HELP - Energy Provider Change Without My Permission or Knowledge

Robin9

What I find disappointing is the lack of knowledge from who ought to know and whose job it is to know.

The Estate Agents as part of the service they provide ought to know the processes ,  As should Utilities Customer Service;   the builders site agent.

[Deleted User]

eastlad said:

Thank you for all those that took to the time to respond, I have taken the advice on board and started on some of the measures.

But I must have my say on some of the points made...

• Stating that I should have done my research and 'not just wonder into estate agents'. As pointed out by someone, I did all I could. Over the course of the 5/6 months the sale took, I got in touch with everyone from energy supplier, life insurance, internet/phone line (which in my eyes is no different to energy supply, but treated differently), redirecting post etc. And given that I didn't know the situation with energy, I spoke to my supplier, who said, "don't worry, we'll sort it". Why would I assume anything else would happen? 
• Completely agree with not laying into the OP. When someone posts in here, they need help, myself in concluded. This has caused a massive amount of stress to me and my family, the last thing I, or anyone, need/s is a barrage of abuse. Be a bit more sympathetic, politely explain that this is how things are and offer advice on how to turn a bad situation into a good/more positive one.

Kudos for you for the research then, it's more than a lot seem to do.  And you have suffered from some frankly terrible advice from the 'authorities' in the matter.

Looking at your original post though, you can see that your direct request was roughly "I'm not paying my bill, how can I strengthen my case for a complaint?"  That immediately slants the responses that you are going to get.  As spoonie points out, we're not used to people in the same situations as the benefits board and others are - perhaps that's something that needs to change - we see your question and not always your situation.

Hopefully it will all get sorted!

ariarnia

eastlad said:

Thank you for all those that took to the time to respond, I have taken the advice on board and started on some of the measures.

if any of the responses you have had has been helpful then thats good it would be appreciated if you could try to remember to come back and update us. it helps other people with the same problems if you share your experience. and if you have any other questions of course you know where we are  

EssexHebridean

Spoonie_Turtle said:

^ All of that is true Deleted_User, but regular posters here can still refrain from being riled up by a cantankerous tone to a post.  Often people are genuinely confused, scared, and lashing out because of it.  We see it on the benefits board all the time, and the rules for that board very helpfully include 'no judgement'. 

Given that the energy situation is starting to affect people on similar ways to how benefits issues are affecting people, maybe as human beings we could extend some grace and patience.  I don't mean coddling people (you'd see there are often very straightforward answers on the benefits board, seeming very detached and unemotional) but I do mean not berating them.  A simple 'you're not being ripped off, this is how it works' would tend to suffice.

Completely agree - we also have the same no judgement rule on DFW and those breaking it tend to get reported very fast indeed, and the forum team are extremely good at removing and warning offenders.  Yes also to the “stating the facts” approach - and not dressing things up in too much fluffiness. There is a difference between that, and the downright belligerent and belittling tone that all too often gets used including regularly to first time posters on the boards however as I suspect we’ll agree. Ultimately someone posting here for the first time with a issue about their energy supplier who gets a polite and considered response is far more likely to return in the future to seek help on matters like debt etc - and that is after all why we’re all (meant to be) here! 

EssexHebridean

Robin9 said:

What I find disappointing is the lack of knowledge from who ought to know and whose job it is to know.

The Estate Agents as part of the service they provide ought to know the processes ,  As should Utilities Customer Service;   the builders site agent.

Too many Estate Agents will do as little as possible - shocking when you consider how much their commission usually is on the selling side! It’s frustrating when folk complain about “the legal fees” when in fact as a rule the fee for the solicitor acting - who will have gone through several years at university, a post uni conversion course, has mandatory CPD requirements and ultimately huge amounts of responsibility to ensure everything is done properly and the buyer is getting what they expect - will be sub-£1k. Agents fees can easily be 4 x that, and frequently more. 

I would LOVE to see EA’s as standard provide an information pack including processes for things like energy suppliers being informed, and a checklist of all the people who need to be contacted including things like changing addresses with the DVLA for driving licenses (that was the one I forgot - did the car, totally forgot about the license for quite some time!) - it would cost them almost nothing and would be a genuinely useful thing to provide, especially to FTBs! 

eastlad

Update - received a call from British Gas this morning stating that they were wrong to not take over the property as I was told prior to the move. They are going to inform E.on of this, which should take 2-3 days. Upon my final bill from E.on, which could take another 2-3 weeks. I have been instructed to pass this onto British Gas and they will make sure that I pay no more than I should have, as if I had never moved from them in the first place. I shall update again when all completes. Fingers crossed...

ariarnia

thank you for coming back and letting us know. sounds like its going to work out well for you

eastlad

ariarnia said:

thank you for coming back and letting us know. sounds like its going to work out well for you

Sorry for such a delay. After many weeks going back and forth between British Gas and E.on, my issue is resolved. In the month I was with E.on, I paid quite a substantial more to them than I normally would if I remained with British Gas.

British Gas eventually took me back and put me on my original tariff as promised before the move. They then compensated whatever extra I had paid E.on, which I asked that they leave in credit on my account.