Airtricity or Bank Problem?

Christine45

Last year Airtricity sales reps were selling in my friends area. I was there and decided to sign. Sales rep asked me for my bank details and I said I didn't want to agree to a direct debit so I didn't feel the need to give details etc.

She explained that this was just procedure and and no D/D would be applied. I like a moron gave account number.

Obviously I hadn't my meter reading with me so she filled out most of the application form and told me I would get a call from head office to fully set up account when I had all details.

Low and behold the call came and I decided to ignore it. Finally I answered and told person on phone I hadn't got my details and just left it at that. I didn't hear again.

In the coming weeks I received a letter from them thanking me for my custom. I ignored thinking it was another ploy to get me to fully sign up.

Then I received a letter from the ESB saying they were no longer my electricity supplier etc.

To cut a long story short I find that they have been taking money from my account to pay my bills I did not fully sign up to. I will admit the amounts they did take were very small but still no standing order or direct debit was signed up to.

Firstly I'd like to know has anyone else had a similar problem and secondly is this problem with the bank or with Airtricity?

mehmeh12

Sounds like a scam that Protea Direct door to door salesmen would do-I bet they were dressed in nice suits and all smiles yes?

Ring up your bank and rectify the situation.

GerardKeating

Christine45 wrote: »

Last year Airtricity sales reps were selling in my friends area. I was there and decided to sign. Sales rep asked me for my bank details and I said I didn't want to agree to a direct debit so I didn't feel the need to give details etc.

She explained that this was just procedure and and no D/D would be applied. I like a moron gave account number.

Obviously I hadn't my meter reading with me so she filled out most of the application form and told me I would get a call from head office to fully set up account when I had all details.

Low and behold the call came and I decided to ignore it. Finally I answered and told person on phone I hadn't got my details and just left it at that. I didn't hear again.

In the coming weeks I received a letter from them thanking me for my custom. I ignored thinking it was another ploy to get me to fully sign up.

Then I received a letter from the ESB saying they were no longer my electricity supplier etc.

To cut a long story short I find that they have been taking money from my account to pay my bills I did not fully sign up to. I will admit the amounts they did take were very small but still no standing order or direct debit was signed up to.

Firstly I'd like to know has anyone else had a similar problem and secondly is this problem with the bank or with Airtricity?

They tricked you into signing forms and gave them your bank details, unless you can prove that they tricked you, you have little come back.

dotsman

I don't see how this is a bank problem

You willingly gave your bank details to someone who you know didn't need them and then they used this to transfer your account from one company to another? What has this got to do with your bank? This is clearly a problem with you and Airtricity.

Toots

Moved to Consumer Issues.

This is an issue between you and Airtricity. However, you can contact your bank and ask them to do a 'Direct Debit Indemnity' and get your money back from Airtricity. However you will still have to sort things out with Airtricity so that they're not still billing you, and make sure your ESB gets connected back up.

snuggles09

I signed up with them a year ago this March and I have to be honest in that the savings I've found are massive..they take a set amount every month and at the end of my 6 month review I was well over 300+ in credit with them so they reduced my payments way way down and I'm still in credit with them. If I were you I'd stick with them

JJ

IIRC, in order to avail of the full discount that Airtricity advertises, you need to sign up to a DD. I've seen a few other posts here that the sales people they hire are on the pushy side and have been known to use underhanded methods to get people signed up.

I signed up with Airtricity when I moved into my new place and I've found it to be fine though I've had their sales people turn up at the door on 2 occassions even though I've been a fully registered customer for a good few months now.

Lozza71

I have today had money come out of my Bank Account by Airtricity even though I had paid my bill on time. I was told I had 14 days to pay my bill. However, after ringing them I have been told that in fact you only have 11 days as they in fact put in a request for the direct debit 3 days before the bill is due. They then told me that if I did pay them within the 11-14 day period that I should ring them to get them to stop the direct debit. If the request is made on the 11th day then in fact you only have 10 days to pay your bill. As I didn't have any money in my account, I have now been charged EUR25 for an unpaid direct debit fee. Airtricity have told me that this is an issue with my bank but they caused the issue and now I have to pay EUR25 for a bill I had already paid. They are blatantly misleading customers as I have since found that this has happened to a number of people I know. I have asked them for a full explanation but I think I am just going to report this to the Ombudsman. I was made redundant and am currently surviving on the dole. People have enough problems trying to pay bills without incurring fees for something that is not their fault.

dilallio

Lodge an official complaint with Airtricity, ensuring that you get both the Airtricity complaint reference no and the name of the customer service agent you are dealing with. Explain to them politely that you need the name and ref no to log a complaint with the energy regulator (http://www.cer.ie/). CER will require both pieces of info if you do decide to log a complaint.

Ask that they refund you the 25Euro and change the DD date - if they refuse, then log a complaint with CER.

I had a similar experience last year and even though I rang them 4 or 5 times and they told me that a complaint was logged (I didn't get a ref no) and a supervisor would call me back, nothing happened until I contacted CER, who asked me to get a complaint ref no. Suddenly the problem was resolved.

discostu1

Hi Lozza 71
Quick question, one of the relatives bounced a dd with ESB and was charged €6 by them, the bank charged her a further €12.00 are you saying Airtricity charged you €25.00 on your Utility bill, :eek:
I assume your bank will charge you seperately. Nice bit of profit if thats the case.

galatyss

Hi Christine,
it may seem they tricked you but I'm not sure about it.
Airtricity definitely take your bank account details and I think they also made you sign somewhere (otherwise, no contract would be), so technically you gave them the right to switch. If you feel you've been tricked, then you should call them and ask for a refund, it seems you can get a refund for an overcharged bill too.
About the bank thing, it's asked for a grant of payment, but if you pay your bill within 14 days of its issue date, then they won't take the money from the bank, because there's no standing order activated.
So basically, if you are one of those who tends to forget they have a bill to pay, that's what happens!
I know, it's a bit of a nuisance, but bank actually control anything.
Hope I've been a little of a help to you and I really hope you fixed your query with them!

dudara

Zombie thread - closed

dudara