Outfox The Market

QrizB

Nick_C said:

wild666 said:

Nick_C said:

When I switched from Ovo to OTM just over two years ago, Ovo insisted they had to have an active DD in place to pay my refund!  

You do not need to have an active DD in place to receive money into your account, this is fact.

I know that, and you know that.  Ovo on the other hand ...

The way I heard it put, it makes a sort of sense. Enough people switch their current accounts these days that, without an active DD, the supplier doesn't know that your current account still exists. So an active DD gives them the confidence to repay you by bank transfer, but without one they send a cheque.

Nick_C

QrizB said:

Nick_C said:

wild666 said:

Nick_C said:

When I switched from Ovo to OTM just over two years ago, Ovo insisted they had to have an active DD in place to pay my refund!  

You do not need to have an active DD in place to receive money into your account, this is fact.

I know that, and you know that.  Ovo on the other hand ...

The way I heard it put, it makes a sort of sense. Enough people switch their current accounts these days that, without an active DD, the supplier doesn't know that your current account still exists. So an active DD gives them the confidence to repay you by bank transfer, but without one they send a cheque.

I don't think it does make sense.  As part of the Current Account Switching Service, and payments sent to a closed account that has been switched will be automatically redirected.  Sounds more like an IT deficiency with Ovo to me. 

"Any payments sent to your old account by mistake will be indefinitely redirected to your new one, if required, ensuring none of your regular payments will be adversely affected because of a switch."  

https://www.currentaccountswitch.co.uk/howtoswitch/Pages/How.aspx#next

"We will arrange for payments accidentally made to your old account to be automatically redirected to your new account. We will also contact the sender and give them your new account details."

https://www.currentaccountswitch.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/CurrentAccountSwitchGuarantee.pdf

Felicitya

DadExtraordinaire said:

I was £300 in credit with OTM September 2021. I asked for the credit to be refunded they sent an updated bill showing I was still in credit but this time by £250 (October 2021), when November 2021 bill arrives I will be in credit by around £300 again). I followed this up after receiving no response after 4 working days (4 workign days is more than reasonable given their services and processes are web driven). I was on the live chat and was told I was not allowed a refund of my credit only if I leave OTM. When I demonstrated I have been in credit since I joined them and the credit was steadily increasing (min. £50/month) and that I stated legally I can request the credit to be refunded without having to leave OTM (it states I can request a refund of credit without having to leave OTM as per their terms and conditions), they backed down from their entrenched position when I also added I'm raising a complaint to the regulator and they replied do I want to raise a request for a refund...I said yes. I am still waiting since last week for a satisfactory response from them. Not good but to be honest the whole energy sector is FUBAR anyway. All Energy companies are in a powerful position through a coercive, bullying and manipulative culture and even with my current exchange with them, OTM are one of the better ones (marginally). 

I have had a similar experience of obfuscation and specious arguments from OTM. No response until I cancelled the D/D-I have now collected evidence via RESOLVER and this has now been sent to Ombudsman Services. OTM obviously have no intention of refunding the £400+ of my money and we are at an impasse.I don't think complying with their request to re-instate the mandate will result in a refund. I'll get the cash but it is going to take ages. Hopping mad!

Nick_C

Switched from OTM to E,On on 3 October.

Final Bill should have been issued no later than 14 November.

Sent an email complaint on 16 November asking for my statutory compensation (£30).

Reply received yesterday morning 24 November saying it had been referred to the billing team, and I would get a bill shortly.

Email received at 23:00 yesterday saying final bill now ready to view online.  They have added the £30 to my account.

TonySimon

Nick_C said:

Switched from OTM to E,On on 3 October.

Final Bill should have been issued no later than 14 November.

Sent an email complaint on 16 November asking for my statutory compensation (£30).

Reply received yesterday morning 24 November saying it had been referred to the billing team, and I would get a bill shortly.

Email received at 23:00 yesterday saying final bill now ready to view online.  They have added the £30 to my account.

Thanks for update.  Why did you not wait an extra 10 days.  30 becomes 60.  I dont understand this.  £30 could feed me for ages.

Nick_C

I'm happy with £30.

In these uncertain times, who knows how long OTM will be around.  I know my credit should be protected, but easier to get it out while they are still trading.

There are a couple of fences they could still fall at.  They need to pay my compensation by next Tuesday (Sunday technically, but I'm being generous), and I suspect they will fail because they have just added it to the credit balance.  So unless they issue the refund very quickly, I may well be making a further claim/complaint.

MWT

QrizB said:

Nick_C said:

wild666 said:

Nick_C said:

When I switched from Ovo to OTM just over two years ago, Ovo insisted they had to have an active DD in place to pay my refund!  

You do not need to have an active DD in place to receive money into your account, this is fact.

I know that, and you know that.  Ovo on the other hand ...

The way I heard it put, it makes a sort of sense. Enough people switch their current accounts these days that, without an active DD, the supplier doesn't know that your current account still exists. So an active DD gives them the confidence to repay you by bank transfer, but without one they send a cheque.

The only explanation I've seen that did seem to stack up was that the supplier only has your bank details and the contractual right to process them as part of the DD.

When you cancel the DD, GDPR requires that they do not retain those bank details for any other purpose as that is outside the original contracted purpose for holding and processing the data.

So, if that is the stance a supplier is taking I would suggest giving them the bank details again when chasing for payment and give them to use them for that purpose at the same time.

Nick_C

That's a reasonable explanation, and an interesting example of a law that is meant to protect us actually making life more difficult.

Although if they have taken money by DD, I can see an argument for keeping the data for 6 years. 

aerozeppel

I've been waiting 7 weeks for a final bill from them now. Messaged them by email and Facebook messenger 6 days ago with no reply. They will owe me about £150 after the final bill has been calculated, wouldn't mind it back before Christmas.

oliverbrown

aerozeppel said:

I've been waiting 7 weeks for a final bill from them now. Messaged them by email and Facebook messenger 6 days ago with no reply.

Try live chat, a long wait to get through but they are helpful.