Powergen.. Powergen..Powergen.. Oh dear! (Powergen)

Member Name: ChellieBigBellie

Product:	Powergen
Date:	02/02/07 (342 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Make funnyish adverts

Disadvantages: They waste far too much paper!

Powergen, Powergen, Powergen.. or should that be their call centre staff?

I moved into my new build house September 2005. The builders told us that Powergen were the suppliers for the company and to change if we wished.We transferred to the company we were using for gas an electricity. Quite happy paying our direct debits with our company when we received a bill in May 2006 from Powergen for gas arrears of £146.

Hmmmmmmm. I was confused, checked our paperwork, got my facts and dates, meter numbers together and rang Powergen to inform them that we were not a customer of theirs. That conversation was the start of a very shaky relationship between myself and Powergen. I was not offered any help from the company. Was told that they couldn’t take my word for it that I wasn’t a customer (fair do’s) and that I had to contact my supplier who in turn had to contact them.

So I rang my supplier who assured me they have procedures for this matter and would contact Powergen. So in May 2006 I thought the matter had been resolved.

For numerous amounts of months I was still receiving the same bill from Powergen and had contacted my supplier a further 2 times to tell the company that they are not our suppliers. Each time I thought the matter had been resolved.

September 2006 I received a red letter of the same bill and I was furious. I phoned up the call centre for Powergen this time not having any paper work in front of me and let al my frustration and anger out. I don’t usually do this but that time I just couldn’t help it. The call centre worker was very helpful and agreed that there was proof that I wasn’t a customer and that I didn’t owe them money. I told me that he would just null the account as it was a mistake on their part.

That was it.. no more letters, no more bills till a phone call in the middle of January left on my voice mail. I refused to listen to it. I knew I should have done but I knew (and I had proof) that I didn’t owe them any money.

I received a letter from a debt collectors agency yesterday asking for £146 from Powergen. I wasn’t mad, I was upset, frustrated and ready to ring up and just make a card payment. I’d had enough. I phoned the number card in hand but explained the situation to her before hand, calmly, she had a look through my notes there and then she agreed that this has been a mistake all along, there was enough evidence for her to write the debt off and contact Powergen about the matter.

Phew, I feel like it’s the end of it now but who knows.

I realise every company has their good and bad points, customers who adore or hate companies. Companies that make mistakes but this company has just been a bain to my life and my stomach churns when I see their logo.

Summary: The only company in my 27 years to make me feel like I should falsely pay for something.