Hi, I received another claim form on Friday from Moriarty Law for a debt related to a Spark Energy account. I'll post the full details tomorrow as I forgot to bring the claim form with me to work today. I have no recollection of ever being with Spark Energy, and the amount Moriarty are claiming is about £300. Coincidentally, on Saturday I also received a letter from Moriarty Law informing me that I will receive court papers shortly, and that they would like to still resolve this amicably. Firstly, I will complete the AOS online tomorrow defending all - I just wanted to check what CPR request to make of them, and as this is for a Utility debt whether the protocols are different? I am guessing they still have to present documented evidence in support of the claim? What should this consist of for a Utility debt?

I received a letter from Spark Energy yesterday, addressed to 'The Occupier', welcoming me to them as my new supplier. Goes on to say that "As instructed by your letting agent on your behalf, we've been appointed as the gas and electricity supplier to your property". But I don't have a letting agent/landlord, I own the property! I was the tenant, but I bought it from the landlord two months ago. My landlord used a local letting agency, and during our tenancy they've been taken over by Countrywide. It's obvious what has happened - Countrywide have an agreement with Spark to refer as many tenanted properties to them as possible, they are clearly getting kickbacks/commission from doing so. When they processed my tenancy agreement they have done the (allegedy automated) process of requesting Spark to take over the gas and electricity supplies. But they should never have done this, they had no right to. My tenancy ended on the day my purchase of the property completed. They were no longer acting for the landlord, since there was no longer a landlord. This is the first I've heard about any change to my supplier, and the electricity changed over to them 4 days ago, gas due to next week! If they'd contacted my (or 'the occupier') beforehand, I could have told them to do one and stopped this from happening. Obviously it's Countrywide that's initiated this mess, but I find it shocking that Spark are just blindly taking instructions from Countrywide to acquire supplies without bothering to attempt to make contact with the occupier until after the switch has been completed. Is this allowed, seems like sharp practise to me? I phoned Spark first of all, who confirmed that it was Countrywide behind it. I told them they had no right to perform a switch without my consent, and Countrywide had no authority to request it. I asked them to reverse the switch immediately and put me back with my previous supplier. Initially I was told they couldn't do that, and I should go through the normal switching process again to change back! Told them that wasn't good enough - I've not entered contract with Spark, it'll take weeks to switch back, I'll be on an uncompetitive tariff with Spark in the meantime. And the (exceptionally good) tariff I was on with my previous supplier is no longer available to new customers. After a bit or denial and erring, they finally accepted that they could attempt to reverse the switch under the erroneous transfer correction procedure, which I instructed them to do asap. Although they said that it was conditional on my previous supplier agreeing to reinstate my contract with them. I then spoke to my existing supplier (GB Energy), who were very helpful. They immediately understood the problem and said that they could also initiate the erroneous switch reversal from their side, and it would probably be quicker. So hopefully it will get resolved and I'll be put back to where I was with GB Energy before this fiasco. But it sounds like it could take a while to resolve. I then called my old letting agent to bring the problem to their attention and get them to escalate it within Countrywide (in the hope of them improving their procedures if nothing else). Letting agent was very blase about it, "just standard practice, nothing we can do, no point in me even raising it". They used to be a really good local letting agent, always had a good relationship with them in the past. Then Countrywide took them over, the staff are the same, but the service has turned to rubbish. So, who has done this, is it just Countrywide, or are Spark partly to blame accepting an unauthorised switch? I guess the regulator can't touch Countrywide? Even if I get put back to where I was, I'm not happy that this mess has ever been allowed to occur, and I intend to kick up as much stink as possible.

Hello I have got a debt with Spark for £1110.10, I have been passed over to Zinc I emailed them and offered to pay £5 per month, they agreed to this and said they would get in touch with Spark to see if I could pay this rate for the next 24 months rather than the usual 12. whilst still awaiting an answer to this and a date to start paying the £5 I got a phonecall from BW Legal who said they were dealing with this and wanted to go through income/expenditure, I asked them to ring during my dinner hour, they didn't, I rang them and they said they were on their dinner and would ring later, I told them to post me a form as I cant answer my phone at work. I have got the form and it is asking who my employer is, what my car is worth? what my partners wage is? do I have to answer these questions? seems a bit intrusive, plus, as far as I was aware I had sorted this debt with Zinc?? anyone help.

Hiya, we moved into our current rented property in October 2015 and were told that Spark energy are the gas and electric suppliers. Ever since then they have sent us a monthly bill of which we've always paid. This morning we received a bill for 315.64 for electric and gas, 288 of that just electric, upon ringing them up we were told it's because all our previous bills were estimated and we should have been giving monthly meter readings (of which we were NEVER told) and that we have to pay that plus any future bills (set up a dd for a minimum of 150 a month) after telling them no one has ever told us we're supposed to give readings and that they never come to read the meter like a 'normal' energy supplier they've just been worse than useless, not even took my complaint about them not telling us about the estimated readings etc. Long story short do we have a leg to stand on? We're a low income family of 2 adults and 3 children (one being 5, another having suspected adhd) We don't have any disposable income, we've always budgeted to pay these 'estimated' bills and they're ramming this bill down our throat. Thanks in advance, kylie

Ofgem has ordered Spark Energy to pay £250,000 to Citizens Advice for 14 breaches of relevant conditions and requirements. These include: Refusing to allow customers to switch. Switching other customers without their knowledge Billing errors Failing to refund customers in credit Failing to notify customers of increases failure to provide accurate direct debit calculations. failure to deal with complaints properly Spark Energy are so bad they make Npower look almost professional http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-31490466 Notice of Intention to Impose a Financial Penalty on Spark Energy 16 February 2015

Shortly before Christmas I found that I had a huge credit balance with my energy supplier, Spark Energy I contacted them for a refund of £1000 (which still left me with a fairly hefty credit balance, but having been stung in the past I would rather be cautious about it at least until the summer months). Their refund process takes a ludicrous 28 working days to complete, i am due to receive my refund some time next week. I received an email yesterday advising that they have had to reduce the refund amount to £720 "due to some incorrect meter readings which have now been removed". Checking my online account details, I can see that they have effectively credited every bill since March 2013 (all bar the first I had from them) and issued one whopping bill for little under £3k! All previous invoices have been completely removed so that I couldn't compare the new bill with the previous ones and figure out what they have done. I called them today and after much confusion eventually was told that my account was reviewed as part of the refund process and they noticed that there was a negative consumption of 409 units (which they estimated to be around £400) dating back to Nov/Dec 2013. I have lodged a complaint as the whole thing is very unclear and I am currently waiting for a call back from a Manager. I'm hoping someone can give me a bit of advice about where I stand with this and what my rights are. Am I right in thinking that this would fall within the back-billing principle and therefore since the error was beyond 12 months ago they cannot charge me? And if that is not the case, what are my rights in terms of the info they must provide? Surely they must be able to illustrate clearly the changes that have been made to my account?

Just moved into my own house and the electric and gas are provided by spark energy. I have never heard of this company, are they any good?

Hi everyone, I was wondering whether you could help me with something that has been troubling me recently. I moved into a new flat in January 2011 and immediately wanted to change energy providers as we were with Spark, and I had been warned against them by my landlord. The flat was shared between 3 relative strangers who split the bills - however I dealt with the energy company. I called them and requested a final bill shortly after moving in. After many phone calls they sent us one weeks later - to the sum total of £0.00. We didn't take any action. About 10 months later, on the day that I was moving out, I opened another letter from them. It was another 'final bill' for a total of around £500. I asked my flatmates to take care of this, as I was leaving. About 6 months later - Spring 2012, I started receiving phone calls and text messages from someone alleging to represent a credit company. I was reluctant to take the calls, as I didn't recognise the number and they called within working hours. The text messages looked spammy - they were vague, mentioned credit rating and asked me to call them on a premium rate number. I thought little of them, until I picked up a call and they asked for my previous address and mentioned Spark Energy. I shrugged off whoever was calling me at this point - I was at work. I didn't progress with the phone call, and they didn't call me back after two conversations with them. I appreciate that this is all from a long time ago - but the reason that I am currently concerned with the matter and thinking about it again is because I would like to apply for a mortgage in the near future. I've always had a very good credit rating aside from this - 6 years of living independently with all bills paid on time, and no credit card. As I no longer live as the residence, and have had no correspondence from Spark since Spring 2012 - I don't know where to start. My questions are: How or should I find out if I owe anything? How do I found out if it affects my credit rating? I've searched the forums for other occurrences of complaints with Spark - it seems I'm not alone - has anyone else experienced the same problem as me? Any help is greatly appreciated - thank you.

Hey all, This is my first post although I have used the site before (lurking in the shadows) for advice on a lot of different things and now I have a query that I can't find an answer to without asking it myself! I moved into a property back in the end of September 2012 & unfortunately I've been having a lot of trouble with Spark energy. I have contacted them on many occasions as I was trying to receive a final bill in order so that I could switch to another supplier. I've now finally managed to receive a bill from them, however the problem I have is the fact it seems they have changed my tariff retrospectively. I was in receipt of a letter dated at the end of March that stated I was currently on the best tariff, however to retain this tariff & complete account setup I would have to provide either a security deposit of £150 within 7 days or provide my DD details or I would be switched onto a worse tariff (the standard plus). I didn't do this as I have been trying to leave them (I was wary in case it meant me having to chase them for money after I had left). However I have now received a bill which states that for my usage between September up until today, my account was on the worse tariff which makes a difference to the bill of about £800 (which incidentally is around half the bill's cost). I've no problem paying for what I have used, however I was just wondering if anyone could advise as to the situation and the legality of the tariff being retrospectively changed to the worse one? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

While at Uni I rented a flat for 6 months, the provider who was in the flat was Spark Energy, I never got around to getting my own provider and stuck with them. I called and asked them a few times to put in a prepaid meter but they never did, while waiting on these meters they never asked for payment, but I didnt want to set up a direct debit until they gave me a meter. They did post bills which i called them about, they were using estimates, I'm pretty sure just what the previous occupants were using. The previous occupants was a couple and their child whereas it was just me in the flat. For six months the estimated bill was £510. I lost my first meter reading when I moved in, and never got the second as my lease ended when I was home for christmas and my friend moved my things for me, forgetting to take a reading. I asked the landlord for it but we had a dispute regarding my deposit which he took for "cleaning" and "redecorating" and he hasnt replied. It works out at £85 a month for electricity alone which seems ridiculous to me. They've passed my debt to Buchanan Clark and Wells who are now hounding me for it, its now at £586 (which must be their admin fee). Also Freidricksons International has been sending me texts too, would they also have it? Any advice on how to proceed on this matter would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.