E-ON/Southern electric mix up?

[kezzy400]

Hi every one!

 

Have been reading through a lot of threads and see that E-On are not one of the better companies to deal with! Im really hoping some one can advice me on what to do (well..my mum actually!)

Last October she switched from E-On to southern Electric and has been paying Southern Electric weekly payments ever since (for gas & electric). A couple of weeks after switching she had a final bill and a 'sorry your leaving us' letter from Southern Electric! She rang them up and said she wasn't leaving as she had only just switched to them and they told her not to worry as there were problems with E-ON regarding the switch. They told her to carry on paying as normal, which she has. A couple of weeks ago she had a final gas bill from E-On telling her she owes nearly £100! I have already wrote to Southern Electric for her asking for an explanation and if they are supplying the gas/electric, but no answer yet! This week she has had a threatening letter from E-ON regarding the amount she 'owes' them. Shes getting really worried as she has been paying Southern Electric all this time and apparently E-On have been the suppliers..can any one suggest what I could do next or what sort of letter to write to them to try and sort it out...she wont ring them as she said she just gets passed on and passed on and nothing is done.

Thanks for any advice!

[kezzy400]

Sorry..forgot to say that the £100 'final' bill from E-ON was estimated too!

[nomadx]

I'm also having almighty problems with E-ON.

 

I moved into a rented property last year and took my previous supplier Southern Energy with me. I have know received a 500 quid bill from EON for gas and electricity for the period i've been there. Any attempts to get this resolved always end with EON taking a "we were there first" approach and dictating that I have to pay the bill. They similarly REFUSE to contact Southern to check anything I tell them... leaving me as a piggy in the middle.

 

Southern have confirmed that they are registered with my Gas meter number & all payments are up to date and that Eon shouldnt be billing me.

 

The worse thing is that I dont know how they have the right to open an account on My Behalf.

 

"your letting agent advised us that you moved in to the property and we have opened an account in your name. As E.on has been the continuous suppliers of the property in question we are not required to have a contract for supply of energy signed by you."

 

How does that work?

 

I always pay my bills on time... it seems unfair that i'm having to plead my innocence to fuel company that i havent signed with.

[nottslad]

Have you checked the meter details on both bills? only one supplier can supply a meter at a time unless a duplicate supply is listed on the national grid database.

 

If the meter details are different then check what meter is actually supplying your parent's property, and the supplier with the right details is the corect supplier and inform the incorrect supplier of this and that you wish to move to southern or stay with southern depending which one it is.

 

If EON were the supplier when your parents moved in, then a deemed contract exists until another supplier applies to take over the supply and their supply goes live and the correct "flows" (similar to emails) are sent between each supplier's system and the national grid. It may possibly be that southern have attempted to take the wrong details in the past which has caused the delay.

 

As mentioned, national grid can advise who the current supplier is, and your electricity distributor can tell you who the elec supplier is

[pelham9]

Nottslad.

 

Another two triumphs for the deemed contract system, the National Grid registration database and the utilities' transfer system.

 

My advice to both these posters is to continue paying Southern Electricity. Both SE and the customers believe that the contract is with them and the customers are paying SE. EON should accept this situation and withdraw gracefully - they are in any case going to lose these accounts. It is totally unreasonable for customers to be hassled in this way over a utility juristriction battle. It is not up to either customer to sort this out and in my experience phone calls to National Grid may make things worse. This must be sorted between National Grid and the utilities and the customer woulld be wise not to become involved.

 

I would give them a month and if the matter is not settled they should then complain to the regulator/ombudsman.

[nottslad]

a complaint has to be over 56 days old before you can complain to the ombudsman, unless there is vulnerabiliy in the property when the right to complain to the ombudsman is automatic

[pelham9]

This problem has been going on for more than 56 days and it is clear that EON's stance is one of deadlock.

 

This is a dispute between EON and SE and is not between EON and the customer who is SE's customer -denied by EON.

 

I think both OP's should report this situation to the Ombudsman and allow him to to decide if he can and should interfere. He will probably knock a few heads together behind the scenes.

[nomadx]

Thanks for all the responses... it's been a tough week and it still isnt resolved HOWEVER a very helpful manager from Southern Electric is desperetely trying to sort everything out.

 

I let you know what happened once it's all resolved.