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Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

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  • Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

    Hello Beagles,
    Thought id throw up a caution to you as one of my co-workers has been slammed by spark energy sparkenergy.co.uk. He called Npower and asked to be switched back, then paid the 'final bill' from spark energy. Npower said to leave the switch back to them and all looked well.

    Two weeks later, Npower said they could not switch him back as his account was in arrears with sparkenergy - bearing in mind he had only had spark energy service for about 2 to 3 weeks since being slammed. He calls spark and asks for final bill and amount to pay so he can switch back.

    Pays that, then gets npower to try again. However, spark energy are still telling npower he is in arrears. Spark pass him around agents who all 'cant help' or are 'wrong department' when he tries to resolve the issue (if hes lucky to get through to anyone at all. Sometimes a half hour on hold turns into a hangup) . This means the account drags on for another month and he now has a new bill to pay from spark so cant switch back to npower. So he pays that bill and asks to move again, however he is still in 'arrears' npower are told. Tries to speak to spark energy who pass him from team to team all claiming 'not our department'

    Turns out that in sparks energys systems, his monthly charge is due immediately, whereas the use charges are billed at the end of the month. This means that its likely every user slammed to spark energy is *always* in arrears, and thus are unable to move away from the provider unless they pay the monthly bill and then pre-pay the next months service charge. So even if people are slammed, unless they can figure out (or even afford) to pay the monthly bill *and* pre pay a months service charge, they will never get out.

    Seems to be an ongoing con this 'final bill' thing http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...y-c270681.html
    Advice given is offered as personal opinion only. I always recommend you seek professional legal advice.

    Negative, I am a meat popsicle
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

    Very familiar sounding story. Ours is in fact going back to last year. We moved into a rented property in 2009, Sparks being the existing supplier. Unfortunately we encountered problems with their accounts department from day one. In February 2010 we decided to switch supplier. After a (first) final meter reading, we paid the (assumed) final amount and informed the new supplier. Sparks refused the switch due to an unpaid amount. We arranged another (second) reading, paid the amount and arranged with the new supplier. After numerous calls between the new supplier, Sparks and us, we finally managed to be released. One month after the switch we received a letter from a debt collector, demanding nearly £2000 in the name of Sparks. We then send copies of each and every bankstatement with the payments marked to Sparks and the debt collector.

    It seemd that the issue was finally resolved....was it?

    Two days ago (ONE YEAR LATER) we received again a letter from the debt collector, asking for the same amount once more. This company seems to love threatening (ex)customers who don't agree with their very dubious business practices.

    to be continued....

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

      Absolutely the same experience here. I bought a house, and according to my purchase documentation I was with EDF. Months into it, I receive a letter from Sparks, I went to their web-site and at the time they had such an incredibly unprofessional web-site (they've improved it tremendously since then) with two pages of static info and copyrights from 2 years ago that I decided this is a hoax - I replied to their e-mail, got an automatic NOT DELIVERED reply and just disregarded the whole thing. Months later after more letters I realised they are a real energy company and I was indeed signed up with them. It took me literally half a year to get off them and I'm still not sure if I have - at some point they asked for a £1,600 payment for 3 months of gas & electricity use... we settled to 200, I paid from their web-site, then 2 months later it turned out they HAVE NOT received the payment and indeed it was not charged on my account althugh I am sure I processed it from their web-site, so they had sent my case to a collectors' office and I had to pay a fee for that. Just last week I had another letter from them with another fee for late payment and a further charge for electricity usage even though I have already transferred to EDF.... nonexistent client services and internal rules that are designed to mislead & get clients into traps. Never ever buy into it.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

        Report them to OFGem this type of behavouir is illegal i believe as you can not be expected to pay a service charge for a service you have not yet received!
        Please note that this advice is given informally, without liability and without prejudice. Always seek the advice of an insured qualified professional. All my legal and nonlegal knowledge comes from either here (LB),my own personal research and experience and/or as the result of necessity as an Employer and Businessman.

        By using my advice in any form, you agreed to waive all rights to hold myself or any persons representing myself of any liability.

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        The Governess; 6th March 2012 GRRRRRR

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

          Hi,

          How did you get them to settle to 200? We've having a similar problem and we don't know what to do.








          Originally posted by zhivkod View Post
          Absolutely the same experience here. I bought a house, and according to my purchase documentation I was with EDF. Months into it, I receive a letter from Sparks, I went to their web-site and at the time they had such an incredibly unprofessional web-site (they've improved it tremendously since then) with two pages of static info and copyrights from 2 years ago that I decided this is a hoax - I replied to their e-mail, got an automatic NOT DELIVERED reply and just disregarded the whole thing. Months later after more letters I realised they are a real energy company and I was indeed signed up with them. It took me literally half a year to get off them and I'm still not sure if I have - at some point they asked for a £1,600 payment for 3 months of gas & electricity use... we settled to 200, I paid from their web-site, then 2 months later it turned out they HAVE NOT received the payment and indeed it was not charged on my account althugh I am sure I processed it from their web-site, so they had sent my case to a collectors' office and I had to pay a fee for that. Just last week I had another letter from them with another fee for late payment and a further charge for electricity usage even though I have already transferred to EDF.... nonexistent client services and internal rules that are designed to mislead & get clients into traps. Never ever buy into it.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

            As "slamming" is surely contrary to the The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 - link - wouldn't it be a rather serious crime to press for payment if the supplier knew the contract was unsolicited?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

              Originally posted by CleverClogs View Post
              As "slamming" is surely contrary to the The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 - link - wouldn't it be a rather serious crime to press for payment if the supplier knew the contract was unsolicited?
              Absolutely.
              Life is a journey on which we all travel, sometimes together, but never alone.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

                Hi, I've just received a letter from Spark addressed to 'Dear Occupant' saying that another supplier has been instructed to take over my supply, and they have no named customer for the property and wish to set up an account so I can be billed accurately. I have never heard of this company before! My supplier for both electric and gas is scottish power, and they did call me 3 or 4 months ago to ask why I was leaving them, I had never expressed any interest in changing supplier, explained this to them and thought the problem was solved.
                I don't really know what to do, I'm concerned that the letter might be a scam just wanting my account details.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

                  Originally posted by Trishka View Post
                  Hi, I've just received a letter from Spark addressed to 'Dear Occupant' saying that another supplier has been instructed to take over my supply, and they have no named customer for the property and wish to set up an account so I can be billed accurately. I have never heard of this company before! My supplier for both electric and gas is scottish power, and they did call me 3 or 4 months ago to ask why I was leaving them, I had never expressed any interest in changing supplier, explained this to them and thought the problem was solved.
                  I don't really know what to do, I'm concerned that the letter might be a scam just wanting my account details.
                  It could indeed be a "slamming" scam.

                  Contact Scottish Power, check that you still are a customer (!) and that you are not supposed to be moving to another provider.

                  Then report Spark to OFGEM - link - and the Trading Standards wallahs at your local town hall

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

                    I am experiencing a similar problem to Shamen.
                    When moving into my rental property in Jan, 2013, I was told by the letting agent, Your Move, that Spark Energy would be the default supplier, but that I was free to use whichever energy company I chose. So, for convenience, I decided to carry over my existing account with nPower. One month later... A letter arrives from nPower thanking me for my custom and with my "final bill" enclosed. Confused, I phoned them to ask what it was all about, only to be told that Spark had "taken over" the dual fuel supply to my property!! Not only did I have to go to to the trouble of contacting nPower to have my account re-established, but there is now a knock-on effect, where nPower say they cannot do this and that until I have resolved the outstanding bills, etc, with Spark energy - with whom I never even opened an account in the first place! And here's the dodgy bit: According to nPower, Spark had provided them with "up to date" meter readings in order for my account to be moved from nPower to Spark. I'd like to know where they got these readings, which I'm sure must be fabricated.
                    And so, the bills, legal threats, emails and daily text messages keep on coming from Spark Energy, slowly driving me insane. All I can do is ignore them, as I simply refuse to take the time to contact them and pay bills that I don't believe I should have to pay. It is genuinely like dealing with the mafia of energy suppliers. I have sent several complaint emails to them, which continue to be ignored. I'm also FURIOUS with Your Move for having given Spark my personal details without my consent and will be sure never to use them, nor any similar letting agent, again!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Spark Energy -- Warning !!!

                      Refer them to OFGEM.

                      Comment

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