What a gas . . . my three-year fight to PAY my bills!
Probes a world of scams and scandals
Mrs S.K. writes: I have been receiving my gas and electricity from First Utility since October 2012. Early in 2015 I decided to switch supplier, but a few days later I changed my mind and decided to stay with First Utility and told them so. Since then I have had serious problems trying to convince it I am still its customer. I even approached the Ombudsman and last May First Utility paid compensation of £216 for bad billing. I thought everything was settled, but now First Utility has credited back to me all my gas bills since 2015, putting my account £1,700 in credit. It still does believe it is my gas supplier. MOST of the complaints I receive about gas and electricity companies are for overcharging. Bizarrely, you have been fighting to pay for your gas and electricity for the past three years, while First Utility has insisted it owes you £1,700 it already collected and wants to refund.
You asked me: ‘Where do I go from here? Do I take the money and run?’
You did not go ahead with your switch to a different supplier, so First Utility has actually provided you with an uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity since 2012.
The problem has been in convincing the company of this.
I asked staff at First Utility to investigate. They told me: ‘We are sorry for the issues Mrs K has experienced with us.’
They added that an ‘internal technical error’ last year resulted in your account being treated as if First Utility was not your gas supplier after all.
This was halfway towards resolving the matter but perhaps unwisely First Utility told you this latest mistake had nothing to do with its original error of refusing to believe you were a customer.
This is even though the offer of a £1,700 refund was for exactly the same reason, a belief it did not supply you with gas even though you had been paying for it.
First Utility has now given me a copy of an email it has sent, following a telephone call to you.
The email, from a senior executive, tells you: ‘I cannot express how truly sorry I am for any inconvenience caused. I want to personally apologise.’
The message adds: ‘In light of the shortfall in your service, I have arranged to credit £75 to your energy account as a gesture of goodwill.’
You have also been sent what I am promised is an up to date and accurate bill. Remarkably, because you have fought to get First Utility to accept your payments, you are still in credit.