Add your feedback on energy supplier Iresa

icharus · 20 May 2017 at 12:00PM

youravinalarrrf wrote: »

Just to correct you slightly eight weeks after you raise the formal complaint with Iresa if it still remains unresolved you can then take it to the Ombudsman Energy for a resolution although if Hengus's ongoing case is anything to go by it would appear the Energy Ombudsman has also been 'nobbled' by Ofgem to take no action in cases involving Iresa. If you don't want to wait 8 weeks you can ask Iresa to provide you with a deadlock letter/email to enable you to take it straight to the Energy Ombudsman. Ofgem do not get involved in any individual disputes between customers and energy companies.

In regards to anything involving Iresa at the moment Ofgem also seem to be unable or unwilling to provide the necessary consumer protection which they exist to do. I may be wrong but I get the distinct impression that with an election due shortly their lords and masters in the current government are pulling Ofgem's strings harder than normal to try and prevent another energy supplier going bankrupt at all costs and to avoid the negative publicity which would accompany that.

I can't think of any other possible reason for Ofgem not to have already issued a fine to Iresa for non-compliance other than if they do it would almost certainly force Iresa into immediate bankruptcy .

As a consumer you really do begin to wonder why Ofgem exist at all.

If it was me Mr. Exceedingly Bloody Angry would have been sat in Iresa's phone queue yesterday (2 hours wait or not) stamping my feet and demanding an explanation. Given the circumstances I honestly don't see that you have any alternative but to wait until Monday morning and phone them. :mad:

If Iresa goes under your switch would still be blocked and the supplier of last resort who take over (always assuming they can find one) would then be responsible for providing you with an explanation or allowing the switch to proceed.

Cancelling your direct debit is not an option. If you did it would not change anything, your switch would still be blocked and doing it would almost certainly negatively effect your credit rating.

Thanks for that advice.
A 2 hour phone queue on Monday it is then!!

DonnySaver · 24 May 2017 at 9:53AM

Looks like my switch away from Iresa to E.ON might be hitting a few problems....

Iresa are claiming that the last 2 set of meter readings have failed validation. The last set I sent them last week was meant to be my final reading with them. They claim that they are looing into this :cool:

This morning I've received a reminder email from them asking me for more meter readings. .... going around in circles here. :mad:

System · 24 May 2017 at 10:07AM

DonnySaver wrote: »

Looks like my switch away from Iresa to E.ON might be hitting a few problems....

Iresa are claiming that the last 2 set of meter readings have failed validation. The last set I sent them last week was meant to be my final reading with them. They claim that they are looing into this :cool:

This morning I've received a reminder email from them asking me for more meter readings. .... going around in circles here. :mad:

As the gaining supplier is responsible for managing the switch, there is little that Iresa can do to prevent the transfer of supply unless they have raised an objection. That is not the same as Iresa objecting to the validated meter readings that they have been given by your new supplier. That said, if the validated reading is within 125C3Ms of the gas reading that you provided on switch, then a dispute cannot be raised.

FWiW, my gas transferred on the 9th May and I know that my new supplier gave Iresa an industry validated meter reading last week. Guess what - no action to close my account and I also got a request for a meter reading today. This company is a complete joke.

I noticed that there was a 5 Star review on Trustpilot overnight which suggests that Iresa has had its problems but the CS are willing to listen and learn. It would seem that it is now down to their customers to provide On-Job training.

I sense that a melt down is not far off. No doubt energy was purchased in anticipation of increasing customer numbers and, with an embargo in place, there is no way to sell this energy on. I have seen no indication of improved customer service.

punamulta · 24 May 2017 at 10:13AM

could you escape to your previous supplier who would still have your previous and closing readings verified already?

System · 24 May 2017 at 10:25AM

punamulta wrote: »

could you escape to your previous supplier who would still have your previous and closing readings verified already?

It's irrelevant. On switch, a lot of people do not provide a meter reading to their new supplier so the data collectors are empowered to produce one based on the historical data that they hold for every property in the Country. The gaining supplier will use this reading to bill going forward. If Iresa disagrees with the figure that it has been given by the Data Collectors ( which is industry validated) then it has to raise a formal dispute. The gaining supplier will take the lead in getting this resolved.

poppellerant · 24 May 2017 at 10:41AM

I'm beginning to regret what I said about Iresa getting their call queues down. Wait times are now around 45 minutes and it's clear that the language of the agents answering phone isn't English. This language barrier is hindering my ability to being to communicate with Iresa properly.

Oh, and the poor lady sounds utterly fed up!

youravinalarrrf · 24 May 2017 at 10:42AM

DonnySaver wrote: »

This morning I've received a reminder email from them asking me for more meter readings. .... going around in circles here. :mad:

That's just the normal monthly request for meter readings.

If you've already provided Iresa with your final meter reading on the date you switched I would suggest that you don't provide Iresa with any more as it will only confuse them even further.

E.ON will have provided Iresa with your final meter reading as part of the switching process. Ask Iresa to confirm what the final reading provided to them by E.ON was and leave it at that. You could also get E.ON involved and ask them to contact Iresa to confirm the final meter reading.

I'm in exactly the same situation as Hengus with my gas switch. Final gas meter reading was provided by both myself and then by Zog as part of the switching process and then confirmed to them again by Zog for the second time and despite Iresa's promises of treating my complaint with the "utmost haste" absolutely no action has been taken by them to close my gas account.

For some reason I get the distinct impression that Iresa don't know how to close accounts through their system. Maybe we are the first of the many and the crash test dummies for this process?

I've got the pleasure of having to do exactly the same thing for my electric switch to E.ON on 1st June and then I will stand well back and watch while these bloody morons mess it up. :mad:

Needless to say to prevent Iresa taking any more money my direct debit to them will be cancelled at the bank on 2nd June after E.ON have confirmed the switch has completed.

The fight to get my credit balance refunded will begin immediately after that but at least I will have escaped from these incompetent idiots for once and for all.

footyguy · 24 May 2017 at 11:55AM

DonnySaver wrote: »

Looks like my switch away from Iresa to E.ON might be hitting a few problems....

Iresa are claiming that the last 2 set of meter readings have failed validation. The last set I sent them last week was meant to be my final reading with them. They claim that they are looing into this :cool:

This morning I've received a reminder email from them asking me for more meter readings. .... going around in circles here. :mad:

Don't worry, failed meter validation readings will not affect your switch.
Your final/start meter readings are not even submitted to the meter reading agency until the switch has occurred.

If the meter readings you provided remain unvalidated, the suppliers will need to use another reading. As long as it's the same reading used by the losing supplier as a final read that the new supplier uses as the start read, there won't usually be too much of an issue

(It may be an issue if the difference is huge e.g. the reading used is one vastly higher than your meter currently reads)

footyguy · 24 May 2017 at 11:56AM

poppellerant wrote: »

I'm beginning to regret what I said about Iresa getting their call queues down. Wait times are now around 45 minutes and it's clear that the language of the agents answering phone isn't English. This language barrier is hindering my ability to being to communicate with Iresa properly.

Oh, and the poor lady sounds utterly fed up!

Use your online account to contact the supplier
No waiting at all that way
... also you will get a response in writing. If that is not in English, you will have the copy to provide to the ombudsman 8 weeks after you first complained.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc · 24 May 2017 at 12:15PM

DonnySaver wrote: »

Looks like my switch away from Iresa to E.ON might be hitting a few problems....

Iresa are claiming that the last 2 set of meter readings have failed validation. The last set I sent them last week was meant to be my final reading with them. They claim that they are looing into this :cool:

This morning I've received a reminder email from them asking me for more meter readings. .... going around in circles here. :mad:

Already some excellent advice on here DonnySaver. Thanks all.

As others have said, as the gaining supplier, it's up to us to drive the switch. We'll send our opening readings to Iresa so they can use the same ones to close their account. This makes sure the same energy isn't charged twice.

These readings go through an industry third party who checks they're in line with previous readings held for your home. As Hengus says, they can be challenged using an industry wide procedure known as an Agreed Reads Dispute (ARD). Using this, the two suppliers will re-agree the opening/closing readings and re-submit them. The difference needs to be above set thresholds before an ARD can be used. These are 250 units for electricity and 45/125 units for a 4 dial imperial/5 dial metric gas meter. Doing this won't stop the switch. We'll still look to start supplying about two and half weeks after you started the switch. It just means it takes a bit longer before your account is fully up and running.

Hope this helps DonnySaver.

Malc

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