Ofgem orders Utility Warehouse to pay £1.5m for failing customers in debt

Former_MSE_Sophie

Ofgem has ordered Utility Warehouse to pay £1.5m after the company failed to support customers who were struggling with their bills, which the energy regulator said left them "disadvantaged". 

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Ofgem orders Utility Warehouse to pay £1.5m for failing customers in debt - here's what to do if you are struggling to pay your bills

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oliverbrown

I wonder if the multi-level marketers will put that in the pamphlet.

booshya

oliverbrown said:

I wonder if the multi-level marketers will put that in the pamphlet.

I don't see why not.

Perhaps something along the lines of:

Utility Warehouse strives to always get things perfect, but we accept sometimes there maybe things we could do better. We take all feedback very seriously, and indeed wish to learn from it. As an example, we have just agreed to pay Ofgem's voluntary redress fund, which supports vulnerable customers and innovation within the energy sector, the sum of £1.5m in respect of some areas that were recently brought to our attention that should and will be improved.

oliverbrown

It seems there's quite a lot they "could do better". https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/raw-deal-utility-warehouse/

wakeupalarm

booshya said:

oliverbrown said:

I wonder if the multi-level marketers will put that in the pamphlet.

I don't see why not.

Perhaps something along the lines of:

Utility Warehouse strives to always get things perfect, but we accept sometimes there maybe things we could do better. We take all feedback very seriously, and indeed wish to learn from it. As an example, we have just agreed to pay Ofgem's voluntary redress fund, which supports vulnerable customers and innovation within the energy sector, the sum of £1.5m in respect of some areas that were recently brought to our attention that should and will be improved.

These failures relate to a period starting from 2013, that's 8 years ago. That should really be rephrased to say we have been ripping off customers for years.

EssexHebridean

It must be said that so far the two statements I've had from UW have been essentially impenetrable - in spite of having been given regular meter readings I am only being billed for the standing charge. Anyone got any idea what is going on here? is this standard behaviour for UW as I can't recall them telling us anything of the sort - my understanding was that we would be billed in the same way that every other supplier we have ever had does - by using either estimated, or customer generated readings to create a bill based on actual usage! 

Also - and more concerning in many ways - an additional payment we made to the account a month ago has failed to appear on the new statement. With any other supplier, pretty much, I would have been able to check my account balance online, and so would have known about this far sooner - so far I am thoroughly regretting the decision to go with UW. 

booshya

oliverbrown said:

It seems there's quite a lot they "could do better". https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/raw-deal-utility-warehouse/

UW closed the customers account as requested and allowed the customer to switch yet again. They even waived the final bill charges,  and the early exit fees that would normally have applied when she left.

They also paid the £156 early exit fees the customer incurred in leaving Sky to move to UW.

You really think there's still a lot more they could do better?

oliverbrown

booshya said:

You really think there's still a lot more they could do better?

How about not lying to the customer in the first instance?

booshya

wakeupalarm said:

booshya said:

oliverbrown said:

I wonder if the multi-level marketers will put that in the pamphlet.

I don't see why not.

Perhaps something along the lines of:

Utility Warehouse strives to always get things perfect, but we accept sometimes there maybe things we could do better. We take all feedback very seriously, and indeed wish to learn from it. As an example, we have just agreed to pay Ofgem's voluntary redress fund, which supports vulnerable customers and innovation within the energy sector, the sum of £1.5m in respect of some areas that were recently brought to our attention that should and will be improved.

These failures relate to a period starting from 2013, that's 8 years ago. ...

The matter was not brought to the attention of UW until at least mid 2018.

wakeupalarm

Surelybooshya said:

wakeupalarm said:

booshya said:

oliverbrown said:

I wonder if the multi-level marketers will put that in the pamphlet.

I don't see why not.

Perhaps something along the lines of:

Utility Warehouse strives to always get things perfect, but we accept sometimes there maybe things we could do better. We take all feedback very seriously, and indeed wish to learn from it. As an example, we have just agreed to pay Ofgem's voluntary redress fund, which supports vulnerable customers and innovation within the energy sector, the sum of £1.5m in respect of some areas that were recently brought to our attention that should and will be improved.

These failures relate to a period starting from 2013, that's 8 years ago. ...

The matter was not brought to the attention of UW until at least mid 2018.

But it was Utility Warehouse customers, Utility Warehouse submitted inaccurate data until they were found out.  They obviously knew and didn't need someone else to bring it to their attention.  They were ripping off their most vulnerable customers for years and hoping to get away with.