First Utility refusal to update account.

[slainte caragh]

OH for a solicitor!!

I have been fighting these idiots for an updated bill since July!

In June my account balance was supposedly £346.00.

I disputed this and was told that this did not show my payments for that month,I paid £50.

In July I paid £50 and queried my bill again, I was told that my original balance was in fact £246 but they had added £60 exit fees.

I disputed the exit fees and had this proved to be incorrect by the Ombudsman team in July and was promised I would have both refunded within 5 days. I called in August to check my balance was now correct and was told I owed more than I did in July. I queried how as I had paid £50 off the balance to be told the exit fees were still on. I quoted my email reference and was told yes, we will refund these within 5 days.

I then got a letter saying no, we won't no one agreed this. Called back 45 mins later and 3 managers they found the email and agreed this would be refunded. I refused payment until I knew what was going on. I was promised an updated bill, showing all my payments and an updated balance within 5 days by Royal Mail.

9 days later, I receive a copy of the bill they sent me in June.

I called in and spent 2 day.. yes 2 days arguing that I needed an up to date account balance. I was promised this within 5 working days. Again, I got nothing. Fast forward to a week ago (and 6 calls later!) I spoke to a lady who promised me I would receive an updated bill with the correct amount I owe and all payments and credits on the account.

Today I receive and email bill, for £10 more than I owed in June!!

there is literally a random £10 charge on there for usage, I haven't been a customer since June!

I asked Online Chat for the address to send a SAR form and was given an email address and when I asked if he knew what a SAR was he terminated the chat!

Any ideas????

I am at my wit's end, to my mind I owe about £180 but the account still shows £346! HALP!!!

[Kati]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

https://ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-95...0Utility%20COO

For the CEO (Phil Gripton - Phil @ First-Utility. com) the postal address is

Point 3, Opus 40 Business Park Haywood Road, Warwick, CV34 5AH

(which is the same as their registered address from their website)

I'm sure if you sent a SAR there it would be sent to the right department

- - - Updated - - -

or - https://www.first-utility.com/help/_...-First-Utility

Customer Services
First Utility
PO Box 4360
Warwick
CV34 9DB

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Thanks Kati, I think I shall send it to the Big Man himself.

I have a call recording number for today stating clearly this disaster will be over by Friday, if not £50 f&f will be accepted and I am sending the email today I will make sure I have a response too!!

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Feedback please



To whom it may concern,

Regarding my telephone conversation dated 23.9.2017 at approx 1345 today.


I am disgusted that I am still no closer to being advised of a correct account balance, your bill sent 22.09.2017 via email shows a further charge for usage added as of this week, which is a physical impossibility due to my leaving the company in June.


No one has any idea of how much I owe and when I may be enlightened on this, enough is enough. You have had over 3 months to update my account to a corrected balance and provide me with an accurate bill with no exit fees, as per Ombudsman Team agreement reference ******* which I shall copy for your ease.

Hello Callie I have listed to the call made on 27 June 2017 and the agent confirmed that we would wipe the exit fees. I have raised a refund to get these credited back to your account which will reduce the outstanding balance of £296.94 by £60.00. We’re here to help If you need any more information, the easiest way to get in touch is via our website Contact Us. If you can't find what you are looking for, you can always email us atcustomer.service@first-utility.com. Thanks Brian This is still pending, and no one has any clue when I may be able to get an accurate bill. Therefore I have no option but to advise you that if I am still no wiser by Friday 29th September 2017 I shall make a full and final payment of £50. If this is not acceptable to you please notify me within 72 hours and refuse payment. If payment is accepted it shall be accepted that you have agreed my obligation is complete and no further monies shall be forthcoming. This email is also being forwarded to Phil Gripton so he may see how abysmal the service I have recieived has been and he may decide how much compensation I am owing due to this complete shambles I have had to endure. Yours Slainte Caragh Mrs.

[charitynjw]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Looks good to go to me.

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

thanks Chaz,

cheques in the post

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Just received an email saying my complaint has been resolved and closed.

Nothing saying if this means that the f&f has been accepted though

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

More palava!!

Had a grovelling letter from an agent who couldn’t find a note tat was in bright red, had OMBUDSMAN written all over it and possibly screamed AWOOOOOGA whilst flashing at 100000mph!!!
said advisor then said to call his manager to discuss further.. so muppet here phones. He’s in a meeting.

i arrange a callback for Monday about midday. 2pm he calls me, which is not only 2 hours late but the exact time I was at the Boy’s school dealing with him running headlong in to a door!!

I call back, he’s in a meeting!!

He he will call me back at 1pm yesterday.

7.50pm he calls that’s 6 and a half hours late, leaves me a very arsey message about how he’s a busy man and to call him back at 11:30 today.

callback- altogether now- he’s in a meeting and hasn’t been able to call me on time “cos he doesn’t start till 11:30”

Let that digest a little, he’s asking people to call him when he’s not there or knows he’s going on to meetings... and it takes 7 and a half hours for him to prepare for a callback!!!

i
want
his
job!!!

I worked in varying call centres and have had to do callbacks within 3 mins of logging in!! I’ve been expected to come in early to accommodate customers and this... person takes 7 and a half hours to prepare????

im in the wrong business

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

update:

Mr Manager has called me.

a chocolate fireguard would have been more use!!! I had to explain to him what was going on, as he freely admits he had done no prep for the call.. despite having 3 days to read up and find a solution! He freely admits that his team have not passed any information to him about what time to call me, what DAY to call me and he hasn't got a clue what is going on.

He admits my account shows a completely incorrect balance, but it's not going to be update AT ALL.

In the end I asked him if he had a calculator and did the math with him, as he had no idea the how much I owe either!

27/6/17 leave First Utility
27/06/17 balance £346.96 (includes charge of £60 incorrect exit fees) Told exit fees refunded within 5 days.
27/06/17 paid £50
7/7/17 email to say I was told I would not pay exit fees from Ombudsman team, it will take 5 days
CORRECT BALANCE (minus payment and exit fees) £236.96
27/7/17 balance online= £346.96.
Query with agent I am told 296.96, dispute this officaly. Told due to exit fees. told will be refunded in 5 days
27/7/17 pay £50
CORRECT BALANCE (minus payment and exit fees) £186.96
27/8/17 advised balance is £246.96. Dispute and refuse to make any payment. Told this is due to exit fees, will be refunded within 5 days
5/10/17 balance online £346.96.

I have written to the CEO who has asked one of his team to deal with it, I am so tempted to forward the whole thing to the Sun under the title "MY ENERGY COMPANY CANNOT COUNT!" but after they treated the people of Manchester it would have to be the Mirror really!!

My question is, how much compensation should I claim for this.

we have:
Failure to update online account from 27/6/17 (100 days and counting)
Failure to refund exit fees from 7/7/17 (90 days and counting)
Failure to see notes from Ombudsman team and refusal to refund these charges from 1/9/17 (34 days and counting)
Failure to keep accurate records and at least 2 failed callbacks plus countless failed emails and letters from 7/7/17
Failure to provide clear and correct account balance as per Ombudsman from 7/7/17
Time spent trying to sort this crap out = 100 days and counting
Stress and frustration at trying to just pay them off 100 days and counting.
being incorrectly sent to a DCA
having it suggested (in written format) that I cannot afford to pay my bills, despite the fact they know I am witholding funds until I know how much I owe!

my best mate suggested £20 a day as this is about 2 and a half hours wages a day (and lets be honest I have done more work for them in the last 3 months than they have! I think this is a bit rich and was thinking maybe £7.50 a day in line with my hourly rate when I was in a call centre. He says I am too soft!

I do intend to take this as far as I can, any ideas?

[ostell]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

When I had an argument with Southern Electric I was claiming for time I spent sorting out their mess. The manager I was talking to was going on about how people have different rates and how it's difficult to set an hourly rate. I suggested to him that a suitable rate wold be the hourly amount allowed by the courts for costs by a litigant in person, £19 per hour. An extended silence then agreement. I got it.

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Oct 3, 15:49 BST
Account number: *********
Complaint reference number: ***********
Your email received: 03/10/2017

Dear Callie,

Our Executive team has received your complaint

Our Chief Operating Officer, Phil Gripton has asked me to pass on his thanks for taking the time to tell us about your experience with First Utility. He’s also asked me to oversee the handling of your case and report directly back to him with my findings.

Firstly, I’m sorry for the poor level of service you’ve described in your email. I’ll do my best to respond to your complaint as quickly as possible and I’ll contact you with an update within the next seven working days.

In the meantime, for more information on how we deal with complaints you can read more here. Or, if you’d like us to send you a free copy of our complaints handling procedure by post, please just let us know.

Please feel free to contact me on **************** where lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or via email at customer.case.resolution@first-utility.com.

Thanks,

The First Utility team

------------------------

Tell me my friends, where's the F in update??

That's RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT, there is no effing update!!

I have heard NOTHING, nada, zip, not a thing, sweet Foxtrot Alpha!

Do I now say you have yet again failed your timescales, I am now sending in an invoice and assume I owe you nothing?

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

thinking of sending this:

INVOICE- 14/10/17
Callie.
Account number: ***********
Complaint reference number: *************


Charge Period: 27/06/17- 14/10/17
TOTAL CHARGES: £2180
PAYMENT DUE DATE: 28/10/2017
Breakdown of charges:
Failure to refund exit fees correctly 14/07/17- onwards
Failure to comply with own timescales 14/07/17- onwards
Failed promises 27/06/17- onwards
Failure to keep accurate notes and records 26/06/17- onwards
Failure to see notes from Ombudsman team and refusal to refund incorrect charges 01/09/17 - onwards
Stress and frustration at trying to just pay you 27/06/17 onwards
Failure to update online account in accordance with data protection legislation (must keep accurate and correct information) 27/06/17- onwards


27/06/2017-14/10/17 = 109 days @£20 per day
109 x 20 = 2180

Due to breach of agreement with ceo office, future charges will be increased by £5 per day until such time as First Utility provide accurate bill and updated account as per their own promises.
All funds are due within 14 days of this notice.

[Amethyst]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

When you left FirstUtility your balance was £296 ? You paid £50 in June and £50 in July. So the balance owing should now be £196.

( just trying to break it down before they starting faffing about adding a removing exit fees and random charges )

How hard can it be to close an account and send a final statement that is actually correct.

5/10/17 balance online £346.96.

Does it show any of the exit fees being added and removed and your payments? or do they stop letting online update when you close your account?

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

When you left FirstUtility your balance was £296 ? You paid £50 in June and £50 in July. So the balance owing should now be £196.

( just trying to break it down before they starting faffing about adding a removing exit fees and random charges )

How hard can it be to close an account and send a final statement that is actually correct.



Does it show any of the exit fees being added and removed and your payments? or do they stop letting online update when you close your account?

The original bill was for £346 including exit fees, so the actual correct balance of my account one closing was £286.96.
They have been faffing about adding and removing exit fees, and they do show on my online account they just haven't updated the balance with to show the correct balance.

It is impossible for them to just send me one bit of paper that shows YOU ACTUALLY OWE £186.96.

Every time I call or write they add anything from 48 working hours to 7 working days and it never gets done, they have reset my online account seven times. Each time they say Oh it's a glitch, give us 48 hours but in the mean time you owe us £346.96 how would you like to pay.. and each time they agree they are asking for a wrong amount!

I am thinking of phoning them and saying "Ok you are useless, you have proved yourself to be useless as you refuse to confirm that I actually owe anything I will assume I don't here is my invoice for my time!"

My stupid computer only saved half of my post

I had added, my online account shows the balance of £346.96 and when you go in to every individual bill it shows the exit fees added and removed which has happened £7 times, and for some reason they have added a usage charge of £10 that no one knows where it's come from!

I wouldn't mind but the Ombudsman ruled that they had to give me a simplified breakdown of all the charges and it's just getting more complicated.

I wish to God I could afford a solicitor as I would take this muppets to court as I think I have a bloody good case against them in the last 3 months alone!!

[slainte caragh]

Re: First Utility refusal to update account.

Dear Mr Gripton,

Once again First Utility have declined to keep to their own timescales and have assigned an agent who was previously been named in an Ombudsman complaint to my case.


How is this acceptable? This is yet more evidence of the sheer lack of competency from First Utility! I now have no faith in any way shape or form that this bill will be accurate either.


I am now hereby informing First Utility that I dispute, deny and categorically do NOT recognise myself to have any debt with First Utility.


I believe a three month wait for £60 to be refunded is enough, and refuse to deal with someone who was named in my original complaint as part of the issue!


No one has got back to me with any form of update, I have yet again had to call in and deal with false empathy ("I known how you feel!" No, you don't! When was the last time you waited 3 months for a corrected bill?), lack of communication and more broken promises than I care to remember, most of all from your Ombudsman team who gaurenteed me that I would have this within 5 days from the 7th July 2017!


I am now told the bill still has to be produced!


Please find attached my invoice for time, effort, frustration and lack of service as I feel I have done more work on this than First Utility.


I spoke to Sarah in 2nd line today why has told me that so far Eric, Inga and Amandeep (the person named in the Ombudsman case) are dealing with this, I refuse to speak to Amandeep as she has been named in said complaint and apparently Eric and Inga don't deal with cases but have been assigned mine!


I have no idea what is happening, all I know is my paitence has run out.