I suspect that I just need to wait and things will put themselves right. The power was on for an hour on Monday. When it went off, I rushed to the meter room and had a chat with the electrician responsible. It seems that, when my supply was disconnected, another supply (it actually provides the lighting for the meter room) was also disconected. I was assured that this was on a different meter (paid by the landlord) but the same fuse and the supply was needed to be "on" for some work. I can't see them settling for that supply to be off indefinitely.

Another option, instead of paying the supplier £1k and then, more than likely, get robbed again in a few years is to spend a similar amount on a wind generator which will provide enough free power for what I do for the rest of my working days.

Hello again.

Apologies for the delayed response, only just received notification of your reply.

Yes, send a copy to The Extra Help Unit and make clear in the email that you are unsatisfied with the resolution and explain why. If you have sufficient issues which you feel have not been covered then the matter will be progressed by The Extra Help Unit. If the matter is outwith their remit, or if legally the supplier has not done anything wrong then it can be difficult for The Extra Help Unit to help.

Just to clarify - Consumer Focus are a completely seperate organisation from Consumer Direct. Consumer Focus is a statutory watchdog. Consumer Direct is an organisation which provides general consumer rights related advice.

If you require legal advice then you should contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau initially, who can then make the appropriate referral. Consumer Focus and Consumer Direct do not give legal advice.

Thanks

Consumer Focus

I've received no reply to the email mentioned in my last post and I'm putting a response to the supplier in today's post. Should I send a copy of this to the "Extra Help Unit" at the same email address or should I accept that their file is now closed?

I expect that the supplier will take further legal action at some point. Any suggestions as to where to obtain advice relating to this (and relating to what has happened previously) would be welcome. I was considering the local Citizens Advice Bureau but I understand that the CAB and Consumer Direct / Consumer Focus pass cases between themselves as appropriate so I could end up going in circles.

The Consumer Focus / Consumer Direct letter states that the new balance includes charges of £438 and a security deposit of £450 is also required. The tone is such that it could almost have come from the supplier. It states "if there are any outstanding issues, please let me know as soon as possible". I sent an email around this time yesterday stating that there were outstanding issues and I'm not holding my breath for any sort of worthwhile reply. I honestly cannot see the point in opening the file again if the intention is to close it next month, whatever hapens before then.

The Utility Warehouse letter is three pages of A4 which tries to detail the account balance. It includes errors and inconsistencies that I have mentioned previously. This letter does concede that there was an error of £245.61 in their 14 April correspondence and states "I am sorry for the difference in information provided". As a "goodwill gesture" they have put a £60.78 credit onto the account together with the recent charges of £438.

Hi Maxstream. Can you provide a little more information on the specifics of the response you have received in relation to your complaint?

Thanks.

Consumer Focus

What a waste of time and effort. The "Extra Help Unit" wrote a letter to the supplier and got a reply. That reply is much the same as those I've received previously with inaccuracies and inconsistencies. Without discussing the matter with me, they "have now closed your case file" although they've offered to help negotiate a payment schedule with the supplier!

Are Consumer Direct funded by the utility companies?

Consumer Focus:

I would advise you to initially call Consumer Direct

Very many thanks.

I've already contacted Consumer Direct and they have given me a case number although I've not updated them with the latest correspondence. A letter went in the post yesterday to Utility Warehouse saying that I am finding it very hard to deal with them while they don't follow basic standards of honesty, even in court. Another letter is going to the local court today to inform them of some details.

I do tend to write a few letters in situations like this and I am conscious that if sent a copy of everything, it would fill up someone's inbox but I'm emailing an update to Consumer Direct as I write.

For now, I'm on my way to the premises in a few minutes with a couple of torches.

Hi Maxstream

Consumer Focus would like to take the opportunity to respond to the points you have raised below.

Can you confirm if your supply remains disconnected? If so our 'Extra Help Unit' may be able to assist you. Consumer Focus's Extra Help Unit has a remit which extends to micro-business consumers who have been disconnected, or are facing disconnection. The Extra Help Unit can also assist vulnerable consumers and intervene in complex complaints. From the sound of your situation this may be something that we can assist you with, I would advise you to initially call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. Consumer Direct can then refer you through to our Extra Help Unit who will be able to provide expert advice and assistance in order to try and resolve this situation.

Consumer Focus has been working to improve the experience that micro-business consumers receive across the industry, indeed the report which you referenced was comissioned in order to illustrate the problems that micro-business consumers face. We are now working with the regulator and non-domestic energy suppliers to see how we can augment protections for micro-business consumers.

We hope the above information is helpful.

Consumer Focus

I received today details about the warrant for entry that Utility Warehouse obtained prior to the disconnection. Someone from Utility Warehouse provided sworn information in writing to a judge to say that they provided me with notice of the intended entry and notice of the application. I received no such notices either at the premises or the correspondence address except for the copies that arrived today.

They also provided sworn information in writing to the court to say that "So far as the Company is aware, the customer does not dispute the debt". In 2½ years, I've sent them 20+ letters about the disputed issues.

I had thought previously that there were certain standards of honesty that were required to become an electricity supplier.

maxsteam:

I would have hoped ConsumerFocus could have been able to stand up for the business rather than just interview them

I completely agree with you there.

There was a recent thread where a poster reported a massive hike on an Edf (guaranteed discount) tariff within the guaranteed period. I was, and remain uncertain whether such an increase within the guarantee period entitles the consumer to invoke a free exit under "detriment" rules. One experienced poster thought "yes" and Moneysupermarket thought "no".

It's an outrage that there is no Consumer Focus guidance on the issue. Don't they monitor consumer issues? Ofgem have also been deafeningly silent (except for a self-publicity foray) regarding Scottish Power Direct.

But AFAIAA, nothing on Guaranteed Discount tariff rules.

maxsteam:

I hope you realise that I also post replies for the benefit of others.

The learning point here is that "micro businesses" now fall within the Energy Ombudsman scheme (though I am not sure if that was the case in 2008). Therefore there is no need to let things drag beyond 8 weeks from first raising a problem with a supplier.

If you were unhappy with Utility Warehouse's conduct the best course of action would have been to have brought your conduct under the contract into compliance and given the stated notice of termination in the contract. Which was?

Apparently you had them on the incompetence hook at the beginning but let them turn the tables. Shame on you.

Next time apply my "zero-tolerance kick-ass" approach, not discredited "take it or leave it from a position of contractual weakness".

Some businesses like pubs and restaurants don't have much option when faced with the choice of paying someone else's bill or closing down for a period. I would have hoped ConsumerFocus could have been able to stand up for the business rather than just interview them.

The issue with me started in Nov 2008 when I switched to Utility Warehouse. I took a meter reading on the right date and then the first bill went back to before this reading (electricity that I'd paid for but not been billed for by the previous supplier). I queeried this and they agreed to take no action or chase payment for this amount for a while. A few months later they asked for "surcharges" in relation to non-payment of this amount. I queeried these surcharges and again they put the matter on hold for a while. Eventually, after a lot of similar discussions, in April 2010, they put credits on my account in relation to this amount and the surcharges.

Then, in May, June and July 2010, the "estimated" bills again used readings from before the switchover in November 2008. My August 2010 bill opens with the actual meter reading that I took in November 2008. Simplifying things considerably, they have billed me twice and credited me once for the "disputed" amount.

I have been making payments over the years although I have been uncomfortable that they have refused to allocate payments only against genuine bills, as I requested.

I asked for a breakdown of the account and received extensive spreadsheets that, to me, confirm the above. Utility Warehouse say that these spreadsheets confirm that they have applied credits for the disputed amounts. This is why I had produced a summary using the opening reading, a current reading, total paid and so on - a handful of figures rather than extensive spreadsheets - and I asked them to check my summary, correct any errors and then I said that I'd pay the amount due (if it was clear that it did not include anything from before the Novembe 2008 reading or penalties) plus any sensible estimate for usage up to December 2011. Their response to this offer was to disconnect the supply without any further correspondence.

maxsteam:

I'm not defending the bullying of "micro business" by "big business" but surely it is relevant for you to explain how long the "issue" had been ongoing.

You have a "contract" with the supplier and your "take it or leave it" self-advice can only work within the contract terms and regulatory framework.

A very interesting (and worrying) report. That said, I gave up at "Business A" when I read the issue had been on-going for several years. I fail to understand why a restaurant business takes a different approach to scrutinising an energy invoice than a food or drinks invoice where I expect the deliveries (especially drink) would be very carefully checked-off.

What I advocate is not "take it or leave it" from a position of contractual and consequential weakness, but "zero tolerance" of contractual or procedural irregularity, with regulator and/or Energy Ombudsman referal at the earliest possible opportunity.

I've been looking into business utility disconnections today and I came across this recent ConsumerFocus publication. It seems that suppliers can demand what they want from business customers and the customer either pays up or gets disconnected.

http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/publications/small-business-big-price

Last week I offered to pay my business electricity supplier - Utility Warehouse - what they say is due plus a payment in advance up to December using estimated usage if they could just produce a summary to support their figures using opening meter reading, closing meter reading, total standing charges, amount paid and a couple of other figures. Their response was an unannounced visit today when their engineer cut off the supply. I'm budgeting a little less for electricity and a little more for torch batteries next month.