When my father-in-law died my mother-in-law informed all suppliers and services, including extraenergy.
It took them four months to even acknowledge receipt of the information. It took them a further five months to transfer the account into my mother-in-law’s name.
They then sent a demand for almost £600, although the direct debit had been paid throughout, and they’d increased the monthly amount without warning after the death.
They promised to put the account on hold while they generated an accurate bill. When my mother-in-law tried to switch, extraenergy blocked the transfer.
Letters from debt collection agencies began arriving and twice extraenergy called asking to speak to her dead husband.
The ombudsman ordered extraenergy to resolve the issue within 28 days. Nothing. It again ordered it to comply within 72 hours. Still no communication. PH, Salisbury
Extraenergy claims it has a “robust policy” for dealing with bereaved relatives and creates a new account on receipt of the death certificate.
It has the brass neck to say that they resolved the issue as soon as they became aware of it. Nonsense.
You, your mother-in-law and the ombudsman had been making them aware of it for 15 months before The Observer got involved.
Only then did it realise that, according to a spokesperson, “the time taken to complete this transfer fell well below the expected standards”.
When it contacted you, omitting to mention media prompting, you said it was like dealing with a different company. Funny how the prospect of publicity hones the corporate conscience.
It has now offered to write off the outstanding sum owed, although what precisely this is and why your mother-in-law wasn’t advised long ago that her direct debits did not cover her consumption, remains a mystery.
As for the efficacy of ombudsman rulings, that’s another story.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
