Economical when giving back cash
I can’t say I’m sad to see the collapse of Economy Energy.
I told last week how one reader spent eight months trying to get her £127 balance refunded after she left the gas and electricity supplier for another utility.
The next day the energy regulator Ofgem declared that the company’s performance was so bad that it was being banned from taking on new customers.
Several have contacted the Mirror, including Lynda Dacey of Porthcawl, Bridgend. She told me how she is owed more than £255 after switching to a different supplier but cannot get Economy Energy to pay, adding: “I am a pensioner and need this money to go towards my winter bills.”
Gareth Jones, also from South Wales, is owed almost £290 and said: “I have made a number of telephone and email requests for the refund, but to no avail.”
Ed Ruane, a Labour councillor in Coventry where Economy Energy is based, tweeted that he’s owed more than £100: “I’ve sent several emails, lodged a formal complaint, the communication is horrendous, @ofgem should be taking far tougher action.”
On Monday this week, I visited the company to see if 33-year-old Lubna Khilji, the founding director, wanted to talk about this abysmal service – she didn’t.
Then on Tuesday, Economy Energy, which had built a customer base of 300,000 clients, ceased trading.
Citizens Advice said: “The failure of energy suppliers is becoming an all too familiar story.”
The job review site Indeed.co.uk contains some damning reviews from ex-employees, including one which reads: “Pros – 30 mins break, Cons – Everything else I can think of.”
Ms Khilji seems to have done nicely for herself though – she bought a mansion on the leafy Kenilworth Road outside Coventry for £964,000 in 2016.