Consumer Direct - any statutory powers?

[dave]

I see Energy Watch et al are now replaced by one body - namely Consumer Direct. The latter have many web pages - but at first reading seems to be more like a glorified Citizens Advice Bureau rather than a body with legal powers to really influence (eg) Energy supplier companies. Is this in fact the case?

If they are relatively powerless then it seems there is no alternative avenue to prosecute a complaint? (other than maybe the law itself)

I read on the CD website a few things though that I found suprising:

The is NO obligation on the energy supply companies to provide a regular statement of account! This is one of my complaints - as I haven't had an elec. statement for 11 months - despite several phone calls an letters to them asking for one.

CD go on to say "If you pay for your gas of elec. by prepayment.... can expect to receive a statement once a year" The date thereon may be based on estimates.

Other information is that "Consumer are legally bound to pay for their utilities" (yes - right). But that's even if they don't get a bill for "ages". Just how is someone supposed to calculate whether the bill is correct or not without the data they don't say. The pseudo good news is that if the bill is older than 2 years (was 6), then the bill should no longer issued. The trouble with that master plan is that if paying by Direct Debit (which I do), then the money is automagically taken from my account every month. This whole situation is a nonsense!

Finally, given that the usless Labour party has managed to make some

3000 new laws during it's 10 year rampage of destruction of Britain, one would think such simple things as the bias toward business and the kicking they allow of the consumer, these things could have been easily fixed.

(The last bit was an ad lib - and I'm not a Tory voter either btw). Have a nice day.

[BigWallop]

Crazy way to go about things. Call them and tell them, forcefully, that you want a bill or statement through the post ASAP. Follow the call with a written request for a bill or statement and send it secure post so it has to be signed for. If you do not receive what you ask for, then don't pay your bills.

Simple. Sorted.

[meow2222]

The old way to deal with such things is that you provide an estimate, pay that, then wait for them to prove their figure. (Your est might be reasonable or not) If they can, pay it, if they cant...

NT

[Cash]

Not the best bit of advice you have ever given Big Wallop: " If you do not receive what you ask for, then don't pay your bills.".

That's a sure way to end up in front of the local debtors court AND to bring the bailiffs a-knocking on the old mansion door! Better to read the meter and then ring the info through to the company - and you can then work out the bill yourself as well (Excel is just great for this).

I must admit though, I find it unusual that a gas/electricity company doesn't issue a bill, and it is surprising that the electricity company wasn't named in the OP - although mine has fairly recently changed to six-month billing rather than quarterly if you pay by monthly DD (but they will revert to quarterly if requested).

BTW, are you aware that shopkeepers and the like are not legally required to give you change if you proffer more than the agreed amount for goods?

E.G. If you offer a £10 *note* for a bag of nails costing 20 pence, they can legally keep the £9.80p difference - I read this sometime ago in another forum (and a link was given but I can't damn-well find it).

Cash

[BigWallop]

But Dave says he's tried all that. "despite several phone calls an letters to them asking for one."

Maybe the billing company doesn't have the details of his address. I think most suppliers outsource billing to other companies who deal in paper and printers, or summit. :-)

Only if they have a clearly visible sign saying that exact monies are to be exchanged and change will not be given. Like when the buses went over to One Man Operated and a money safe was fitted. The driver didn't / couldn't give change. If you put double the money in and asked for change, you were stuffed.

I know, I've read it somewhere as well. I might have a hunt for it later. I think it is still part of the sale of goods act from back in nineteen frozentodeath. :-)

[chris French]

In message , dave writes

Change suppliers, bet you get a bill then :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I take it you're on a fixed monthly payment?

I'm on quarterly by direct debit. I'm pretty sure the requirements for a variable direct debit is you are informed of the amount before it is taken. That certainly happens here.

[Stephen Howard]

I rang Energywatch recently to follow up a long-standing ruck I've had with Scottish Power for some years now, and was forwarded to the new 'body'. I've dealt with Energywatch before, and they were instrumental in winning me around £500 from Scottish power - but the chap that I spoke to this time told me that the new body has even less power than Energywatch had, and that never had much to start with.

Same happened to me, only it took three years to get a bill.

That sounds like a new bit of legislation. The advice I received some years ago ( from the nice chap on Radio 4's Moneybox ) was to insist on either a discount or the right to pay off the bill over the same length of time that the power company took to issue it. I tried the former and got the latter.

Despite having spent many hours wrangling a deal, and despite having received various apologies ( and a hefty sum as a 'goodwill payment' ) I still get letters from their debt collectors. The most recent cost Scottish Power a paltry £20 by way of an apology. The 'funny' thing is, I bet they charge me £25 for an 'advisory visit' on the next bill.

Regards,

[dave]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I am in fact (D.P.) on a monthly direct debit. This lastest fiasco is on top of them regarding my domestic premises (semi) as a business (which it has never been) and charging incorrect vat rate.

The only comms I get from them is when they want to increase my DD. Well they did call me several weeks ago to say they were "looking into it" and I asked for statement then - still nothing. Currently we pay £200 pcm. We do have storage heaters for the bedrooms but downstairs rooms are heated by gas and we have a gas cooker. Seems high to me.

Does anyone know if Energy Watch are still alive btw?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've never really seen the point in paying monthly in advance by direct debit when you can pay equally as easily by quarterly direct debit in arrears.

[chris French]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

1. The suppliers normally give a discount, for my elec supplier for example this is worth upto £10/quarter.
2. some people like to have a regular monthly payment as they finds it easier to budget/prefer to know what the outgoings will be, feel happier that way or whatever.

[Martin Bonner]

You may well find that it isn't in any Act etc. I think it's more that there is nowhere that says the shopkeeper has to give change.

[BigWallop]

You may well find that it isn't in any Act etc. I think it's more that there is nowhere that says the shopkeeper has to give change.

[Mark]

And some tariffs insist that you pay by monthly DD.

I can't comment on this. I use monthly DD because I want to get the cheapest tariff.