Standing up for myself and other vulnerable people.

[wheezyof]

I just won a battle against Southern Electric.(SSE)

Up to a year ago I've been happy with SSE.

I'm registered with SSE as vulnerable. I pay by dd and always overpay.

Soon after lockdown started SSE rang for a meter reading because no meter men were working. I explained my breathing problems and cataracts so can't read the meter. They said I may end up owing lots of money due to estimated bills. "Up the standing order by a few pounds" I offered. A few months on, same phone call, followed by a letter. I explained again.

Then 3 weeks ago I got 2 letters from SSE at the same time. One saying they would fit a new meter the other a "Red" letter.

The "Red" letter headed in capitals FINAL REMINDER MRS----

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED.

Now some people would be worried by a final reminder I was angry.

I rang their customer service "How long would it take for someone to take out my old meter and fit a new one?"

"3 hours"

"So please explain why you cannot send a man into my house for 2 minutes to read my meter but you can for 3 hours to fit a meter. Does the covid virus disappear for 3 hours?"

I explained yet again my health problems, I was very cross. I complained about the "Red" letter

"Final reminder! What are they planning to do? Cut of my supply? Take me to court? My bill is paid in advance, every year you end up sending me a refund yet this letter is written like a demand for money. It could frighten some people. Scared they were owing money they hadn't got they could be turning their heating off making them vulnerable to hyperthermia."

Thankfully the customer service lady was very patient.

I was phoned back by another lady who arranged a meter reading.

Meter man in and out in less than 2 minutes.

New adjusted bill shows I'm over £80 more in credit than they thought (£455.34).

I like to think it may help them revise the way they treat their customers.

Lockdown caused a lot of problems, it shouldn't have caused this one.

[teenieleek]

Well done you. Utility companies are a nightmare to deal with and their letters are often incomprehensible.

[sassy59]

You’re clearly a loyal customer who owes SSE nothing so they should have treated you with respect. I’m glad all is sorted now. Xxxxx

[RoadRunner44]

OMG, What a worrying experience wheezy. Thank goodness you were able to sort it out eventually. Hopefully this dreadful episode will ensure these sort of things don't happen again.It will be a relief its all settled now.

Take care and try and enjoy the Christmas period. Xxx

[Bkin]

Leave SSE - I did years ago with their misleading tactics. I can recommend British Gas who also supply Electricity have an excellent customer service along with Priority Service Register etc.

Well done for standing up for yourself and congratulations on your new adjustment Bill though

[Katinka46]

Well done. That takes a lot of courage and determination. Excellent. I hope they have learnt from it. K x

[tomc]

Are they going bust? They will treating customers like yourself in this worrying frame of mind.... I mean, It does your nut in trying to keep up with all the other bill we have to find money for..... but NO treats are allowed NAW, It`s cause by the time were all finished trying to keep up to date with demand...... WERE SKINT!!!!

WELL DONE YOU, PUTTING THEM BACK IN THERE BOX.

Now tell them they owe you compensation, for stress caused.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Well done, it's nice to see the customer come out on top. Have a good day and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx

[CDPO16]

Well done for sticking up for yourself but such a shame that you had to go through such a battle. Glad you won in the end.

[Annie31]

As you say Lockdown shouldn't have caused this and it didnt. Incompetence and computerised systems cause this type of debacle. Computers are only as good as the people who feed them with the correct (correct being the operative word) information. It's been all too easy for too long for these people in call centres to blame the computer.

I had a horrendous experience with British Gas years ago much the same as yours that in the end I finished with D/D's to pay bills and instead opened up another bank account and had money put into that to pay quarterly when the bill came in. I do recognize the convenience of d/d but not when they try to rip you off like this and then threaten legal action when they in fact, actually owe you money! All because somebody can't do their job properly!

Glad you're sorted now but as you imply there are some people who couldn't do this and have no-one to do it for them. They are easy prey for these big corporations.

[HungryHufflepuff]

Well done you. My mum had that identical letter. She’s never not paid a bill or had debt. She was really upset and worried by the letter. She did phone them and was quite cross at them which is most unlike my mum but she’d been really upset by it. She didn’t get an apology or anything though, in fact at first they made it out to be her fault for not having got an earlier reminder- which they hadn’t sent! It’s a very poor way to treat ones customers.

[Ergendl in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Unbelievable!

[wheezyof in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Your poor Mum, send her a hug from me xxx

[Alberta56]

Well done for making the blighters see reason.

[Hidden]

Sock it to them Wheezy 💪🏻 😘

[judes]

Well done you

J

[Gingeros]

Well done, 👍👏👏

[Ergendl]

Well done, wheezyof. Now to think of a way to spend those savings they helped you make.

[johnderby]

Well done Wheezyof. It's not easy to try and take these people to task, so I appreciate the effort you must have put in. 😊

[Gladwyn]

That’s shocking to read ! I’m stunned that they would behave so badly in this day and age when there is much more awareness of disabilities in companies. You should get a humble apology and compensation for the hassle . Thankfully your a tough cookie but some one else could have been out of their mind with worry over it.

Hopefully some one is getting a right rocket in the company for the way they behaved in that matter.

All the best wishes for a good Xmas and New year. 🍀🥂💐

[Dedalus]

Good for you! They try to intimidate, and it works on a lot of people unfortunately - jobsworths!

[Izb1]

Well done you wheezyof, I have had a few tumbles with sse x