Energy suppliers in the UK have continued to use debt collectors, even after they agreed with the government to support customers in financial distress during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Guardian, customers have been targeted by debt collectors and warned that action may be taken against them if they don’t pay their bills.

In one letter, Shell Energy warned a customer that arrangements could be made for a collection agent to visit their home to recoup an outstanding balance of £78.51 ($97.58). read more

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted during the last several days on Trustpilot.  Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. This article posted on 26 April 2020.

IGNORANT, INCOMPETENT, DISGUSTING ORGANISATION

IGNORANT, INCOMPETENT ORGANISATION. If I could award this disgusting company -5 stars then I would. I spoke with a senior manager a few weeks ago to request a payment holiday given the current situation. He agreed stating no problem at all and and suggested an 8 week payment holiday and if I require a longer period then simply contact them again in eight weeks. He also reassured me that no payment letters would be sent over this period and that my account was on hold. Fantastic or so thought until a few weeks later I when I begin to receive numerous threatening letters and and emails from a Shell Energy contractor DEBIT COLLECTORS !! read more

UK energy firms using debt collectors despite coronavirus agreement

The government and energy firms had agreed that no customers should be cut off during the lockdown. Photograph: David Burton/Alamy

Jillian Ambrose: Sun 26 Apr 2020 14.45 BST

Britain’s energy suppliers are continuing to use debt collectors to chase unpaid bills after promising to help households during the coronavirus pandemic by offering payment plans to struggling customers.

Under an agreement with the government, energy suppliers are expected to identify customers who might be in financial distress and offer to reassess, reduce or pause bill payments to help “reassure” homes during the coronavirus lockdown.

But many households and small businesses with outstanding balances on their energy accounts may still be targeted by debt collectors with warnings that action may be taken against them if they don’t pay their bills. read more

By Mo Harber-Lamond

Energy giant’s fastest fibre broadband deal is now only £29.99

While we’re locked down and spending all our time at home, having a blistering broadband connection is more important than ever.

Although many providers have shut down new installations, if you’ve already got a landline up and running then it’s worth taking this extra time to check out some broadband deals to save some cash.

Fortunately, Shell Energy has cut the price of its top-tier Superfast Fibre Plus broadband by a fiver to £29.99 a month, with no additional upfront costs. That makes it exactly the same price as its basic fibre package. read more

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted during the last several days on Trustpilot.  Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. This article posted on 20 April 2020.

So disgusted with this company I live…

So disgusted with this company I live alone am nearly 80 and in the winter only had my heating on for 6 hours
A day wrapped in a blanket when heating was off and went to bed early 8pm to keep warm, only had radiators
On in the rooms I use, now they are telling me they want to increase my monthly payments for gas and electricity from £83 a month to £100 a month starting 3 months before my renewal is due saying I’m £57 in debit. Have made a complaint as I am nearly 80 and can not afford the extra. Spoke on web chat said they would pass it on to complaints. Now waiting for a response. Did have a problem with smart meter took 4 months to send an engineer who told me the new one he was putting in would make no difference as they don’t use the newer update one that any energy supplier can use. Am now trying to find another supplier
With more consideration for their customers in my position. I feel all they want is to get more money from their users. I am getting I touch with my bank to stop them taking an extra £17 a month from me before my complaint has been dealt with. I can see other users have lots of problems by their reviews I have reviewed before on trustpilot and gues what I got an immediate call from them. Please keep sending in your reviews they need to be named and shamed.
Christine read more

Money is tight for many people at the moment, plus those staying at home more may see bigger energy bills. So if you find that your energy company is holding onto large amounts of your cash, it’s time to get it back.

Anne Sanders, from Hertfordshire says: ‘Four or five years ago I joined First Utility and was put on very low monthly payments. I built up a debt, so my monthly direct debit was increased to pay it off. But it was never lowered again.

‘When doing a Which? survey, I went online and found out how much credit I was in with my provider (now called Shell Energy): £728.36! read more

ABOVE HEADER FROM AN EARLIER REPORT ABOUT THE SAME PENSIONER AND HIS COMMENTS ABOUT SHELL ENERGY

RECEIVED TODAY… (name and address supplied)

Hello John,

Shell are at it again 😡

Despite everything that has happened they have restarted sending threatening letters to my home, addressed to my ex Tenant, who they well know ceased to reside here years ago. read more

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted during the last several days on Trustpilot.  Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. This article posted on 10 April 2020.

A company of Liars.

There is nothing positive about this company. They are a disgusting company and utterly useless in every sense. They try to tell me I owe them almost £2,000 because their systems are so awful its systems override meter readings, they end up refunding me over, £1,100 and are now illegally blocking me from moving supplier.. They have deliberately added the same balance back on my account which suspiciously was immediately after I said I was leaving… They are completely inept and underhanded. Stay away from these lieing prats. They have had 5 previous chances to correct this and tried to tell me each time it was sorted. Don’t even consider doing business with these liars. read more

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted during the last 6 days on Trustpilot.  Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. This article posted on 03 April 2020.

Thugs & bully boys

Thugs & bully boys, will not use them again ever. I signed up to first utility and a week later it was taken over by shell energy! they then wanted to up my monthly direct debit, I said no !!! I said my monthly DD was based on my previous usage and if I owed any money at the end of my contract with them I would pay them.
I have now switched to another energy supplier, and shell have been slow in producing my last couple of bills without an explanation and saying i owe them £76, I owe them about £76 and it said on my statement I have till 7th of April to pay, I have asked them for clarity and have received a reply. My main disgust with the company is the amount of e-mails and text messages, basically threatening if the account is not settled, and threatening ,please see extract ” Your account is now due to be passed to a debt collection company, this could incur extra charges and may end in a default being registered against your credit file” I at first thought it was an April fool prank, as I said the debt is only payable on 7th April, so they can wait! I could understand all of these tactics if it were a debt on £000s but £76, get a life shell energy.
Reply shows it all-I was only with 1st utility about a month”so how would you know what I had used in the previous year”So how could you have current accurate usage.
I have smart meters so once the final reading is made it can easily be worked out well before, instead of sending a bill for 3 months without full information.
E-mail sent in March, still not had the information from Shell energy :-
“No need for threatening emails in the current climate.
When I have worked out your bill, I will pay you, not before.
You can help by sending my gas meter reading at the start of my contract with First utility, and my end reading, in KWh not M³.
That way I can verify my gas account, I have already verified my electricity account, which is correct.”
Hope everyone takes this into account Thanks Peter read more