BES Utilities - Dodgy practicies about supplier default rates..

[Small Business]

Hello

I changed from an LLP to a LTD company in December.

As a sole trader I was very busy doing all that needed to be done and in my office alot of the time.

 

The phone rang constantly with cold callers.

Relentless and eventually I relented and listened to a person from Business Services Compare UK who told me they were an independent energy broker who could get me better deals on my Gas and Electric.

 

I said I was with the companies I was with and I wasn't interested as I didn't want to incur out of contract rates.

They told me it was illegal for my supplier to do this.

 

I told them who my suppliers were and they told me my suppliers rates and that they could beat them using a small business energy supplier in Blackpool called BES.

 

The deal they explained was 5p pkwh cheaper than my current supplier and so it seemed obvious that this made sense to take on such a saving. I was then pushed and rushed through a verbal contract and told BES would be in touch.

 

I recieved a bill from my old supplier which showed out of contract rates being charged so I called them.

I told them I had been told it wasn't allowed to charge me these rates and they said I had been mislead by the broker.

I called the broker back and another person told me the original sales person was telling the truth and that my old supplier was a liar.

 

I went back to my old supplier who said I had been misinformed again but as a gesture they cut the bill down for me and asked why I was leaving. I explained the 5p difference pkwh that the broker had told me how they were 26.47 per unit and BES were 19.62 per unit. My old supplier then told me that wasn't true and they were 15.44 per unit.

 

I rang BES to tell them  I wanted to cancel this contract as I had been mis-sold it using lies about the pricing but even though at that point they had not taken the supply they told me their aggregator had deemed the verbal contract to be suitable and they would not let me go.

 

They refused to negotiate and told me that I would have to pay 6 months worth of gas and electric to cancel the deal.

This amounted to £3019.+ and unless I paid it I would be held on the contract.

This was the same for my gas, the broker had told me my old suppliers rate was 10.3 per unit and BES was 5.7 per unit this was also untrue as my suppliers rate was 4.7per unit.

 

At no point in the verbal contract was it in anyway made clear or understandable that if something like this lead me to cancel or anything else that I would be charged thousands and thousands of pounds as a fine by BES.

I paid the money as to be with them on their extortionate rates would cost a ridiculous amount over the coming years.

 

As a coffeeshop owner and honest business I am shocked that people can lie and trap small businesses in such a way and have really beat myself up about it by allowing myself to be mislead. BES use commercial power as their aggregator which I have seen has the same director for both companies and this makes me feel that they are set up this way to profit themselves at the detriment of any small business they have trapped on their books. They say that as the broker is an unregulated ITP that it is nothing to do with them but my research since has shown the Brokers are at the same address mentioned in other similar online complaints, reviews and warnings and the same tactics are used on others as well.

 

My supply should be taken back by my old suppliers over the coming weeks and the whole episode has taught me that this is an unregulated industry which using lies and loopholes and cannot be trusted.

 

I am a nervous wreck even when speaking to my old/soon be suppliers and have deep mistrust but obviously need utilities to trade and so have to deal with this lack of confidence. The broker had no intention of searching the market for a good deal for me and were setting me up for a fall into the hands of BES from the moment I answered the phone.

 

If they were truly independent brokers they would know that the deal they tied me to was well over the standard rates so if they knew this then they fraudulently advised me sold me the supply. If the didn't at least check the best price then they sold it due to negligence but there is no come basck or resolve from BES who stand to make a lot of money by ripping me off.

 

The price difference between BES and my suppliers is amazing and all parties in this trick that they use must know this as they are in the industry and I am not. The BES TrustPilot also has suddenly got loads of very short worded 5star reviews and some of those are by the same people many times in a short time period so there isn't even a way of people being informed properly about this company.

 

I would like to know if there is anything I can do to reclaim the fine they imposed on me as it seriously damages my business income and puts me and my staff at risk.... Sorry this is a really long letter but I'm sure you understand the negative impact on my business, health, well being and trust in this corrupt market.

[dx100uk]

own topic created..

 

they can't 'fine' you at all.

 

let your old supplier get the supply back and deal with BES, they are quite used to dealing with them.

[BankFodder]

There have been a lot of problems with BES over a long period of time and I believe that they have been criticised and possibly find by the regulator. In fact recently we haven't had so many complaints about them and I thought maybe they had gone out of business.

I'm not sure that your new supplier will help you get your money back – but we will certainly do all we can to help you. Make sure the supply is changed over so that you are no longer in their clutches and then come back here.

Of course you probably wouldn't be in this quite so bad position if you recorded your calls. I suppose that you probably don't. Please read our customer services guide and implement the advice there when dealing with everybody on the telephone. It's really quite essential. You would then have direct evidence in this case of the mis-selling and getting your money back would be extremely easy. As it is, it's likely to be a struggle and you can't be certain of the outcome – but we will do our best to help you.