Atlantic - what a joke (Atlantic Electric and Gas)

Member Name: VinnyH

Product:	Atlantic Electric and Gas
Date:	10/09/03 (3267 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap

Disadvantages: Poor customer service, Very unreliable, Generally incompetent

Atlantic are without doubt the most incompetent company I have ever dealt with in my life.

I bought my house in January 2003, and the utility services were provided by British Gas. Wanting to save some money, I decided to check out other companies, and Atlantic came up as the cheapest.

We have a pre-pay electricity card meter installed in the house, which is much more expensive to run than a credit meter. I called Atlantic and asked them if they would exchange this for a pre-pay meter. No problem they said - and it was a free service. An appointment would be made to do the exchange. Simply sign up with them using U-Switch. So I signed up with them in February 2003.

Waited for a month - no appointment. Called Atlantic. They said that my request had been misplaced and that they would re-arrange the appointment. They also said that there was a charge to remove the meter (after they had told me it was free so I would sign up). After complaining to a manager, they agreed to do it for free, as they had promised in the first place.

In the meantime, not only was I buying meter cards, I was also paying for my electricity again by direct debit.

Waited for another month - no appointment. I called Atlantic and was given the same story. They said they would re-arrange.

Finally got an appointment for July after several more calls to them. I took the day off work and waited in for the contractors - they didn't turn up. I called Atlantic again and again that day, but their touchtone service didn't seem to be working. After finally getting through in the evening, they advised me that they didn't know why the contractors didn't turn up, but they would contact them and I would receive a call back. I heard nothing, despite them having 3 different contact numbers for me.

I rang customer services again, and was told that they would re-arrange the exchange appointment. They didn't know why the contra
ctors didn't turn up the first time, and couldn't give me an explanation.

I waited another month, no appointment. This time I decided to write to their head office to complain. They couldn't even be bothered to give me the courtesy of a reply to my letter, just sent out a new appointment for August 2003.

I waited in all day - again the contractors did not arrive. I rang customer services (I had the usual problems with their dodgy touchtone service) but as usual they had no idea where the contractors where or even if they would turn up. I was promised a call back from someone. I received an answerphone message saying that Atlantic again had no idea where the meter contractors where or why they didn't turn up, but I would receive another appointment.

So seven months later, countless phone calls, and several wasted days off work, I still have not had my meter exchanged. I have just been given a new date in September - this time the letter says that I will now be charged £51 for the exchange. I've just complained again but as usual no-one at Atlantic seems to know what's happening. The letter also says that the appointment is 'subject to availability'. I guess that this is the get-out clause if they don't turn up again.

Good job I've never had a gas leak!

Be warned - this company is only cheap because they obviously skimp on customer service. To summarise:

They don't turn up when they say they will.
They don't return calls.
They can't be bothered to respond to letters.
Their phone lines only work when they feel like.
It takes forever to get through to an advisor, and they don't seem to log any telephone calls, so you have to go through the same explanations every time you call.

If you switch your services over, make sure you thoroughly check out the company you're switching to.

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