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Shell Energy - Final bill overcharge warning

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  • HappyNow
    HappyNow Posts: 1,558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Name Dropper
    Wow, think it happened to me too! I wouldn't have even noticed if it hadn't been for this thread. I have used their online contact form just now to request they recalculate my final bill and refund me. I used FollowerOfMartin's suggested email virtually word for word, so MASSIVE thanks for that. I will update when I hear back :)
    LBM Dec 2011. Aimed, but failed, to clear all unsecured debt by Feb 2019. Finally free of unsecured debt 21st May 21!

    Debt Dec 11: Unsecured £69,579 + Mortgage £59,948 = £129,527
    Debt May 21: Unsecured ZERO! ZILCH! Mortgage £22,332
  • HappyNow said:
    Wow, think it happened to me too! I wouldn't have even noticed if it hadn't been for this thread. I have used their online contact form just now to request they recalculate my final bill and refund me. I used FollowerOfMartin's suggested email virtually word for word, so MASSIVE thanks for that. I will update when I hear back :)
    Yes, FollowerOfMartin's suggestions are priceless! 
  • I am also annoyed with Shell Energy's recent actions in changing their rates in recent bills, which the MSE Forum has picked up on. 

    What I haven't seen yet is comment on the company also changing the calorific value multiplier in their two recent bills, from 40.3 to 40.6. This increases the kWh figure and leads to a further 'hidden' increase in charges. The fact that the increase is more marginal is immaterial, it simply underlines the lengths this duplicious company will go to squeeze every penny out of the transfer situation.    
  • MeteredOut
    MeteredOut Posts: 3,042 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 12 December 2023 at 2:00PM
    tonygo42 said:
    I am also annoyed with Shell Energy's recent actions in changing their rates in recent bills, which the MSE Forum has picked up on. 

    What I haven't seen yet is comment on the company also changing the calorific value multiplier in their two recent bills, from 40.3 to 40.6. This increases the kWh figure and leads to a further 'hidden' increase in charges. The fact that the increase is more marginal is immaterial, it simply underlines the lengths this duplicious company will go to squeeze every penny out of the transfer situation.    
    Have a read of this to (hopefully) understand how you're not being fiddled with the changes to CV. These are not "hidden" and are applied by all suppliers.

    https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2014/08/supplier_guidance_on_cv_calculation.pdf
  • SWAMP_MAN
    SWAMP_MAN Posts: 13 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts
    edited 13 December 2023 at 5:56PM
    I too am in the same situation after leaving Shell Energy in so much as I was on a Flexible 12 tariff having gone onto it on October 1st and paid a bill on the 25th. I left them on November 14th and was shocked to see that my final bill was based on the Flexible 11 tariff and more than my calculation.  I emailed them and have just come off a telephone call, despite me asking for an answer vial email.  In both the email and the call I stated that my October bill was based on Flexible 12 and therefore see no reason as to why my final bill should reflect a different tariff.
    Their response is 
    As per ofgem regulations we are supposed to be billing you on the flexible 11 tariff , as it was the tariff you were on 60 days prior to your supply end date. 

    ****UPDATE****
    Emailed Shell asking for evidence of the ofgem regulations having been sent to me, did not receive a response so decided to open a new chat and asked for an update to my case number.  The host advised that my account was closed, I then pointed out that the final bill was produced using the wrong tariff, I was advised that a new bill would be produced within 5 days.  Hopefully I will get a refund !!!

  • MeteredOut
    MeteredOut Posts: 3,042 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    SWAMP_MAN said:
    I too am in the same situation after leaving Shell Energy in so much as I was on a Flexible 12 tariff having gone onto it on October 1st and paid a bill on the 25th. I left them on November 14th and was shocked to see that my final bill was based on the Flexible 11 tariff and more than my calculation.  I emailed them and have just come off a telephone call, despite me asking for an answer vial email.  In both the email and the call I stated that my October bill was based on Flexible 12 and therefore see no reason as to why my final bill should reflect a different tariff.
    Their response is 
    As per ofgem regulations we are supposed to be billing you on the flexible 11 tariff , as it was the tariff you were on 60 days prior to your supply end date. 

    Waste their time by asking them to refer to the specific ofgem regulation that states that.
  • HappyNow
    HappyNow Posts: 1,558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Name Dropper
    Update! As per my previous post, I raised the overcharge last night using Shell's online contact form. I've just had a phone call from them in which they confirmed that they have made an error by using the pre-October tariff! It has apparently been forwarded to the Billing Team to re-calculate, which should be done within three working days. I will then receive an updated bill and a refund for the difference. Easy as that! No need to escalate to a complaint and no mention of it being a 'goodwill gesture'. Just an apology. No idea how much it will be yet because my brain can't do maths, but I'm very grateful to this thread for alerting me. 
    LBM Dec 2011. Aimed, but failed, to clear all unsecured debt by Feb 2019. Finally free of unsecured debt 21st May 21!

    Debt Dec 11: Unsecured £69,579 + Mortgage £59,948 = £129,527
    Debt May 21: Unsecured ZERO! ZILCH! Mortgage £22,332
  • Bendo
    Bendo Posts: 553 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper
    It's pretty obvious they are on the fiddle. People need to raise this with the ombudsman as lots of people affected won't be aware of it and there is no way to directly raise with Ofgem.

    Those affected should ask for compensation for being messed about and a deadlock letter to escalate.
  • I wasn't aware of this but seen this thread mentioned on another thread, and checking my bill I can see I've also been affected by this. I had checked the final readings when the bill came in but didn't even think to check the rate they were charging.
    I agree that this should be pushed until they are made to refund everyone not just the people that realise.
  • I have now received an email from the Shell escalated complaints team.  They are still obfuscating claiming that the 60 day rule they have applied is within the OFGEM supplier licence conditions without stating where exactly.  They failed to address any of the questions I raised regarding section 23.6 and 24.9 of the licence that they previously referred to.

    Judging by the experience of HappyNow and Legogirl Shell do seem to be capable of reacting in a more honest manner by admitting an error and offering a refund without prevaricating.  Hopefully everyone who contacts Shell from now on will have the same experience and then receive a refund in their bank account.

    In the email I received Shell are now claiming, “We are proactively reimbursing customers who have found themselves in a similar position following the October price cap upon their switch to a new supplier”.  The most optimistic reading of this is that Shell will reimburse affected customers even when they have not contacted them.  I’m not sure.  It does seem to at least mean that they will cut down on the obstruction, obfuscation and delay when a customer contacts them.


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