Is this for real Electric Ireland? I am fit to burst with rage.

NikFit

I am fit to burst with rage over my communications with Electric Ireland.

I received an extortionate bill last month due to the fact that my bills to date had been based on estimates and when an actual reading was done the corrected balance was enormous - over €500 - which was being demanded to be paid in one month. I don't have that kind of money lying around and had not budgeted for this amount in my monthly cashflow.

So I called to discuss a repayment plan (3 weeks ago) to pay back the money in 8 installments to settle the amount before the next bill came in. I noticed on my bank statement that the first week's payment hadn't come out, so the plan that had been arranged and that I had committed to wasn't being put into action. I called to check what was happening and the woman I spoke to said she didn't know. I gave my bank account details again and she they said she was setting the direct debit up again. However, still nothing came out. The next week, I called again and again, nothing had been taken out. AND to add insult to injury, even though I am being more than responsible and proactive here, they slapped a €300 penalty fee on top of the bill, so I now owe over €700!!

Week three, I call AGAIN - reaching the end of my patience here. SAME CONVERSATION AGAIN TODAY. the man I spoke to put a new payment plan put in place - 100% spoon-fed by me. He couldn't even do the calculation himself. He re-set up the direct debit. But he admitted himself that it was going to fail as the information about my account hadn't changed.

So I then said what can I do? Can I set up a standing order for the plan? Can I pay you by visa debit over the phone? He put me back on hold. I was on the phone, between being on hold and talking to the customer service man, for ONE HOUR. He had NO PROACTIVE solutions for me. I repeatedly told him that he needed to TELL ME what to do. I am sick of being the proactive person here. I am trying to pay this ridiculously high bill (I am a single person in a small one bedroom apartment so €537 for 2 months is unacceptable anyway ...PLUS the penalty!).

To avoid having to repeat this week after week to a different customer service person (who by the way seemed to have no record of my previous calls), I asked for a name and email address to confirm the matter in writing, but he wouldn't give it to me. I asked him if he could investigate this further and call me back with a plan of action, but he said he wasn't "allowed to" call me back. THEN, and this is where it gets OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD frustrating - he HUNG UP ON ME. Just as I was about to make the payment with Visa and finally make some progress. Is this for real? I do NOT want to keep having this conversation. If you want me to pay this bill you need to set up some kind of plan and make it work! I also feel it would be more than appropriate for you to give me a discount off that bill as compensation for this stress and frustration that you have put me through.

EI: Una

Hello NikFit,

Sorry to read your call was disconnected - this is likely to have been an accidental disconnnection, but we can still appreciate how frustrating it must have been. Our advisors do not have external email or direct telephone extension numbers, and if a customer rings asking to be transferred to a specific advisor, there is no guarantee the advisor will be available to take the call. So because of this, all calls are logged with appropriate notes for any advisor to refer back to.

We will do our very best to help you out here - the telephone lines can get extremely busy, particularly at this time of year following winter bills and cold weather.

Did you contact your bank/building society to check whether they could see why the first direct debit payment was not processed? A security deposit is automatically applied if a direct debit is not going through, but this can be reversed.

Regards,
Una

NikFit

Electric Ireland: Una wrote: »

Hello NikFit,

Sorry to read your call was disconnected - this is likely to have been an accidental disconnnection, but we can still appreciate how frustrating it must have been. Our advisors do not have external email or direct telephone extension numbers, and if a customer rings asking to be transferred to a specific advisor, there is no guarantee the advisor will be available to take the call. So because of this, all calls are logged with appropriate notes for any advisor to refer back to.

We will do our very best to help you out here - the telephone lines can get extremely busy, particularly at this time of year following winter bills and cold weather.

Did you contact your bank/building society to check whether they could see why the first direct debit payment was not processed? A security deposit is automatically applied if a direct debit is not going through, but this can be reversed.

Regards,
Una

Hi Una, 
Thanks for getting back to me. 
Firstly, it didn't appear that any notes were logged from previous calls, and I had to explain the situation all over again. 
Secondly, I am looking forward to hearing your plan of action.
Thirdly, yes, I did contact the bank (BOI) and they said it was up to yourselves to set the DD up and they wouldn't know what the problem was.
Thank you,
Nikki

EI: Una

Hi Nikki,

Can you please private message me your Electric Ireland account number and your name/address in full as they appear on your account, as well as either your date of birth or the contact telephone number on your account?

Thanks,
Una

NikFit

Just wanted to say thank you to all at Electric Ireland who resolved my frustrating problem with professionalism and empathy.
Thanks!
Much happier customer!