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Child Item

Make the 'Big Switch' from ESB, They sent their solicitors out!

Sonic_exyouth

So,
Following advice from Lucy Kennedy, I decided to make 'the big switch' from ESB to Bord Gais.
A Saving is a saving afterall!
However, having made this switch, and receiving the confirmation documentation, I expected to recieve a final ESB bill.
I did not.
Instead, I got a rather snotty letter from ESB's solicitors.

Coary & Co
Solicitors
B.A. (Hons), Dip Eur. int. AITI Solicitor

Mr. Sonic Ex Youth date: 08th May 2009
Where you live
That place

Contact Account: 900-123-4567

Dear Mr. EXYOUTH;

RE: TOTAL CHARGES OUTSTANDING €69.32

We have been instructed by ESB Customer Supply to apply to you for immediate payment of the sum of €69.32, the total of all charges being due to ESB Customer Supply in respect of the above outstanding debt.

Unless payment of the outstanding charges of €69.32 is recievedby return, our instructions are to issue proceedings for the recovery of same without further notice or correspondence

Payment should be made by quoting your contact account number. All queries regarding the account should be made direct to our client's representative at the following lo-call number:

1850 372 372

Please disregard if account has been cleared prior to reciept of this letter.

Yours sincerely

Nora Coary
COARY & CO.
SOLICITORS.

Either bills have changed lately, or ESB have become complete scumbags.

(Bold and typos are theres, not mine!)

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Comments

theteal

they've had a monopoly for so long i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't understand the concept of a final bill

excellent work ESB;)

Brando_ie

I made the switch on day 1 of the offer and had the meter reading to hand at that time and indeed I did get a final bill from the ESB. It actually stated final bill IIRC so they do (or did) issue a final bill. Of course they may have changed tack as the expected flood of change overs started to roll in?

Either way, its no way to treat potential return customers as the opt out option from Bord Gais is very flexible and some folks may end up back with the ESB after a spell with the Bord?

Sonic_exyouth

Brando_ie wrote: »

I made the switch on day 1 of the offer and had the meter reading to hand at that time and indeed I did get a final bill from the ESB. It actually stated final bill IIRC so they do (or did) issue a final bill. Of course they may have changed tack as the expected flood of change overs started to roll in?

Either way, its no way to treat potential return customers as the opt out option from Bord Gais is very flexible and some folks may end up back with the ESB after a spell with the Bord?

This folk has no plan at all to change back now.

gerrycollins

Ah the old threathening letter, I love these because apart from telling you that you have an outstanding debt to the company anything else written down isnt worth a crap.

Obviously you are going to pay it why dont you go to the local ESB office where ever it is and pay them in ten cent pieces, ring the company and tell them you can only afford to pay €5 a month and arrange the standing order.

Its a bit ****ty of them really.

escobar

How long do you owe the money for. Seems strange they'd send a letter out so early.....the big switch must be really annoying them

Just changed over myself. Had to wait until the next ESB meter reading so on it now...

So sweet.. 14% off now

Sonic_exyouth

escobar wrote: »

How long do you owe the money for. Seems strange they'd send a letter out so early.....the big switch must be really annoying them

Just changed over myself. Had to wait until the next ESB meter reading so on it now...

So sweet.. 14% off now

Well, I thought my previous bill was two months ago.

Turns out it was a little less.

escobar

Sonic_exyouth wrote: »

Well, I thought my previous bill was two months ago.

Turns out it was a little less.

Crazy, at least you won't have any more dealing with them now...

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

gerrycollins wrote: »

... why dont you go to the local ESB office where ever it is and pay them in ten cent pieces, ring the company and tell them you can only afford to pay €5 a month and arrange the standing order

Where have you been? There are no local ESB offices and haven't been for years!:rolleyes:

The old pay them in small coin routine! You need to read up on what they are obliged to take in coin. Anyway, I know for a fact that they never refused any coin when they had shops as the coin counting machines dealt with it is double jig time.

OP: You must have had an overdue account with a history of late payments to receive a solicitors letter, as the porcess is triggered by the payment history (222466 etc) on your account or you did not pay a Closing Account. Also reminders issue automatically before accounts issue to the solicitors.
Come on tell the truth which was it??;)

Shelflife

everytime you are in the post office knock €2 or €3 off the biil, the PO will love the extra business, and it will piss off ESB no end to have to process all the payments.

Davy

Shelflife wrote: »

everytime you are in the post office knock €2 or €3 off the biil, the PO will love the extra business, and it will piss off ESB no end to have to process all the payments.

I dont have that much time on my hands, too be queuing in the post office

foggy_lad

Ariadne Flaky Gum wrote: »

OP: You must have had an overdue account with a history of late payments to receive a solicitors letter, as the porcess is triggered by the payment history (222466 etc) on your account or you did not pay a Closing Account. Also reminders issue automatically before accounts issue to the solicitors.
Come on tell the truth which was it??;)

if the esb were able to manage account histories them customers would not be left with massively over-estimated bills! they are not really up to the job lately but there is nothing saying that bord gais are going to be any better with their accounts.

Sonic_exyouth

Ariadne Flaky Gum wrote: »

Where have you been? There are no local ESB offices and haven't been for years!:rolleyes:

The old pay them in small coin routine! You need to read up on what they are obliged to take in coin. Anyway, I know for a fact that they never refused any coin when they had shops as the coin counting machines dealt with it is double jig time.

OP: You must have had an overdue account with a history of late payments to receive a solicitors letter, as the porcess is triggered by the payment history (222466 etc) on your account or you did not pay a Closing Account. Also reminders issue automatically before accounts issue to the solicitors.
Come on tell the truth which was it??;)

Nopes, sorry to disappoint. Never been particulaly late paying bill, never had so much as a reminder before!

I got no closing bill, no reminder, no final reminder.. just a solicitors letter!

Unless you are your ilk (the serial doubters) are suggesting that these three letters went missing in the post, but the solicitors letter miraculously arrived!:rolleyes:

MOH

Sonic_exyouth wrote: »

Nopes, sorry to disappoint. Never been particulaly late paying bill, never had so much as a reminder before!

Unless you are your ilk (the serial doubters) are suggesting that these three letters went missing in the post, but the solicitors letter miraculously arrived!:rolleyes:

Happened me with my TV license - never got an original reminder, only got the final reminder because a stranger I'd never seen before dropped it over a while after it was delivered to her, by which time I'd received a statutory declaration form. So if An Post can't even deliver their own stuff, it genuinely wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened.

faceman

They wont take you to court for that kind of cash.

Reply to the solicitor in writing advising you did not receive an invoice abd asking for a copy of it. Also query why there was no follow up by ESB directly given your (presumably) excellent history with ESB as prompt payer. Tell them you would like some detail as to what follow up action ESB took when the invoice fell overdue.

Until you have all that info no need to panic on paying.

the groutch

Shelflife wrote: »

everytime you are in the post office knock €2 or €3 off the biil, the PO will love the extra business, and it will piss off ESB no end to have to process all the payments.

I've seen that many a time in the post office with "older" customers carrying 7 or 8 bills, and paying a tenner off each

d'Oracle

Switching to Airtricity at the moment.

Got signed up with ESB customer supply when I moved into a new place.
No intention of staying with ESB cos I really dislike them.

I went over the 10day period to pay the €300 deposit, which I wont be paying.

ESB sent me a letter today saying that my credit rating was now affected.:pac:

Credit Rating?
Im gonna ring them when I get home from work....should be fun.

Sonic_exyouth

replied, as per posters idea, to the solic:

Dear Miss Coary,

Thank you for your letter dated 08th May 2009.

Please be aware, I was not made aware of any outstanding charge due to the ESB, as I was awaiting a bill.

I received no bill. Even given the possibility of the bill going missing in the post, I would expect a reminder. I received no reminder.
Even given the remarkably improbability of both the bill and reminder going missing within the postal system, I would expect a Final reminder. I received no final reminder.

If all three of these letters managed to get lost in the post, it’s incredulous that your aggressive letter somehow managed to arrive.

As such, can you please forward a copy of the bill, reminder and final reminder that this charge relates to, as, right now in the absence of any bill, I am utterly unable to ascertain wheter the charge is accurate. Perhaps the bill is based on a faulty estimated reading? Perhaps the bill is really old and the incompetents at the ESB forgot I had paid it. Frankly, it’s disturbing that you did not include the slightest bit of evidence that this charge is, and your accusation is, warranted. Do you actually have any evidence? Or do you send out these threatening letters on the flimsiest of pretexts?

I shall await the bill before deciding on wheter payment of the above amount is necessary.

Yours, etc,
Sonic_Exyouth

Beruthiel

Nice letter Sonic.

I made the big switch a couple of weeks ago.

KTRIC

Beruthiel wrote: »

Nice letter Sonic.

I made the big switch a couple of weeks ago.

I'll second that. Seriously nicely worded letter. Well done

Oryx

sonic exyouth, If I ever need to write a letter of complaint to anyone, will you word it for me? Brilliant stuff.

Sonic_exyouth

Thanks!

And yeah, sure, any time!

wmpdd3

God I have never in 10 years cleared a ESB bill.

I have never gotten a letter like that. It must be something to do with the fact it's a final bill as said earlier.

Maybe they have been changed their tack.

escobar

wmpdd3 wrote: »

God I have never in 10 years cleared a ESB bill.

I have never gotten a letter like that. It must be something to do with the fact it's a final bill as said earlier.

Maybe they have been changed their tack.

I'd say they're just getting well pissed off with the no's of people changing to Bord Gais.

I mean come on you'd want to be mad not to want the cheapest electricity in Ireland.......
Is there a max quota of people that can change to Bord Gais, read a rumour that they're might be so I signed up right away....

Thomas_S_Hunterson

I don't see the problem with this to be honest. There is an outstanding debt and if the ESB want to pay solicitors to write letter for them then that is their right. It probably saves them money in the long run since they're not sending people reminder after reminder.

The letter is not threatening. It is short and to the point.

The contract is over and with it, the agreed upon method of payment. You may now settle the debt in legal tender, as is you right.

faceman

Sean_K wrote: »

I don't see the problem with this to be honest. There is an outstanding debt and if the ESB want to pay solicitors to write letter for them then that is their right. It probably saves them money in the long run since they're not sending people reminder after reminder.

The letter is not threatening. It is short and to the point.

The contract is over and with it, the agreed upon method of payment. You may now settle the debt in legal tender, as is you right.

Its very bad practise and very unusual to have a supplier pass a debt straight to solicitors for action without any action on the supplier's part to remedy the arrears. PLus, its more costly.

Sonic_exyouth

Sean_K wrote: »

I don't see the problem with this to be honest. There is an outstanding debt and if the ESB want to pay solicitors to write letter for them then that is their right. It probably saves them money in the long run since they're not sending people reminder after reminder.

The letter is not threatening. It is short and to the point.

The contract is over and with it, the agreed upon method of payment. You may now settle the debt in legal tender, as is you right.

How do I know there is a debt.
All I have is the word of some person who claims to be a solicitor.

I would expect an invoice/bill.. The complete lack of bill, and the rapid deployment of the solicitor is irritating, to put it mildly

Thomas_S_Hunterson

faceman wrote: »

Its very bad practise and very unusual to have a supplier pass a debt straight to solicitors for action without any action on the supplier's part to remedy the arrears. PLus, its more costly.

I can only presume that they have their reasons.

As a big company, they would have obviously been burned in the past, and pursuing unpaid bills is expensive. Maybe they find this method less costly.

Oryx

Sean_K wrote: »

I can only presume that they have their reasons.

As a big company, they would have obviously been burned in the past, and pursuing unpaid bills is expensive. Maybe they find this method less costly.

Pursuing unpaid and hitherto unsent and unpursued bills with a solicitor, Id imagine is expensive, and also a PR disaster.

broadsheet

My Mum received one of these letters during the week and she is up the walls over it. Strangely she hasntr closed her ESB account but simply contacted the ESB to see if she was tied to a contract with them and also what her over balance was. They repay her for her 30 odd years custom with a solicitors letter for €47, yet she hasnt even got a final bill because she hasnt even closed her account. This seems to be a bullying tactic by the ESB. :mad::mad:

Dellas

Sonic_exyouth wrote: »

replied, as per posters idea, to the solic:

Great letter . Perfect in every way. It will annoy them lol.. It was stupid to send such a letter to you in the first place. Unfortunately its a thing that seems to be happening not just in ESB but other companies also.

BT Ireland did the same to me when I didnt even owe them money. They kept billing me for packages that were cancelled. Was a nightmare.

I have to say I have never had any issues with the ESB and in fact there have been a few times I needed a few extra weeks to clear a high Winter bill. They never complained and set up an arrangement. I just worry that if I switch and need the same in future Bord Gais wont be so flexible.