transfer to a new company she wants to play a different tune to the BG chat person (who cannot help and cannot see any records after BG close the account). "Oh you cannot complain because we are the same company!"

So Evolve have split my duel supply, objected to a switch for false reasons (because the BG account was fully finalised), at the same time behaving as a separate company to BG, but when it suits them they are the same, and taken over a supply that was in the process of being taken over by another company, taken an unauthorised direct debit - and not a word to me or PFP.
I have welcome emails etc from PFP - NOTHING from Evolve.
Of course, formal complaints are in, both directly and via Resolver. 

niktheguru

This is exactly what I thought had happened.
When British Gas said your tariff was ending and you were going to be moved to evolve did they give you a date this was going to happen?
it sounds like you initiated a switch to pfp, but half was rejected, in this case the gas. However pfp who would have been informed of the blocked switch to gas, failed to inform you of this but instead just transferred your electricity over and continued to bill you. Because your gas switch failed you were moved to British Gas evolve for your gas and started to get charged.

you’re not the first person this has happened to. There have been a few cases of this where one utility has switched and the other one hasn’t yet both companies continue to bill you. Usually this occurs with companies who are electricity and duel fuel only,(I.e. don’t offer single fuel gas), so they seem to be most bothered about the electricity transfer.

mke sure you are taking regular meter readings and once this is sorted look carefully at what dates are charged from each company and ensure there is no overlap/