IOM Energy AKA Manx Gas

[Major Rushen]

9 hours ago, Kopek said:

If there's a billing glitch such as MGas seem to be having, there are two ways of dealing with it.

Get on the phone within two mins of getting your bill, rant and rave or rely on the paper trail, 

put in a customer reading to prove MGas meter estimates are wrong and ask for a re-billing!!!

If the credit balance is affordable, use it to reduce your next two billing periods to have no debit requirements!!!! Or ask for a credit repayment?

When you phone a utility company to complain of a service cut off, they are almost certain to be ahead of you!!!

The problem is that there is no response from IOM Energy. They do not answer e-mail, registered letters and if you phone them it gets through to a call handling service in Scotland who are contracted to note your complaints and pass on to IOM Energy. A visit to their office is also no good as they tell you they have no access to your details and to call the phone number. If they weren’t supplying Gas this would be a fraud scheme.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Major Rushen

[John Wright]

1 minute ago, Major Rushen said:

The problem is that there is no response from IOM Energy. They do not answer e-mail, registered letters and if you phone them it gets through to a call handling service in Scotland who are contracted to note your complaints and pass on to IOM Energy. A visit to their office is also no good as they tell you they have no access to your details and to call the phone number. If they weren’t supplying Gas this would be a fraud scheme.

The call centre has improved. I made contact 10 days ago. I wanted copies of 2 missing bills and a physical meter reading. They had also moved me from e to paper billing.

The missing bills were sent by e-mail whilst still on the phone.

Meter Reader turned up the next day.

e-mail billing has now resumed. I’m in credit. I choose to pay a fixed monthly amount, calculated by me, that I calculate based on previous years billing and any price changes. Next two bills will see credit build up. By April 2024 I’ll be in arrears. It evens out.

[Sheldon]

6 minutes ago, Major Rushen said:

The problem is that there is no response from IOM Energy. They do not answer e-mail, registered letters and if you phone them it gets through to a call handling service in Scotland who are contracted to note your complaints and pass on to IOM Energy. A visit to their office is also no good as they tell you they have no access to your details and to call the phone number. If they weren’t supplying Gas this would be a fraud scheme.

Exactly this. I've used their "Contact Us" form four times since January about a billing error with zero response beyond an automated acknowledgement of what I've sent. (The last time a few weeks ago I didn't even get that, so lucky I kept a screenshot.) I've called them and had confirmation that my communications were indeed received, but still no nearer to a solution, or a call/email from someone empowered to resolve things.

I suspect they'd be in touch fast enough if I owed them money, though!

[Sheldon]

8 hours ago, Kopek said:

The point I was making, not popular, was that, eventually your account will be back on an even keel with regard your actual and estimated usage.!!!!

Usage, yes, but not necessarily cost. If a reading was significantly overestimated in a billing period where the unit cost was at its peak you could have been overcharged considerably for gas you hadn't used yet. (The inverse would of course be true if prices were rising rather than falling.)

I've had a good number of bills based on estimated readings over the years, but I don't think I've ever seen one where the estimate was on the low side.

[Major Rushen]

1 hour ago, Sheldon said:

Exactly this. I've used their "Contact Us" form four times since January about a billing error with zero response beyond an automated acknowledgement of what I've sent. (The last time a few weeks ago I didn't even get that, so lucky I kept a screenshot.) I've called them and had confirmation that my communications were indeed received, but still no nearer to a solution, or a call/email from someone empowered to resolve things.

I suspect they'd be in touch fast enough if I owed them money, though!

They are issuing final demands with legal action to people who have paid, have receipts but will not answer if you write, e-mail, phone or call. The nice people on the phone take your query but even they are not getting a response from IOM Energy. BBC watchdog guy is interested and may do a feature on them 

 

[thommo2010]

I got an actual meter reading through last week and the bill was correct, I have had no complaints with them to be honest 

[Zarley]

4 hours ago, thommo2010 said:

I got an actual meter reading through last week and the bill was correct, I have had no complaints with them to be honest 

I know of a few households who have had no problems with their bills, but I also know some who have had very big problems indeed.

Trouble is, there seems to be no resolution in sight for any of them as it's difficult to resolve an issue when the company does everything in its power to ignore complaints.

Thank heavens I'm not on gas. With my luck I'd be one of the ones being ignored. 

[Andy Onchan]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:55 AM, Non-Believer said:

With respect Stu, that's what we're expecting to hear.

Lord knows how much spent on an inquiry (which doubtless kept loads of Govt bods busy in employment) to produce a result that says Govt has no powers to do anything but it'll all be ok one day (we hope).

Hands wrung and washed and everybody lives happily ever after.

At least until they get their next gas bills.

I wouldn't hold your breath. Our last two bills arrived 3 & 2 weeks (respectively) after the meters were allegedly read. But they were quick to send our reminders about supposedly late payment. When I get the invoice on time I'll pay it on time.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Andy Onchan

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, Andy Onchan said:

I wouldn't hold your breath. Our last two bills arrived 3 & 2 weeks (respectively) after the meters were allegedly read. But they were quick to send our reminders about supposedly late payment. When I get the invoice on time I'll pay it on time.

This was a problem when it was Manx Gas as well.  The bills were sent out from the UK using an intermediary.  At one time it was Swisspost and appeared to travel via Switzerland.  By actual snail.  The reminders and final demands were sent out locally and often arrived first.  It looks like that might be part of the system they haven't changed.

[Roxanne]

9 hours ago, John Wright said:

The call centre has improved. I made contact 10 days ago. I wanted copies of 2 missing bills and a physical meter reading. They had also moved me from e to paper billing.

The missing bills were sent by e-mail whilst still on the phone.

Meter Reader turned up the next day.

e-mail billing has now resumed. I’m in credit. I choose to pay a fixed monthly amount, calculated by me, that I calculate based on previous years billing and any price changes. Next two bills will see credit build up. By April 2024 I’ll be in arrears. It evens out.

My experience is exactly the same. There does seem to be an upturn in the admin side of things. My 2K FINAL REMINDER - LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN bill has also been cancelled. I’m also in credit to the tune of £14. 

[CallMeCurious]

19 hours ago, Stu Peters said:

I understand the anger about this and can assure people that OFT has worked hard for consumers and considered all the options available (I think new regulations will provide penalties in future). But the gas continued to be supplied and AFAIK nobody was cut off or driven into destitution during this issue. Kopek has a reasonable solution.

So business as usual. What is the OFT for exactly? Seems to be more about ass covering for the company, who happen to be in bed with the MUA however you spin it, than protecting the consumer.

2023/03/06
ISLE OF MAN ENERGY BILLING ISSUES
The further response from Isle of Man Energy dated 9th March 2023 in
regard to reviewing customer accounts was noted.
The response from Isle of Man Energy referring to the Written
Assurances was noted.
Figures for billing complaints reported and resolved were discussed
and noted. There had been some return/repeat complaints and
complaints from vulnerable people. A breakdown of complaints was
to be circulated.
It was agreed to issue a further media release. This should reiterate
the need to report problems to the OFT.
 

2023/05/06
ISLE OF MAN ENERGY BILLING ISSUES
This item was discussed out of agenda order.
Due to evidence of ongoing billing problems, enforcement action was being actively pursued
Isle of Man Energy audit of customer accounts was discussed. The nature of this audit was to be ascertained. Isle of Man Energy was to be contacted for an update.
A further meeting with the Chief Executive of IOM Energy was to be requested.
Issues in regard to GDPR had been referred to the Information Commissioner.
Information provided by Miss August-Hansen when she met with the Board in February 2023 had been sent to the Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority for comments
The Head of OFT was to review how billing problems were progressing in Jersey and Guernsey.

WTF has IOM OFT got to do with Jersey & Guernsey billing problems? 

Guess the OFT got bored with local solutions for local problems? 

[mad_manx]

10 hours ago, John Wright said:

The call centre has improved. I made contact 10 days ago. I wanted copies of 2 missing bills and a physical meter reading. They had also moved me from e to paper billing.

The missing bills were sent by e-mail whilst still on the phone.

Meter Reader turned up the next day.

e-mail billing has now resumed. I’m in credit. I choose to pay a fixed monthly amount, calculated by me, that I calculate based on previous years billing and any price changes. Next two bills will see credit build up. By April 2024 I’ll be in arrears. It evens out.

I don't understand the logic of fixed monthly amount.  Isn't it always better to pay with the actual meter reading  with every bill . 

This reduces the risk of errors as all you need to do is to  keep track of the previous reading .

[Alberttwatmunch]

7 minutes ago, mad_manx said:

I don't understand the logic of fixed monthly amount.  Isn't it always better to pay with the actual meter reading  with every bill . 

This reduces the risk of errors as all you need to do is to  keep track of the previous reading .

We pay a fixed monthly amount based on annual usage and current prices.

It suits us as we know exactly why we pay each month and by this time of year are nearly always in credit knowing that if we use more than we expected over the winter it doesn’t really matter.

There won’t be a one size fits all that’s works for everyone, but we run our joint billing account on a fixed amount for each bill over the 12 months.  Works for us, might not for others.

[John Wright]

12 minutes ago, CallMeCurious said:

WTF has IOM OFT got to do with Jersey & Guernsey billing problems? 

Guess the OFT got bored with local solutions for local problems? 

It’s the same company, same new billing system. I’d want to know if things were working better there than here and to ask why.

[John Wright]

13 minutes ago, mad_manx said:

I don't understand the logic of fixed monthly amount.  Isn't it always better to pay with the actual meter reading  with every bill . 

This reduces the risk of errors as all you need to do is to  keep track of the previous reading .

It’s just a simple budgeting tool. I don’t trust them not to take too much by variable DD and I’m often away when a bill arrives. I do the same with electric.