Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

Earlier this year we switched energy suppliers because the one we were with suddenly wanted almost twice as much for the following year, so we completed the switch and paid the balance to that supplier, because they said they would not authorise the switch over until we paid it.

We then started with our supplier but we have suddenly had a letter from the original one notifying us that we owed three months of back payments. The thing is we paid our final monthly payment is December, so the following payment would have been due at the end of January - although we settled the balance.

The new supplier has taken out our first payment with them.

Now the original supplier is demanding this money which we have already paid to them even though we have told them that it has been paid off. We have a reference number from our bank proving that this money has been paid and accepted. They still say that we are in arrears.

We are now requesting a statement detailing all of our meter readings.

I'm sorry to be rather vague but this is really confusing. Please feel free to ask any questions, but the main thing is that we need to get this supplier off our case and understand that we owe nothing more.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

All I am going to say is good luck our rent changed last year and pigs ear the council made of that left me sick with worry for a while. Finally January we were caught up and last week we got a letter saying it's going up again so I am bracing for the mess if they do what they did last year. So good luck I hope you get it sorted out.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

Julie, I remember that. Hope it gets sorted out.
My feeling is that too many wires get crossed to the point that information is lost during these transitions. Meanwhile, we are going to contact our new supplier and ask their advice.

Does anyone know of a governing body that is in place to deal with these suppliers when a customer has a problem?

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

I have not had occasion to complain about my energy suppliers but there's Citizens Advice who it would appear can help:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/co...onsumer-issue/


There's an ombudsman that deals with unresolved complaints:

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy


Should you decide to change again I was really pleased with the one I changed to earlier this year, so far anyway. They are OVO, I got the name from here on OFF, someone had used them and found them to be very good.

Good luck with getting this problem sorted out to your satisfaction.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

Thank you Baz, I'll certainly look into those links

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

I would take all my receipts to the C.A.B. They are excellent at sorting things out. Once they are involved the power company will take more notice as it shows your ready to put up a fight and not be messed around.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

Good luck with that. I had one supplier who wanted me to pay the next doors electricity and gas too. There are only 2 houses in my stair and I was expected to pay both of them. I'm now with SSE for my gas, electricity and phone/broadband and while they aren't perfect, I don't want the hassle of changing again.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

If you do/say absolutely nothing the problem will go away.

You either owe them money or you don't, either way, it's an administrative f up on their behalf. Or something more sinister is going down.

I would have zero communication with the old company. Should your new supplier contact you regarding this, just say it's not my concern, you need to sort it out amongst yourselves.

Switching is a terrible racket, Martin Lewis has made millions out of it, many people have been bullied into paying loads extra.

Bastards.

Re: Changing energy suppliers - A rip-off!

Thank you d00d, Roxy, Ffosse.

My wife is dealing with this mostly so I'll be letting her look into our forum. She will be very pleased with your replies