Comments on: Powergen http://www.jamesbisset.com/blog/meanwhile/powergen The ongoing tale of a fifty year old man trying to build a guitar, write some songs and record an album in his spare time Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:50:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Swindley http://www.jamesbisset.com/blog/meanwhile/powergen/comment-page-1#comment-4030 David Swindley Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:19:29 +0000 http://www.jamesbisset.com/blog/meanwhile/powergen/#comment-4030 Interesting reading your story. Hope your current energy supplier is more settled. Here's another interesting tale ... Powergen: Sorry We're 2 Years Late Shock! Horror! The Dual fuel supplier 'Powergen' causes more misery by sending out backdated bills as old as 2 years with a note saying 'apologies for the delay in sending this bill'. Long haul flight attendant, David Swindley, 36, of Manchester, M6, had the shock of his life when an £806.66 'landed' on his doorstep. "I'm hardly ever at home so my utility bills are usually low and in credit. So when I noticed I suddenly owed Powergen £806.66 I knew something was seriously wrong". Powergen said there had been problems moving all their customers onto a single billing database. Many accounts including my Gas bill (which used to be with British Gas) had gone into a state of limbo and just weren't being billed correctly. Paper bills would arrive at my home each month from Powergen. What I did not realise was that I was only being charged for my Electricity and not for the combined Gas & Electricity as agreed at the time of the Dual Fuel offer. I remember them saying 'switching to dual fuel is so easy' so I trusted them to handle it all correctly. I believe Powergen have known about this billing problem for years but rather than cause panic they've kept it quiet. Now they've fixed their billing systems they're suddenly sending out these backdated bills. "They've consistently failed to notify and bill me for my gas for more than 24 months so it's a cheek to suddenly ask for it now". Sarah one of the Powergen agents told me "it should actually be 3 years worth of Gas but current policy states we can only backdate bills for 2 years". OMG! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I protested how peculiar and unfair this was to present me with a bill 2 years down the line. But the bill remains. She agreed to escalate my case to Powergen Section Manager 'Julie Stevens'. Her response was to offer me a £15 gesture of goodwill credit. I told Powergen their £15 credit was an insult. I was then casually told to take my case up with 'energywatch' if I was not happy. Powergen's billing problems are on such a large scale that they actually have a dedicated line to discuss backdated bills and how to pay them. The number is 0800 479 2222. "The Powergen agents might have the patience of saints but the company itself has the conscience of the devil". I look at this demonic £806.66 bill and wonder how the 'hell' Powergen can sleep at night. From now on I know I won't. Interesting reading your story. Hope your current energy supplier is more settled. Here’s another interesting tale …

Powergen: Sorry We’re 2 Years Late

Shock! Horror! The Dual fuel supplier ‘Powergen’ causes more misery by sending out backdated bills as old as 2 years with a note saying ‘apologies for the delay in sending this bill’.

Long haul flight attendant, David Swindley, 36, of Manchester, M6, had the shock of his life when an £806.66 ‘landed’ on his doorstep. “I’m hardly ever at home so my utility bills are usually low and in credit. So when I noticed I suddenly owed Powergen £806.66 I knew something was seriously wrong”.

Powergen said there had been problems moving all their customers onto a single billing database. Many accounts including my Gas bill (which used to be with British Gas) had gone into a state of limbo and just weren’t being billed correctly.

Paper bills would arrive at my home each month from Powergen. What I did not realise was that I was only being charged for my Electricity and not for the combined Gas & Electricity as agreed at the time of the Dual Fuel offer. I remember them saying ‘switching to dual fuel is so easy’ so I trusted them to handle it all correctly.

I believe Powergen have known about this billing problem for years but rather than cause panic they’ve kept it quiet. Now they’ve fixed their billing systems they’re suddenly sending out these backdated bills. “They’ve consistently failed to notify and bill me for my gas for more than 24 months so it’s a cheek to suddenly ask for it now”. Sarah one of the Powergen agents told me “it should actually be 3 years worth of Gas but current policy states we can only backdate bills for 2 years”. OMG! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I protested how peculiar and unfair this was to present me with a bill 2 years down the line. But the bill remains. She agreed to escalate my case to Powergen Section Manager ‘Julie Stevens’. Her response was to offer me a £15 gesture of goodwill credit. I told Powergen their £15 credit was an insult. I was then casually told to take my case up with ‘energywatch’ if I was not happy.

Powergen’s billing problems are on such a large scale that they actually have a dedicated line to discuss backdated bills and how to pay them. The number is 0800 479 2222. “The Powergen agents might have the patience of saints but the company itself has the conscience of the devil”. I look at this demonic £806.66 bill and wonder how the ‘hell’ Powergen can sleep at night. From now on I know I won’t.

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