Ring them on the freephone number. 08004337812

I did this had my account closed and settled with the balance paid to me in under 24 hours.

I think this is new: under "Account" there is a list of all debit and credit transactions going back to when I joined in April 2017. In my case, the debits are all standing charges and all charged twice for the same period. No consumption charges.

At least I now know how they estimate I have an enormous credit now. But is it really too much to ask for them to accurately bill me?

Well, surprise surprise, Iresa have generated my final bill within 10 days as promised. My account is £28 in credit, which tallies with my own calculations. It would have been a lot more if I didn't cancel my DD a few months ago. Am I hoping for too much that they will refund the balance in the next few days?

Nice to hear, I'm still waiting for my final bill, left 23 March. I'll give them another week then phone the free number. I'm in credit and by my calcs nothing much is due back once bill finalised. Like you I stopped my DD

I’m wondering at what point do OFGEM consider a debit on an account has turned into a debt?

I’ve had a message from Iresa to say that because my account has been in debit for more than 28 days, and this is visible of my monthly bills, then it is in debt and the 28 days notice notification has been served. I don’t recall my bills telling me I had to settle the debit, and I have continued to pay my direct debit every month. Are they correct?

have a read of this link:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2016/07/impact_assessment_on_review_of_domestic_objections .pdf

The key paragraph is the following:

Standard condition 14 of the gas and electricity supply licences set out the circumstances in which a supplier may raise an objection to a customer transfer. The vast majority of objections (well over 90%) in the domestic market occur because a customer is in debt. Erroneous transfers make up most of the rest.

Before objecting on grounds of debt, the supplier must have written to the domestic customer to request payment of the debt and the debt must have remained outstanding for more than 28 days. A supplier cannot object for an outstanding amount ‘on their system’ (whatever the amount) if they have not previously informed the customer about it and the debt has not been outstanding for 28 days. Prepayment meter customers with a debt of less than £500 may, if the new supplier agrees, switch using arrangements known as the Debt Assignment Protocol (DAP). Customers switching via the DAP must pay the debt to the new supplier.
Where a domestic supplier raises an objection, it must inform the customer as soon as reasonably practicable. This notice to the customer must state the reason for the objection and say how the customer can resolve or dispute it. The notice must also contain advice (or information about how and where consumers can get advice) on energy efficiency, debt management and alternative, available contracts offered by the supplier that may be preferable to the existing contract.

Don't know where the 28 days come from ,but I remember that the ts and cs for payment by DD included a statement along the lines of " your account must be in credit at all times" - which they were using as the driver to increase DDs -before the recent OFGEM actions.
EDIT I've just glanced at the ts and cs - 28 days appears to apply to those who are out of contract but in debt - in that if you haven't settled within the 28 days then they MAY send the debt to the collectors!! Not sure where they stand with collection of "debts" as OFGEM stopped them from using one off DDs

It is somewhat bizarre that there is a process in place that allows switching with up to £500 debt on a prepayment meter, but people with zero balances on credit meters, as reported on this and other forums, are having their transfers blocked. For the avoidance of doubt, this is what SLC 14 of every supplier's Licence states ( which I suspect has precedence over ts and cs):

The licensee may ask or allow the Relevant Gas Shipper to prevent a Proposed Supplier Transfer in relation to a Non-Domestic Customer at any Non-Domestic Premises at which the licensee is the Relevant Gas Supplier in any of the following circumstances:

(a) at the time the licensee receives Notice under the Network Code by way of the Relevant Gas Shipper that another Gas Supplier has applied under the requirements of the Network Code to supply the premises, the licensee!!!8217;s Contract with that customer for the supply of gas to the premises includes a term which:

(i) allows the licensee to prevent the Proposed Supplier Transfer; and

(ii) may be relied upon in the circumstances arising at that time;

(b) the Gas Supplier that initiated the Proposed Supplier Transfer has agreed with the licensee that the transfer was initiated in error; or

(c) in relation to a Contract entered into between the licensee and that customer before 5 January 2004 for the supply of gas to the premises which does not allow the licensee to prevent a Proposed Supplier Transfer:

(i) the customer has not paid Charges for the Supply of Gas to the premises or any other premises previously occupied by him which are due to the licensee, have been demanded in writing, have not been paid within 28 days after the demand was made and continue to be unpaid; or

(ii) the customer is bound by the provisions of that Contract and it will not end on or before the date of the Proposed Supplier Transfer.

Bill is in for April - balance is spot on with spreadsheet calc.

I renewed with Iresa a few weeks back and am pleased with them. I only had a couple of problems in the first year and looking at all the negatives on here, thought VERY carefully before renewing. However, look at every energy firm on here, they all have complaints. I could have easily jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Iresa's main problem was very difficult communication. When I renewed, the call wait was about a third of a few weeks earlier. The advisor was, knowledgeable, extremely helpful and polite. It seems the ombudsman has helped and they are putting a lot more effort in putting their house in order. Yes, I expect I will soon get an opposite opinion on here, but I am very pleased I renewed for another year with Iresa. BTW, my dd is exactly the same as 14 months ago. They are certainly NOT ripping me off either. I will not go into exact financial details, but I am certain NO OTHER company can better my existing deal!
aleks

Thanks! That makes it nice and clear. None of my statements from Iresa request a payment to clear the debit.

The situation shouldn't normally apply with Iresa.
Because under the Iresa terms you agreed to abide by, you would not allow your account to go into arrears.

Where your account has gone into arrears, Iresa collect a one off payment (prior to the current Ofgem intervention) that would collect any amount of arrears ... as many other posters have confirmed occurs in this very thread.

So I'm not quite sure how your account is now in arrears?

At this time of year, the "fat" built up over last Summer has been used up and with this particularly cold Winter (and maybe a change in tariff from Flex 4 to Flex 5??)it is possible to have drifted into small arrears which IRESA would previously have recovered via a one off DD and an increased regular DD ...neither of which they appear to be able to do currently! Presumably they will be expecting @thelight to settle by debit card ??

Well Iresa didn't refund the balance so I had to phone up today. Customer service seems to have improved... only 10th in the queue and the CA (Zoe) was very polite and processed the credit balance refund there and then. The money was back in my account in a couple of hours.

With the exception of that last phone call, my time with Iresa has been a very unpleasant experience and I am very glad to see the back of them. Good luck to other customers in getting a successful outcome.

No idea. They previously set, and increased, the direct debit level, and took a one-off payment around Christmas via Direct Debit.

FYI, switched away from Iresa 15/2 with a large credit owing. Chased them for the first time 2 days ago by raising a ticket with "complaint" in the subject. Money paid back to my account today.

Received a letter on 13th April saying I would get my final bill within 10 days - still waiting. Wouldn't mind but they've still got £233 of mine in account credit.
Obviously, they haven't bothered to respond to any emails.

Call them on their freephone number:- 08004337812

They don't respond to emails or support tickets.

Problem when you work monday-friday 8-4 is that you don't get much chance to phone.



I've asked my wife to try and phone them. Unfortunately its a busy week this week

Since the telling off they seem much better at answering the 0800 number. I called in April as my meter had rolled over to zero from 99999 to give readings and at 9am I was number 17 in queue and got to speak to an adviser inside 20 mins.