E,on increase in charges and dispute

[pallaz1851]

E.on increase in charges and dispute
E.On is the last of the major suppliers make an announcement on prices this winter
Customers of energy firm E.On will see a 9% increase in electricity prices and a 3% rise in gas prices from 4 February.

Thought this might be of interest to someone out there with similar experience of E.on

My problems began in Feb 2010 when I received a notice that they were changing my meter (not pre paid by the way) quote "we find that the meter at your property is over 15 years old, we shall be replacing it with a more efficient meter which should identify savings for you"!!
Duly in April a guy turns up and changes the meter, the following quarterly bill was received and upon checking it was certainly above 25% more expensive than the corresponding quarter of year previous! also noting that it said estimated.
This was ridiculous because we were in when the chap turned up and read the meter, we even had a conversation about the new meter should make the bill cheaper!
I duly WROTE to E.on, I never deal with the call centres, put it in writing!!!! - Never heard a thing for five weeks, next a chap turns up on the door and says he has come to discuss my non payment!!! and his visit is costing me a £30.00 charge....I was fuming!! showed him the letter and we did have a civil conversation!...(He let me into a secret - he says!...if I pay the bill as far as £59.00 below its total then he is not allowed to instigate a visit even though that amount remains outstanding!!!) - what if my dispute is more than the £59.00 though????
Next comes a threatening letter from Buchanan Clarke and Wells telling me that their charges would be an additional £230.00 for their costs if I did not pay up by return or contact them (application for warrant of entry to install a pre payment meter...)

I wrote once more asking why the bill was excessive, I received E.on's reply, they were sending out another meter reader, as I had accused the last one of lying (estimated), he physically read the meter in my presence....a week later TWO people turned up to read the meter!!! (how many does it take to change a light bulb???).........Nothing happened...we are by now approaching the next quarterly bill date and I haven't paid a penny off the last bill......I then get another letter from BCW.....this blew my top!!! so I wrote once more to e.on.......they are now sending a further meter reader!!!....they can't find my new meter registered anywhere!!!!
A guy from Siemens comes some days later and he says that when the old meter was taken out they did NOT record the readings, neither did they register the new meter to my address!! - I also did NOT have the foresight to take the meter readings off the old one either...lesson to learr from this ......if in this position you MUST DO THIS...they are incompetent...... so cannot challenge your figures...make it work for you if you get my drift!!!

I duly received the following quarterly bill which was in line with the previous year - NO SAVINGS!!! (what the hell!!) - so I paid that one leaving the previous still unpaid....I received a letter from E.on saying they were sending me an ammended bill for the one in question, in the post for 1st November....Never received!!.....at this point I am well out of bed on the outstanding bill and here once more comes BCW so I told them where to go and sent copies of my letters to E.on saying see you in Court I want to hear what the Magistrate says to BCW and E.on's conduct....I am advised at this point by a friend (Solicitor) to pay what I think the bill should be and leave it there....so I am now £86.00 outstanding from THREE quarters ago, for I now have this quarterly bill........WHAT A LOAD OF IDIOTS.....The lesson I am trying to put across is.... First - do not ring - write, secondly if threatened - threaten back, thirdly refuse to accept the charge for the visit UNLESS all correspondence has been satisfied and at that point they may be correct in procedure, otherwise they are certainly NOT!!!!

Have Fun!!!!
Lol

Message to Amethyst - found it!!!


Read more at: Hi to everyone, look forward to your views and info. - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[Zazen.Warrior]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

You refused to pay anything at all for your consumption, continued to consume and unsurprisingly dropped into the debt follow up process.

Realistically what else did you think would happen?

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

re Zazen,

What I expected was for E.on to firstly acknowledge my query, I then expected them to justify how they arrived at an 'estimate' when a reading was taken in my presence, I then expected them also to justify why the bill was approx 25% increase upon the same quarter of the year previous, I then expected them also not to set BCW onto me before they had even considered the above, I then expected them to sort out the problem without sending 4 different people to my address before admitting their own fault in not registering the meter I now had, I then expected them to correct the bill, which they said waas being sent, not received, I then expected them to not once more set BCW onto me.......In the meantime I paid my dues and demands of the proceeding quarterly bills, leaving this one in query......would you pay an exhorbitant charge for someething you rightly felt you had NOT received?....IN ADVANCE of a solution???

[Zazen.Warrior]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

I would pay what I thought it should be, that is where you went wrong. Even your own solicitor appears to agree with this.

You paid nothing and that set alarm bells off. A debt with a utility company is unlike any other because the outstanding amount continues to increase due to ongoing consumption.

That is why it brings a swift response.

Frankly refusing to pay anything is the worst position you could take in this situation because it will focus your suppliers attention on debt prevention, and puts you in the *wrong*

Regarding the meter reading/bill disparity, contrary to popular belief meter reads do not trigger bills, bills are cyclical.

Is court action pending here? Because a refusal to pay anything for this bill will result in the swift granting of warrant to gain access to your home to fit a prepayment meter.

Is this what you want?

I am happy to try and help you with this but only if you are prepared to listen to reason and stop the underlining, we are all volunteers here

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

re Zazen,

I think you will find that the hand held 'gizmo' of the meter readers is directly fed through to E.on with the results he punches in therefore directly on line BEFORE the bill is produced, it would seem the problem for me was that the meter installer did not record the meter reference number therefore nothing alligned back at HQ, someone therefore produced an 'estimate' bill why didn't they compare last years quarter to give them an idea?. Sure, I could have paid for what I thought was used, but having sat back and waited for a non response and then being threatened by a pre-emptive strike of BCW, I would see anyone in hell before taking that route, but sense and sensability prevailed, in that the 'friend' said that if it did go to court I would be percieved as being in the right for making a payment rather than none!

Following on from the 'gizmo's' - these 'smart' meters now being installed on the pretext of 'saving you money' will erradicate the meter reading in total, as soon, the transmission reading will be taken back at HQ directly from your meter....further unemployment for the MR's...

I identified this thread only for the imbecilic way that E.on dealt with it and the inherent 'Cost' (Siemens being brought in????how much was that charged to E.on)......bottom line is that we as consumers will always be stiffed with the bill on our charges.......what I also learnt with regard to the man knocking on your door uninvited is that according to him, he disappears if the outstanding amount is £59.00........test it???

I am now advised that E.on after 56 days should have supplied me with a pack to report this matters to the Ombudsman, they didn't do that either in contravention......so I hear that the outstanding amount may be scrubbed in total as they do not want an enquiry........futile efforts or what??? we'll see and I'll keep you informed!- Download their report and accounts for 2009 (2010 is not yet up) look at the toal monetary write offs set asside in non payments in the accounts - we are talking millions here!!
Lol

[Zazen.Warrior]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

I know how much they write off, I used to work there.

Good luck!

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

re Zazan,

I thought as much with your response....I apologise for my lack of computer ability to identify and present as you have, I will learn......

I am not having a go at any front line person really, I just feel that because it is such a large organisation WE have become a 'commodity' not a 'customer' and that is why we are treated so shabbily!! and I really do get incensed when the only button a query presses is the response from a DCA whose threatening behaviour is no more than verbal thuggery....so at that point the gloves are off as far as I am concerned....I actually would not have paid anything off that bill until it was sorted but the Solicitor errs on the side of caution and I agreed to go along with this .....sheeple......sometimes you just have to stand up to the systems or they will bulldoze you....if the amount of money they write off is correct....there must be an awful lot of people NOT paying anything????

Lol

[Zazen.Warrior]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

All utility companies carry a certain number of very vulnerable people who never pay, they chose to avoid any bad publicity by not pursuing them, but this is VERY small number, mostly it is the vanished who get written off, and those debts get sold on to external DCA's to chase as they chose.

I did not leave with particularly friendly feelings towards them, when Eon took over Powergen they systematically hounded out the long standing, dare I say more skilled, members of staff mainly because they did not want to pay anyone the salary level we had reached after years of decent pay rises.

It took various forms and was very nastily done.

I understand they run mainly on agency staff and outsourced call centres these days.

But.... do not give them a stick to beat you with!

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Their accounts make for interesting reading, in 2008 they separated the 'manufacturing' from the 'retail' - the present statement I read in the news quotes that the wholesale price has gone up to the retailers.......so, one part of the company is now making all the profits, showing the retail almost at a loss, therefore able to tell the public they are NOT making outstanding profits off them......good PR I would say......smoke and mirrors..

Most major Corporations over the last 10 years are Accountancy led, profit based centres and the 'workforce' is NOT valued......(not in the way that most companies managed the business' in the past from which their growth was achieved.....quote 'customer service'....doesn't exist at all in most walks of life these days.....I am also now retired and seen exactly what you state....the trouble with us is that as my father said.....you cannot put an old head on young shoulders.....the young have to learn...mistakes are more expensive today though and can last the whole of their lives whereas previously we could get out of them with time...
Thank you for your comments and I am aware that you are all voluntary...I apologise for the over emphasis, I am enjoying the reading...yet 'saddened' by the stories, as I state above...it is more difficult these days..

Best wishes 1851

[The Debt Star]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Personally I find them all as bad as the other. British Gas are complete twots as well imho.

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

re The Debt Star,
We are in the country so no Gas (Thank God) however we were due for an oil delivery before Xmas, chased them up cannot do....early one morning the same Company delivering to my neighbour (Ice and snow on road, we were told they couldn't get through) I convinced him to do our delivery, he said would have to check with office, before 8.00am and no one in the office so he took it upon himself to deliver!!! we therefore had heating through the coldest winter period in 100 years....the office rang and said they were pleased we had our oil but they could NOT tell me how much it was going to cost me so I couldn't pay the bill over the phone.... Jan 10th and bill received 69.95 pence per litre...as against 46.95 in OCT....how can I challenge that???....no chance - grin and bear it!!

We are an Island and just about everything is imported so we are held to ransom....and that's it.

[The Debt Star]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Ripp-Off Britain aint it just.

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Update today,

I have finally received a reply from E.on and I am still not happy.
They are being totally obdurate in saying that their figures are correct in that the old meter was removed and a new one placed in position without the readings being taken so they 'estimated' them, neither was the new meter registered to our address.....I would go along with this mistake upon their part if ONLY the bill for that quarter bore any relationship to the same quarter the year previous, it isd approx 25% dearer ...this was not a winter quarter....we have nothing extra in elec supply, we have changed all of the light bulbs to these 'horrible' yellow things that turn to white light after about 15 minutes so we have done everything we can to 'save' on the bills....They cannot get away from the fact that in their letter referring to the change of the meter they state that it was a 'benefit' to me in that the new meter would be more accurate and quote....expect to save me money...unquote...
They are also as a final statement in todays letter .....'I trust that I have addressed your complaint and should you continue to stick with your current position, we will have no option other than to continue to work with BCW to collect the outstanding balance'.....

In otherwords pay up and shut up....we are ALWAYS correct and you are incorrect, please go away!!!

My position in this regard is to see them in hell!! and I shall bang it off to the ombudsman and see where that gets me.....

Customer realationships.......Total S..T!!!!!.....

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Finally!!!! GOOD NEWS.....11 months later

I have received a letter from E.on Customer Services Director no less !!!! stating that "in order to resolve my query they propose to remove the disputed charges of £39.34 from my account 'as a gesture of goodwill'!!"
so 2010 July bill is for the same amount as for the 2009 July, never mind the new meter...

I am now also in receipt of a circular from E.0n dated January 2011 on "Energy prices are increasing, postponed for Age UK customers"

It lists the new charges effective from 1st April 2011....

using a straight comparison of units charged on my December 2010 bill extrapolated to the new pricing for 2011 my billing in December 2011 will increase by 11%................... from £147.95 to £164.84....this may only be £16.89 Extra in total, but along with the UK Gov and BOE depreciating the GBP by at least 20%, plus inflation rising it is nearer £20.00 difference in spending power on a fixed pension........multiply this by the 4 quarters and I am being asked to pay an increase of approxc £80.00 to £100.00 in the year over 2010......

Anyone invented printing rubber money yet.....see how far we can make it stretch???

[pallaz1851]

Re: E,on increase in charges and dispute

Solar subsidy 'to be protected'


Gary Payne from Leeds is considering installing solar panels in his garden

The government has pledged it will act if commercial operators rush to exploit a subsidy aimed at encouraging homeowners to generate their own solar electricity.

The feed-in tariff scheme was launched last April.
It promised a typical household earnings of £800 a year and savings on their bills of £120.

Energy Minister Greg Barker said he was worried industrial scale projects could eat into the scheme's budget.
Generous returns
If too many large enterprises apply for the tariff, it could make it more difficult for ordinary households to sign up.

Greg Payne from Leeds is one of thousands of people considering whether to install solar panels.
His roof is unsuitable for the panels but he has been advised he might be able to install them on a frame in his garden.
“It is a decent return, it is better than an investment account”
Greg Payne Homeowner
It would cost him around £10 000 to put in, but if they are south-facing and unobstructed, they would generate 41.3p per kilo watt hour, which would be index linked and guaranteed for 25 years.

If Mr Payne can find the cash for the installation, he believes it could be money well spent, as he told Radio 4's Money Box programme:
"It is a decent return, it is better than an investment account. It could certainly be a goer," he said.
Commercial exploitation
The government has pledged just under £400m for the feed-in tariff scheme until 2014.
“I am concerned. There have been some very ambitious statements from large companies”
Greg Baker, minister for Energy and Climate Change

More than 19,000 UK households have already registered to take part.
There are fears that unless homeowners like Mr Payne install soon, the money could be used up by commercial enterprises claiming the money.
Too many companies are jumping on the bandwagon, according to Greg Barker, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change.
"I am concerned. There have been some very ambitious statements from large companies about the size of solar exploitation," he said.
"If I see that large scale solar projects on an industrial scale stand to take a disproportionate amount of the money that is there to be spread widely for homeowners and small businesses, I will act."

Higher bills
Others are critical that the cost of the feed-in tariffs will be born by those least able to afford it who cannot install solar panels themselves. The government admits around £6.7bn will be put on electricity bills between 2010 and 2030 to pay for the scheme.

Environmental campaigner and writer George Monbiot believes it is unfair.
"The people who are most likely to benefit from this are going to be householders who have got their own home and can stump up the £10,000 or so upfront costs."
The government however said many social housing projects were also installing solar panels and so their residents were also benefitting.

Mr Monbiot believes the £6.7bn would be better spent on measures such as encouraging people to insulate lofts.
The government said money would be made available for this when it launched its "Green Deal" next year.



I read this and posted because it is applicable to my post on E.on, in that the paragraph on 'Higher Bills' states that the Government is going to lump the cost of all this onto our elec bills!!!


I also have recently read a report from Spain (will find and post later), their Government can no longer guarantee the tariffs stated as guaranteed for 25 years...so back tracking....when you have paid out your £10,000 up front and they take away the return, you are left with a load of panels on your roof or in your garden, the elec bill will still be as expensive because you will not get the payback....