Energy Company hi-jacked my switch.

[Gemini566]

Good afternoon,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Unfortunately, ours was overshadowed and spoilt by the arrogance and monumental deceit of an energy company.

I attach a scanned and suitably redacted copy of a letter I received from the company on Christmas Eve; please, note the amount I allegedly owe this company and compare it to the average bill for electricity over the course of time I have refused to pay. This is an important factor in the company's ongoing strategy to force me into admitting I am a customer of theirs, when I contend that I am not, I would opine.

Very briefly, the following events occurred [Note: at no time has my electricity supply been stopped]:

• In September 2020 a representative of Utilita called and asked if I wanted to change my energy provider.
• Being unhappy with my electricity supplier at that time, Spark, I agreed to switch.
• Having been a customer of Utilita in the past, I already had one of their Smart [Pay-As-You-Go] meters installed, that, and the representative's assurance that Utilita's costs were now lower than I had been paying when I left them, were the main reasons I agreed to switch.
• The agreement and subsequent paperwork etc. went ahead and the date for the change over from Spark [part of the OVO group] to Utilita was set for 22/10/2020.
• I continued to pay for my electricity, in advance, using the Internet and the software already installed on my PC. I have not been in energy debt for over 20 years, thanks to having the choice to pay in advance.
• In early February 2021, I received two letters from SSE Energy, a company I have never heard of. One letter, dated late January, welcomed me as a new SSE customer, blah, blah. The other was to thank me for agreeing to have an SSE Smart meter installed and that the engineers would be calling to change my meters over later in the month.
• I was astonished and convinced the letters were a mistake, except I noted I had an account number with this company. I decided to call them immediately to ask what was happening.
• My call was answered by an extremely rude and impatient female who spoke to me as though I were a child when I insisted I was not a customer of SSE. I tried to patiently explain that some kind of mistake had been made and that I was a customer of another company.
• All attempts to have the problem sorted out over the telephone with this person were pointless, she just refused to listen, instead insisting I was their customer. In the end, I politely informed her not to send anyone to change my meter.
• The following day I sent an email of complaint to SSE. I received an email by return marked "Customer Enquiry", acknowledging receipt and assuring me the matter would be "looked into".
• Having heard nothing back from SSE for almost three weeks, I complained again and the reply from SSE was the same; so it went on for months until, eventually, SSE acknowledged my complaint, as a complaint and not a "Customer Enquiry" in July 2021.
• By this point, it was obvious my emails were not being read properly, so I copied and pasted my original email of complaint into a Word doc and attached it to an email with a request that it be read carefully and be given serious consideration.
• SSE's Head of Customer Services replied with an apology for not "dealing with my complaint before now": also, that he had checked this and that etc. so they were in the right and I was in the wrong - whatever.
• I was very upset and annoyed with his reply and emailed him back saying I was still not happy and that unless I received a more satisfactory offer of a solution to the issue within a week, I would escalate the complaint to the Ombudsman Services.
• Needless to say, he did not deign to reply, so I approached the OS who said I had to wait six weeks, if I still had not received a reply to my complaint, I should then escalate.
• I did so and the matter is under investigation.
• During the "evidence" period, a minion of the HOCS offered to settle the matter with an apology and a "Goodwill" payment of £60.00 [that would be deducted from my account, though the offer did not state it quite so obviously]. I declined to accept this insulting and heartless offer to make my complaint go away.
• Throughout this period, SSE bombarded me with text messages and emails demanding payments.
• I am 70-years-old with a heart condition such that, when I am under stress I become quite ill and have to take Diazepam to supplement the heart calming effects of my daily beta-blocker medication. My wife is 69, housebound, in constant pain, and requires my constant care.
• SSE are aware of our health situation and have been told that their bullying and constant harassment are making us very ill, yet they continue to try and force me to pay bills I believe they have no right to demand.

As I said at the beginning, the amount being demanded is small enough to tempt me to avoid court action and further stress and anxiety by simply paying. I do not believe I should be expected to pay £93.00 because someone called at my home. We have a secured entry that requires callers to identify themselves over an intercom before I allow entry by unlocking the door remotely. When I asked who was calling, he replied with just "SSE". I told him I had no business with SSE, wished him a good day and hung up. He left without a response.

Is SSE allowed to not only continue harassing me for money but escalate the harassment by sending letters that, basically, terrify me?

Surely it is morally, if not legally, wrong of SSE to treat people in such an unconscionable and, quite frankly, egregious manner.

I am a respected and active member of my community: I do a lot of volunteer work and help my neighbours however I am able to. I am a retired, senior NCO of Her Majesty's Corps of Royal Engineers. I am a member of the University Faculty where I counsel students with drug and alcohol abuse issues.

I have no desire for my friends and neighbours to see my home being forcibly entered under Police supervision and SSE is fully aware of this.

If this goes to court, I have no idea what I should do. We are pensioners and can not afford to pay for legal counsel.

I have tried to be brief but there are so many factors to be considered and I wanted the situation to be understood.

Thank you for reading; I hope you will be able to offer me some helpful advice.

Kindest regards & a Happy New Year to you all.

[islandgirl]

I have had huge issues with an SSE complaint - It took me 2 years to get back an overpayment. i would send them pictures of meters as requested and they would then ask for pictures of the meters and so it went on and on so you have my sympathy. I have also recently had a situation where I was contacted by my business electricity supplier saying that they were sorry I was leaving them...long story short someone had applied to change my account using my Mpan number and the "new supplier" would not tell me who it was "customer confidentiality"...Anyway suffice to say I have not moved my account. I do not understand how SSE have become involved. I would be asking them to provide proof that I had switched to them. Without it you owe nothing. Who is supplying energy now? What do the company you actually switched to say about this?

[echat11]

I would let the Services Ombudsman investigate, reassess your position once they make a decision.
If SSE lodge a Court Claim against you, you could Counter Claim for 'harassment', as they have been
'harassing' you for money that you don't owe.

Link posted for info on a 'harrassment case' - https://www.5rb.com/case/ferguson-v-...s-trading-ltd/

[islandgirl]

But how can they claim if there is no contract? We need the answers to the questions I posed -

I would be asking them to provide proof that I had switched to them. Without it you owe nothing. Who is supplying energy now? What do the company you actually switched to say about this?

[echat11]

But how can they claim if there is no contract? We need the answers to the questions I posed -

I would be asking them to provide proof that I had switched to them. Without it you owe nothing. Who is supplying energy now? What do the company you actually switched to say about this?

I agree regards your questions, but these energy companies are 'dysfunctional', it really doesn't matter to them how the account was created, there's an account number and debt attached to that account number.

No doubt the salesperson who visited earned commission for a 'sale' and transfer that doesn't exist.

[islandgirl]

Agreed and I know how totally dysfunctional SSE actually are having battled with them for years on a domestic account. SSE threaten all kinds of things - they are not going to forcibly enter anyone's home in circumstances such as this (for £97).