Being hassled by E.ON

hellokitty08

Hello again,

I am yet to hear back from E.on, but i will give them the full ten days, as stated on their website before progressing my complaint. I have however disovered this,

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/help_and_advice/billing_basics/index.asp#1

What is the ‘super-complaint’?
Like other consumer watchdogs, energywatch has some statutory powers. In this case, under the Enterprise Act of 2002, energywatch can submit a ‘super-complaint’ to Ofgem about any aspects of serious concern in the energy market.
energywatch believes that, too often, energy companies’ performance when it comes to billing their customers is poor, and can sometimes cause serious hardship. We believe that consumers have a right to expect gas and electricity bills that are:

• Accurate;
• On time; and
• Clear.

energywatch therefore submitted a super-complaint to Ofgem on billing. When it made its decision Ofgem set out three requirements on energy suppliers:

1. By July 2006 they have to set up and fund an independent body to resolve disputes between individual companies and consumers. This body will have the power to award compensation to consumers who have received particularly poor service.
2. From July 2006 they should no longer seek payment from consumers where they have not billed a customer for two years. From July 2007 this period should reduce to one year.
3. By July 2006 they should have reviewed the terms and conditions of the contracts they offer to consumers to make sure they are as simple as possible, comply with consumer rights’ legislation and are not biased in suppliers’ favour.

energywatch, as the gas and electricity consumer watchdog, will monitor suppliers’ progress in implementing these requirements to make sure they comply with both the spirit and the letter of the judgement for the benefit of consumers.

I am going to phone them and see what they say about the situation when the ten days is up. what did they say to you when you contacted them?

chrisandanne

Woodgnome,

We probably keep making it to the front of the board because we are being driven to despair by e.on who appear to be a souless machine of a company.....and what's a shill ?

And to Kitty and Gen 979 Hi

I have heard nothing from my e mails to Watchdog and the Daily Mirror even though my Dad is 91.....you would think harrasing someone this age would be lower than low, if his name was Britney Spears it would be all over the paper.

Cardew

chrisandanne wrote: »

..and what's a shill ?

Its a term used in gambling - a 'plant'!

He is questioning if you work for another Untility Company like BG or EDF with an agenda to attack E-ON!!!

More normally used by an employee/agent to praise his company without declaring an interest.

In online discussion media, satisfied consumers, or “innocent” parties may express specific opinions in order to further the interests of an organization in which they have an interest, such as a commercial vendor or special-interest group. Websites may also be set up for the same purpose. For example, an employee of a company that produces a specific product may praise the product anonymously in a discussion forum or group in order to generate interest in that product, service, or group.
In some jurisdictions and circumstances, this type of activity may be illegal. In addition, reputable organizations may prohibit their employees and other interested parties (contractors, agents, etc.) from participating in public forums or discussion groups in which a conflict of interest might arise, or will at least insist that their employees and agents refrain from participating in any way that might create a conflict of interest.

London_Law

Gen979 wrote: »

I was contacted by a debt collector to pay a debt to E.on (back then Powergen) It is unclear whether the debt collector contacted you in person by attendance at your doorstep or by telephone or by letter. Section 40 Administration of Justice Act 1970 prevents certain types of personal attendance particularly if the attendance is on your family home, causing a nuisance to your private enjoyment and family life. The problem is that I have never opened an account with them (never called them to do so, never gave them my account details and never signed anything) Immediately if there is no contract the basis of this course of conduct could amount to harassment. There would be no purpose for any such attendance and raising a query with you by letter would be something that could be responded to establishing that there is a dispute. Remember it is not you who has to prove the claim it is the Utility Company. Often there is no purpose for a personal attendance except to use force by placing a person under duress, and it may be fairly interpreted that a personal attendance could be one that the party attending knew or ought to have known would cause a fear violence will be used. Debt collectors are therefore constantly on a borderline with the law and often even by the nature of their communications, they will get away with crossing the border simply because the police do not have the resources to cope with matters and will refer the issue to a civil dispute. Back then I was one of the many tenants of the house, and we used a metered card system for gas and electric. Minimum worries for student tenants who would live only for 10 months in shared accomodation If you had no debt, you had nothing to worry about.

I have tried to settled the matter with them to strike my name off their records, as I think a fraud was committed It is probably best you write to the Information Commissioner and petition a complaint against E.On for holding information about you they are not entitled to hold. The Commissioner has the power to order your name removed from any records and/or order any records altered if there is any infringement of Data Protection Rules by the Data User (E.On). The Commissioner may also order compensation in certain circumstances. My old tenancy agreement was sent to them, and they assured me that they would correct the matter The assurance that the matter would be corrected should be obtained in writing where ever possible as this is evidence that may be relied on in court. Negligence resulting in a course of conduct causing you alarm and distress may imply that you are entitled to damages for harassment ubder section 3 Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The police officially should be able to help because what amountsa to a civil wrong also amounts to a criminal wrong under the Act, but sadly the police are often unreliable in such circumstances. Problem is the matter is being dragged on (on their side) and I even think that the matter might have been passed on to another debt collector. E.On will be liable for damages if they cause any injury to your credit by the registration of debt, and you should check with Equifax and other such cred reference agencies to determine whether there is harm and advise the Commissioner that there needs to be an alteration or entry with your comments on the list. Further if the harassment is of a claim to debt, in the absence of a debt that is due or owing, and the allegation of debt accruing falls outside of the statutory limitation period of 6 years, there may be other additional remedies open to you. The best approach at this stage is the Citizen's Advice Bureau

What should the next step be, as I think this matter has been falling on deaf ears at E.ON?

I have contacted Energy Watch but they have not been very helpful.

Also what should I do to make sure this matter will not affect my credit record which has been perfect until now, as I always settle my debts? A debt is not a debt unless it is due and owing, i.e. there is no grounds for dispute or defence in law to the claim

I would appreciate any suggestions on the matter! Thank you.

Gen

We hope this is helpful information

Cardew

London Law,

Did you post on MSE before under the name of legaleagle?

chrisandanne

London_Law wrote: »

We hope this is helpful information

Hi London Law,

Thanks you for your posting, I am sure the information contained will be useful, particularly that they are obliged to prove the debt is owed, I have felt I have to fight to prove it isn't. E.on have never been in touch about it to us only the debt collection agency.

chrisandanne

Cardew wrote: »

Its a term used in gambling - a 'plant'!

He is questioning if you work for another Untility Company like BG or EDF with an agenda to attack E-ON!!!

More normally used by an employee/agent to praise his company without declaring an interest.

Thanks.....I understand, Just to prove I have no bias..... Wednesday British Gas cold called my house, they wanted me to switch to their electricity as a dual fuel user, they insisted we are with Powergen....we already have a dual fuel deal with BG and have had for the last few years on their fixed 'till 2010 scheme....they are all mad, is it a conspiricy by the energy companies to drive normal peace loving housholders insane ? have they been taken over by aliens ?

SwanJon

Chris/Anne
It's possible that there may be some confusion if both E-on & BG think you are with E-on.
Get them to check meter serial numbers and supply numbers with the central agencies.

hellokitty08

Newspaper article wasnt really much help and didnt specifically mention E.on, just some other companies who are doing the same thing. They recommend the following,

1 GET THE FACTS: Ask the company to carry out an investigation to show how much you owe and what the debt is for. Request that all correspondence about the debt stops until this is completed. If necessary, point out that a failure to disclose will be brought to any judge's attention if the matter goes to court.
2 KEEP IN TOUCH: If a debt agency is hired, address correspondence to the original company and copy in the debt collector, and ask it to check again with the company.
3 DEADLOCK: Not getting anywhere? Tell the company that if the matter isn't resolved within 28 days you will consider it deadlocked, and you will then go straight to the company's formal complaints procedure.
4 TAKE IT FURTHER: If you continue to receive final demands, address complaints for debit/credit cards and loans to the Financial Services Ombudsman (https://www.fos.org.uk, 020 7964 0500), phone and internet services to Otelo (https://www.otelo.org.uk, 01925 430049), and energy complaints to the Energy Supply Ombudsman (https://www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk, 01925 530263).
5 BAD CREDIT REPORT: If the dispute isn't resolved, your credit rating will probably be affected. Credit reference reports are held by companies such as Callcredit, Equifax and Experian. If yours is incorrect, get the company that is in the wrong to ask for the report to be amended, and write to the credit reference agency yourself.

6 HARASSMENT: The Office of Fair Trading has issued guidance for debt collectors on how to deal fairly with debtors. Go to the OFT's website at https://www.oft.gov.uk for more information.

http://www.people.co.uk/news/news/tm_method=full%26objectID=20337383%26siteID=93463-name_page.html

Not sure if thats much help really though.

chrisandanne

SwanJon wrote: »

Chris/Anne
It's possible that there may be some confusion if both E-on & BG think you are with E-on.
Get them to check meter serial numbers and supply numbers with the central agencies.

Sorry..my mistake...they said we would already be with Npower as this is our local supplier...not powergen. But the account E.on are chasing is at my Dads former home, nothing to do with this address, Thank God.