Correct invoice

SueA

As Electric Ireland reps appear to be no longer bothering to answer private mails I'll post here and copy same to every bit of social media in my name.
Summary:


Via Email: Electric Ireland has refused to issue a bill since the customer reading was submitted on 27/08/2015.  On 27/07/2015, I emailed them that I'd logged a customer reading, so there can be no excuse made for overlooking it.  I didn’t and haven't receive a response.
 
Again on 7^th August I asked for the customer reading bill and didn’t receive a response.
 
On the 11^th August I again asked for the bill and didn’t receive a response.
 
On the 19^th August I was informed that the bill had been estimated by Electric Ireland and that a bill would be issued for this estimate instead of my logged reading.  This is not what Electric Ireland says the policy is.  Customer readings can be submitted at any time and an invoice will be issued in 4 days.
 
Daily correspondence on Boards.ie has only produced 3 incorrect bills, two of which were credited and one remains active and now complete silence.

I would really seriously not recommend Electric Ireland to anyone, to begin with they got the price plan wrong, twice. 

They put a meter reading on my account as if the guy had read the meter, which is in my kitchen and can't be seen from ouside the house.  They are now refusing to deal with the matter and keep refering me to Electric Networks, with whom I don't have a contract.


Then they messed up taking the first Standing order, taking it well before the given dates.

Now they won't use my accurate customer reading and want me to pay more than is due on the account, and more standing charges. 

Seriously don't do business with them, anyone else is better.

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We are sorry for the delay, but we have not forgotten you.

We have responded to your private message now.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

You responded with the same rubbish as previously.  There can't of been any investigation to delay responding to my emails or messages because you're saying exactly the same thing. Using investigation as an excuse is not acceptable behaviour for continuing to not issue the correct bill to me, immediately.

Invoice me for the correct amount as per the customer reading 41400 KW and 44 days standing charges.  I don't care what date the invoice says this is not an issue the value of the invoice is. I have repeated this several times now so issue the correct invoice.

I carefully budget the use of my electricity and broadband to meet my small fixed income hence my customer readings. Electric Ireland are doing everything to ensuring that I go over that budget and the account will go into arrears. Bad customer service and bad policy.

And the last incorrect invoice EI sent doesn't actually open on the account - blank sheet.

Seriously no one should choose Electric Ireland for their supplier.

percy212

The customer service via email is awful. I tried it once, and only once. I got a response WEEKS after making contact with a stock answer written in a foreign accent. Yes, even in the written word.

SueA

percy212 wrote: »

The customer service via email is awful. I tried it once, and only once. I got a response WEEKS after making contact with a stock answer written in a foreign accent. Yes, even in the written word.

Tell me about it but as I can't use the phone, I have no other option.    This has been going on now since 27/07/2015.  Same stock answers, I've given the a copy and past list of the costs for the bill but they seem incapable of even this small task.  Silly games instead of answers and solutions, it's like they want rid of their customers?

SueA

And just checked my online account.  All the readings have been deleted, leaving only one that was estimated - after my customer reading- by electric Ireland.   Good job I took a screen grab of it as evidence.

The last bill that doesn't show on my online account except for a total, will be posted to me, this is not what I signed up for which is online billing.

EI are refusing the charge me the correct amount saying that I must accept their standing charge of 69 days instead of the 44 that was the date of reading.  they have agreed the customer reading of the meter itself - after great trouble to myself and bullying from them.

Why should I give EI monies that are not due to them?

percy212

I am sure the reps on boards will take care of you. They seem very responsive. 

The email support via the company website is obviously outsourced and poorly managed. Even with all your info in hand, they just reply with some script. Its really bad for the company image. Needs fixin!

Keep all your correspondence and keep making your point

SueA

And just checked my online account.  All the readings have been deleted, leaving only one that was estimated  - after my customer reading- by electric Ireland.   Good job I took a screen grab of it as evidence.

The last bill that doesn't show on my online account except for a total, and I've been told that it will be posted to me, this is not what I signed up for which is online billing.

EI are refusing the charge me the correct amount saying that I must accept their standing charge of 69 days instead of the 44 that was the date of reading - corporate bullying !! they have agreed the customer reading of the meter itself - after great trouble to myself.

No one has the right to reach into my pocket and take monies not due to them.

Fuzzy Clam

SueA wrote: »

Tell me about it but as I can't use the phone, I have no other option.    This has been going on now since 27/08/2015.  Same stock answers, I've given the a copy and past list of the costs for the bill but they seem incapable of even this small task.  Silly games instead of answers and solutions, it's like they want rid of their customers?

27/8/15 is tomorrow

SueA

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

SueA wrote: »

Tell me about it but as I can't use the phone, I have no other option.    This has been going on now since 27/08/2015.  Same stock answers, I've given the a copy and past list of the costs for the bill but they seem incapable of even this small task.  Silly games instead of answers and solutions, it's like they want rid of their customers?

27/8/15 is tomorrow

They have my head done in 27/7/2015 sorry :-) EI estimated reading was on 10/08/15, 12 days after I lodged a customer reading and told them that I had done this in an email.

SueA

I've found the Electric Ireland customer charter and been to the the energy ombudsman site  and are lots of issues for recourse through writing to Electric Ireland's customer service and then the EO.

Seriously stay away from Electric Ireland, I'm sure I'm not the only one that is being overcharged.

EI: Aoife

Hi percy212,

We are sorry to read this. Is there anything we can help you with?

Thanks,
Aoife

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We are sorry to read that you feel this way.

We have sent you another private message as we are unable the specifics of the account in a public domain.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

Electric Ireland: Aoife wrote: »

Hi SueA,

We are sorry to read that you feel this way.

We have sent you another private message as we are unable the specifics of the account in a public domain.

Thanks,
Aoife

What you sent was the same messages as before.  I simply want the correct invoice. customer reading of 41400 kw, 44 days standing charge.  VAT. I've given you it in a table the exact charges.  I don't care what date it says on the bill, and I've said this numerous times,  its the value of the bill that's important.  I've said all this repeatedly in messages to you and your colleagues.  Nothing is getting through. I've wasted most of today and the last weeks on this issue. It's completely messed up my tight budget, the account will now go into arrears as I've had to stop the direct debit being taken as the value of the bill does not reflect the actual costs.

SueA

Received the "new" bill via email, only to discover its still wrong !!!

And now silence.  They are always sorry, but never actually do anything.

Electric Ireland are just as much a mess as Irish Water

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We have sent you a private message.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

So 6 incorrect invoices later and one credit note we are still no where near getting to the correct bill.

The next period bill is due so now I will owe two periods bills, which is going to make life very hard for me as I live on a small fixed income that means I have to budget my finances and use of utilities such as electricity, water and broadband.

I cant wait to NOT be a customer of Electric Ireland.

Fuzzy Clam

SueA wrote: »

So 6 incorrect invoices later and one credit note we are still no where near getting to the correct bill.

The next period bill is due so now I will owe two periods bills, which is going to make life very hard for me as I live on a small fixed income that means I have to budget my finances and use of utilities such as electricity, water and broadband.

I cant wait to NOT be a customer of Electric Ireland.

I presume your new bill will come at the end of this month. I assume it will include any arrears, if any. If the meter is "read" rather than estimated then the amount you owe will be correct.
It all balances out.

SueA

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

SueA wrote: »

So 6 incorrect invoices later and one credit note we are still no where near getting to the correct bill.

The next period bill is due so now I will owe two periods bills, which is going to make life very hard for me as I live on a small fixed income that means I have to budget my finances and use of utilities such as electricity, water and broadband.

I cant wait to NOT be a customer of Electric Ireland.

I presume your new bill will come at the end of this month. I assume it will include any arrears, if any. If the meter is "read" rather than estimated then the amount you owe will be correct.
It all balances out.

It all balances out does not help me balance my budget of usage or financially.  I will now have two bills to pay at once.  Which will cause me sever hardship.  This responce underlines the problem with Electric Ireland they only consider themselves when they bill people incorrectly.
There is still no solution to the wrong bill from my customer reading on 27/07/2015.

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We have responded to your private message.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

I will be making an official complaint regarding EI ability to provide a correct bill in a timely manner, and a correct statement, along with not solving the problem in the prescribed time limits according to EI customer charter. This is taking more of my time and financial resources. this will be pursued to the Ombudsman if necessary.

I have stopped my direct debits as I no longer trust EI to bill me correctly or to take action, in a timely manner, if they have not done so. Electric Ireland does not have the right to take monies from my account that are not reflective of a correct bill for utility use, and I've noticed the estimated readings are always overcharged in the favour of EI. The problems with EI started when I logged my own customer reading thus reducing the monies paid to the correct amount.

I've logged another correct meter reading today and the system told me it was too low !

If anyone is thinking about an Electric Ireland account, please choose another company - any company but Electric Ireland.

SueA

So the ongoing saga is that I made a reading on 1st September, and logged it accordingly.  I then again, had to beg for an invoice. 

In the meantime, EI put that the previous bill had been paid showing my account was clear- when it wasn't.  They were sorry for the confusion !

So, I paid the reading made on 1st of September and awaiting the correction of the account which took over a week.

Went to check the account this Friday to make a payment of the initial invoice to discover a bill for €300 security deposit.
They are sorry for the confusion!

So got a letter in the post today threatening that if I don't pay the €300 EI won't supply me with Electricity.  I'm not paying it, informed them so and with much relief I'm no longer and EI customer. 

If EI were giving electricity away free I would still avoid them.  I thoroughly recommend not having any dealings with them and will Facebook & twittering the same to my 3.5 million followers.

Taking a final reading this evening and can feel the weight of the world lifting off my shoulders.  Though I'm still pursuing this with customer complaints and the Ombudsman.

If you are thinking of switching to Electric Ireland my advice is that any other supplier is better than EI stay well clear,

Electric Ireland: Brige N

Hi SueA,

We're very sorry to read this.

We have received your private message and will responded as soon we can.

If you have any other questions please let us know.

Thanks,
Brige

________

SueA

Still begging for a bill that will bring this sorry saga of an account to a close. 

Please folks if you are thinking of switching to Electric Ireland, choose another company, any company but Electric Ireland.

Let me guess the private message will say - sorry for the confusion, sorry that you feel this way and lots of other scripted answers that don't actually deal or solve the problem.

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We have responded to your private message.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

The invoice that you told me was on my account does not show any details when I open it ,the page is blank.  We have discussed this before on previous invoices. I want, and am entitled to a proper invoice, showing all the details of usage, standing charge, vat etc that everyone else gets. 

SueA

Now an email contradicting your last private message saying that the account had the balance I paid on Friday allocated. 

EI shambles.

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We just want to make you aware that we have replied to your private message.

Thanks,
Aoife

niall1811

Seems like you're having a few problems there sue! <snip> I recommend contacting the commission of energy regulation who should be able to help you with the legal end of things. I'm assuming since you haven't left them already you are still under contract? Maybe consider paying the exit fee, even though as you said you are on a limited income would it outweigh the hassle of further dealings? However there is an agreement that if you are over 200 in arrears, which while not your fault it seems like you may be at the moment EI would block your attempt to leave.
Maybe in the future considering you're circumstances look at a payment plan option that most companies will offer that may help you with your household budgeting I know it helped me!
<snip>

SueA

Thanks Niall.  thankfully I've kept paying the "what I think amount" and so am not in any arrears, my fault or theirs.  The last invoice says that I am but, the rep say's I'm not. Of course I've asked for it in writing and a new bill.

I'm under contract for another few months, and feel that they are trying to push me out so that they can charge the fee €50.00.  They have already tried to make me pay the €300 security deposit because I, after telling them so,  blocked the Direct Debit. EI still tried to take it and it bounced but cost me nothing.  The direct debit would have been for the wrong amount in their favour.

I'm looking at those budget plans as we speak and just wonder about having  credit with a utility company rather than having the funds in my own account. Even if the customers  had 1c in credit, to the utilities hundreds of thousands of householders, that's a fair bit of dosh in the suppliers account getting interest, with no give back to the householders/customers. 

Yep, I've started the complaint procedure by contacting EI complaints - of course no response, then I will go to the ombudsman.  It's all such a waste of time.


Thanks for the reply.

SueA

The bill for €24.97 is still not view able in pdf and can only bee seen on the statement as a total.  This is since the 28/09/15 and contradicts the private email that you sent me saying that it is visible.

EI: Aoife

Hi SueA,

We are aware that there are some issues with customers viewing their bills at the moment. We hope to have this resolved as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I have sent you a private message to discuss the questions about your account.

Thanks,
Aoife

SueA

Aoife this is not so, as you can see from my threads and private messages I've had to request a readable bill for the last 3 bills.

It's not acceptable to give customers a total, no breakdown and expect them to pay whatever is requested without the information to back up the charges.

EI have proved time and again that they have incorrectly invoiced me so expecting me, or anyone, to blindly pay a total is not acceptable.

SueA

The ongoing saga, and at this stage it could be a trilogy with Electric Ireland is that they sent a letter saying that unless I paid them €300 they would cease supply.  This is because, with all the incorrect invoices and still incorrect statement I've put the Direct Debit on hold until all is sorted.   I can't afford to pay them money that they are not due, I simply don't have that in my budget and why should I give more money to them than they are due.

After all the problems I've had, ending supply sounded like a good solution. 

Now, they have renegade on this saying they won't stop supplying me. 

I think at this stage they have broken most of their own customer charter, customer policies and one or two laws.  

I'm not sure if the sage is a comedy or tragedy.

Electric Ireland: Brige N

Hi SueA,

Thanks for your message, we're sorry for the delay.

We have responded to your private message.

Thanks,
Brige

________

SueA

You didn't reply, you copy and pasted the last email from Aoife, which she had repeated from her mail before that, the copy and paste did not solve the problem the first time and it only made things worse the second time.

Please read the mail and provide the dates of the cessation of services from Electric Ireland.

I don't care about your internal investigations, I accept the letters content saying the EI will not supply me with Electricity. State the date so that I can make my own arrangements.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057490773

If anyone values their sanity stay away from Electric Ireland as a supplier.

Electric Ireland: Brige N

Hi SueA,

We have responded to your private message as we cannot discuss your account publicly.

Thanks,
Brige

SueA

Yes, Brige,

but your message is the same thing again and again, word games to meet EI own aims instead of giving me the date for cessation of supply.  The letter clearly states that if I didn't pay  €300 deposit EI will cease supply, please provide a date for same as I will not pay this charge.

I dont care that it's been credited to my account, the fact is that all this took place without my having information on the charge or making a decision.  I choose to accept the terms of the letter and have EI no longer bill me for supply.

With the date of cessation of billing I can give this to a new supplier with a reading and they will charge from the date and reading. No doubt suppliers all cross check that these are correct.

EI have voided the contract with the letter so please supply the date as requested, many, many times.

Electric Ireland: Una

Private message sent.

SueA

Yes but it says the same thing as the others there is no progress here.  EI clearly stated that they would stop supplying me if I didn't pay €300 I refuse, so please supply the date that you will stop supplying me with electricity.

Electric Ireland: Una

Hello again SueA,

Private message has been sent.

Una

SueA

And again the message is the same, it's like a broken record. 

Seriously if anyone values their sanity do not chose Electric Ireland as your supplier.  I regret the day I did, it was wrong from day one and has continued for 9 months. 

If they were to give power away for free I would never use them again.

SueA

Another week, another copy and paste message from Electric Ireland and absolutely no progress with the issues.

And again, again, they refuse to communicate - never a good tactic for  customer service.

Electric Ireland: Brige N

[font=Calibri, sans-serif]Hi SueA[/font]
[font=Calibri, sans-serif] [/font]
[font=Calibri, sans-serif]We have responded to your private message as we cannot discuss your account publicly.[/font]
[font=Calibri, sans-serif] [/font]
[font=Calibri, sans-serif]As mentioned in the private message, we have done all we can for you in relation to this particular query. We regret if you are unhappy with the outcome, but we can only advise you of what steps need to be taken to proceed.[/font]
[font=Calibri, sans-serif] [/font]

[font=Calibri, sans-serif]Thanks,
Brige [/font]

Boards.ie: Niamh

Since this issue appears to have reached the limit of what can be achieved on Boards, I'm closing the thread. 

Hopefully you can follow whatever direction has been given SueA and resolve the issue to your satisfaction soon.