Peoples Energy

[Deleted User]

brewerdave said:

Dolor said:

badmemory said:

ColBal said:

Hi badmemory. Just worked it out to 25% right enough.. It's nothing but a cash grab. The other "option" was to pay one month extra up front and leave the monthly payments as is. I'm seriously worried that the company is gathering in as much cash as possible before announcing bankruptcy.

That has been my major worry, because getting it back can be a real pain AND you have the problem of a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment 'a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.'

When you apply to switch, you choose a new tariff based on time (if fixed); daily standing charge; unit prices and exit fees. There is no question of your new supplier putting you onto any tariff unless you agreed to it first when you signed up to switch.

I think @badmemory is writing about the issues faced IF People's Energy were to fail and he was moved onto a tariff with the SOLR over which he had no control.

Fair enough,  but it could be that people are reading too much into the change to terms and conditions. I have just signed up to a gas supplier that reserves the right to increase DD payments during the Winter so what PE is now doing isn't that unusual.

badmemory

I have no problem with paying enough in DDs to land up at zero at the end of my fix.  My fix ends in Feb.  I have been with them for 3 years now so they know my highest usage.  The figures should tell them that my current DD is more than sufficient to pay for my usage at that highest, whilst also being able to see that the usage has reduced.  That 25% increase is completely unjustifiable & is the cause for my concern.

Valindia2

I have just had the call from People's Energy. I over pay in the summer months by £100 per month to take account of seasonal variations. The lady told me OFGEN have told them customers cannot have money in credit with them but they wanted to take an extra £250 from me today to cover the seasonal variation! That would mean they had nearly £800 of mine in credit and I asked what would happen if they went bust to my money and was told OFGEN would sort it. It all seems a bit desperate and I am now going to look to move accounts - has any other company asked for money upfront?

ColBal

The way that they originally sold us DD was to balance out the energy cost over the entire year. Was it the "right thing to do at the time"? Is it not now? 

Telegraph_Sam

To try to even the odds / level the playing field the following contacts should be helpful:
Trading Standards Dalkeith
https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/265/trading_standards/142/consumer_advice
Citizens Advice Dalkeith
https://www.cas.org.uk/bureaux/dalkeith-and-district-citizens-advice-bureau
It is obviously in many people's interests that such conduct should be as widely circulated as possible, and hopefully remedial action will follow.

Telegraph Sam

ColBal

Thanks Telegraph Sam. From a phone call on Thursday, I got them to send an email..

Thank you for your phone call.

As with the conversation today I can confirm that my following actions will be:

1. ​To escalate this call to a higher member to discuss specifically the financial equations and how the seasonal payment will effect specifically yourself and your tariff that ends on the 15th of February 2022
   
2. ​To have the call listened to on the 23rd of August where you mentioned you were told this did not apply to you and not to worry about it.
   

As mentioned it is approximately 2 working days that a member will be able to contact yourself.

If nothing comes of this by Monday evening I will follow your advice and contact Trading Standards

Telegraph_Sam

While one would imagine that Trading Standards would have more clout, I seem to remember in the case of Tonik Birmingham (similar circumstances) that the local CAB was quite proactive in cutting through the red tape. At the time they had a dedicated dept for this on complaints@ehu.org.uk tel 0800 458 2245. But I have not checked these details recently. Nothing to be lost by taking a twin track approach. I wish you luck and look forward to hearing what results.

TaweJohn

Having cooled down a little and checked my monthly costs compared with other suppliers, it would not be worth my while to move before my contract ends in March 2022.

I have however received an email confirming they will refund me £148 of the £275 credit on my account, my one off payment will be £166, this will enable me to retain my current monthly DD of £128.

I am still annoyed, but think this is the best I can achieve at the moment. I will be moving to another supplier as soon as I can do so.

badmemory

I am frankly still seething at their massive overpayment requirements & once the larger DD starts going out I will be ringing them monthly for a repayment of that overpayment.  There is no way I plan on waiting 6 months for the new supplier who takes over when they go bust to finally refund me.

CotswoldJ

Hi again,

Has anyone else received a phone call from PE asking if you want to make a “ one off payment” to avoid DD increase from Oct onwards? I pointed out I was already in credit by a significant amount how can they justify this confusing call? The caller then seemed totally confused, didn’t know what amount they were seeking and promised to call back after speaking to a supervisor.!