So Energy are holding my substantial Credit Balance based on a false COS estimate.

GeoffW1953

I switched from So Energy to Octopus on 9th September. My credit balance with So Energy is over £2,000. I sent a reading to Octopus of 512 on Sept 7th. Octopus have confirmed they submitted the COS reading to So Energy but they wanted a COS reading of 876. Octopus challenged this saying it was too high. I took time stamped photos of the Sept 7th meter reading and further readings on Sept 28th (reading 663) and Oct 10th (reading 864). The point being, over a month on from COS, the reading was still less than So Energy's estimate. Octopus have forwarded the photos to So Energy but there is still no sign of a final bill. So Energy say they will refund my balance two weeks after issuing the final bill.
I have several questions:
1. Can I do anything better than escalating this issue to the Energy Ombudsmen on 7th November? This being 8 weeks after I first raised the issue with So Energy. I have had no response to any of my emails to the So Energy Service Desk or Complaints Department.
2. Shouldn't So Energy know exactly what the COS reading was as they installed a Smart Meter on July 4th and were able to communicate with it?
3. Given that the Energy Ombudsman is funded by the Energy Suppliers is it a kangaroo court? A bit like the parking fine arbitration service is alleged to be.
4. Am I entitled to compensation or should I just hope to get my Credit balance back one day?
5. What happens if So Energy go bust before this is sorted out? Am I likely to lose my £2,000?
Thanks and regards,
Geoff Willett

powergen_insider

1. No

2. No, that's not how the switching process works.

3. No, and approaching them with that attitude is unlikely to help you.

4. Compensation for what?  Have you suffered an additional loss that you didn't tell us about?  You might get £30 for the final bill being late I suppose.

5. Customer credit isn't lost if a supplier goes bust.

ArbitraryRandom

powergen_insider said:

4. Compensation for what?  Have you suffered an additional loss that you didn't tell us about?  You might get £30 for the final bill being late I suppose.

So energy don't hold a supply licence anymore, so I don't think they're bound by the service standards? 

OP, as powergen asks - is there a difference between your So rates and the Octopus ones or are both the standard variable tariff? 

If not, then you're not being 'cheated' as you just won't pay for any energy with Octopus until your reading is higher than the exit reading being used by So. Octopus will want to get to the bottom of it because they would rather you pay them for the energy than be giving it to you for free... but as the customer you're fine either way. 

powergen_insider

ArbitraryRandom said:

powergen_insider said:

4. Compensation for what?  Have you suffered an additional loss that you didn't tell us about?  You might get £30 for the final bill being late I suppose.

So energy don't hold a supply licence anymore, so I don't think they're bound by the service standards? 

In which case, they are not.

GeoffW1953

Thank you for your very fast responses. I understand what you are saying in terms of me not losing out. I am on the same variable tariffs. But where it leaves me at the moment is the victim of an impasse between So Energy and Octopus. That said I don't blame Octopus for challenging a falsely inflated reading that, if they accepted, would leave them out of pocket (unless I'm missing something).
I'm not too worried about compensation. However the longer this goes on the more interest will have been lost as the credit balance could have been deposited in a Building Society account.
Being a layman I don't understand what the Service Standards are (that So Energy are not bound by). Does this mean I can't escalate to the Energy Ombudsman?
Regards
Geoff

powergen_insider

Your understanding is spot on - effectively SO want you to pay them for energy that you actually got from Octopus.

The service standards (know as GSOP) are automatic compensation payments for things like a late final bill, missing an appointment etc.  Things that didn't need to involve the Ombudsman.

It's really for Octopus to solve on your behalf though, through the industry system for challenging readings in a switch.  There isn't a whole lot more you can do.

QrizB

GeoffW1953 said:

That said I don't blame Octopus for challenging a falsely inflated reading that, if they accepted, would leave them out of pocket (unless I'm missing something).

Octopus won't be out of pocket, whatever the final agreed switch reading is.

If the agreed switch reading is 500, So will have to pay their suppliers for 500kWh and Octopus will pay for the rest.

If it's 1000, So pay for 1000kWh and Octopus then don't have to buy any more energy for you until your meter reaches 1000.

ArbitraryRandom said:

powergen_insider said:

4. Compensation for what?  Have you suffered an additional loss that you didn't tell us about?  You might get £30 for the final bill being late I suppose.

So energy don't hold a supply licence anymore, so I don't think they're bound by the service standards?

As far as I can tell, So Energy are still trading:

https://www.so.energy/

ArbitraryRandom

QrizB said:

GeoffW1953 said:

That said I don't blame Octopus for challenging a falsely inflated reading that, if they accepted, would leave them out of pocket (unless I'm missing something).

Octopus won't be out of pocket, whatever the final agreed switch reading is.

If the agreed switch reading is 500, So will have to pay their suppliers for 500kWh and Octopus will pay for the rest.

If it's 1000, So pay for 1000kWh and Octopus then don't have to buy any more energy for you until your meter reaches 1000.

ArbitraryRandom said:

powergen_insider said:

4. Compensation for what?  Have you suffered an additional loss that you didn't tell us about?  You might get £30 for the final bill being late I suppose.

So energy don't hold a supply licence anymore, so I don't think they're bound by the service standards?

As far as I can tell, So Energy are still trading:

https://www.so.energy/

Thank you, I don't know why it was in my head they were one of the ones that went completely under last year.