Bulb Energy

[Jass T]

This is my experience with Bulb Energy as a domestic customer. They supply business customers also, hence am posting here. I hope it helps anyone thinking of choosing them as a supplier.
They were a utility provider to me until September 2019, when I switched provider. They emailed me a final bill saying they owed me £152 and would pay this into my account in the next 14 days. This I had expected because I paid a fixed amount monthly and was always in credit.
Fast forward August 2020. I received a text from them, saying I hadn't paid my final bill and I owed them £140. This was followed by a similar email.
After initially ignoring them I had to reply when they kept coming.
After checking their last email previously about the final bill, I checked that in fact they hadn't paid the money they owed back, as they had stated.
So I replied to their email pointing this out and also if i had owed them,what's took them so long after I've left as a customer. Also if they could supply me documentary evidence for the money they are demanding.
All I've had from them is generic threatening demands for payment in text, letter and email form, culminating in a email saying they are passing on my account to debt collectors.
I have sent numerous replies and also emailed their complaints department. I have also told them i had no intention of making any payment until they provide documentary evidence, but have received no reply but the generic demands.
Trying to contact them by phone is a waste of time. You end up in the waiting que, which I have no time for.
I have contacted the Energy Ombudsmen and they have a policy of not Intervening until 8 weeks have passed from your first complaint to the company or the company as issued a deadlock letter.
Watch this space.

 

[Mr D]

So no time to wait in the telephone queue which may resolve the matter. But plenty of time to wait for the Ombudsman.
Ok.

There's this little trick that can be used when ringing someone to resolve a matter. Put phone on speaker next to you and carry on working.
Deal with them when you get through the queue.

Far less time wasted than in a queue or the year or so for Ombudsman. And far less impact on credit file for a debt you don't owe.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

My only experience of Bulb was them contacting me out of the blue asking for a final bill - I moved in to a property where they had been the supplier but I changed it over to my own. They were trying to pass the previous owners final bill on to me.

I told them to jog on.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

What @Mr D said!

 

[namesweb]

So no time to wait in the telephone queue which may resolve the matter. But plenty of time to wait for the Ombudsman.
Ok.

There's this little trick that can be used when ringing someone to resolve a matter. Put phone on speaker next to you and carry on working.
Deal with them when you get through the queue.

Far less time wasted than in a queue or the year or so for Ombudsman. And far less impact on credit file for a debt you don't owe.

I genuinely love how no-nonsense this forum generally is with people.

 

[Jass T]

So no time to wait in the telephone queue which may resolve the matter. But plenty of time to wait for the Ombudsman.
Ok.

There's this little trick that can be used when ringing someone to resolve a matter. Put phone on speaker next to you and carry on working.
Deal with them when you get through the queue.

Far less time wasted than in a queue or the year or so for Ombudsman. And far less impact on credit file for a debt you don't owe.

Thanks for your advice. But from my 2 previous experiences with the Energy Ombudsmen and Motor insurance Ombudsmen.
It took far less than the year you are suggesting and was resolved within 2 months, I was also awarded compensation.

 

[Mr D]

Thanks for your advice. But from my 2 previous experiences with the Energy Ombudsmen and Motor insurance Ombudsmen.
It took far less than the year you are suggesting and was resolved within 2 months, I was also awarded compensation.

These were instances you dealt with ombudsman after covid lockdown?

Still would have been far simpler for you to deal with on the phone.

 

[Jass T]

These were instances you dealt with ombudsman after covid lockdown?

Still would have been far simpler for you to deal with on the phone.

Maybe, but I was waiting for 45 minutes before I gave up.
Also your original suggestion of putting phone on speaker and carry on working is great if you have a desk job. But it's not practical for everybody, I run a property maintenance company hands on and is impractical in my case.

 

[Mr D]

Maybe, but I was waiting for 45 minutes before I gave up.
Also your original suggestion of putting phone on speaker and carry on working is great if you have a desk job. But it's not practical for everybody, I run a property maintenance company hands on and is impractical in my case.

Yes, handy at a desk.
While working in a steel container sorting stock I have the phone in a case on my belt. People I need to speak to aren't always around when I happen to be at my desk.

I had an energy company try the 'big bill suddenly that must be paid' when leaving them scenario years back.
Resolved by phone in a matter of minutes after getting through.

 

[AllUpHere]

Maybe, but I was waiting for 45 minutes before I gave up.
Also your original suggestion of putting phone on speaker and carry on working is great if you have a desk job. But it's not practical for everybody, I run a property maintenance company hands on and is impractical in my case.

You do realise that your argument doesn't really hold water when you say you haven't got time to stay on hold, but appear to have time to bitch about the company on the internet?

 

[Jass T]

You do realise that your argument doesn't really hold water when you say you haven't got time to stay on hold, but appear to have time to ***** about the company on the internet?

So what you are saying because i dont want to hang on the phone for 45 minutes plus waiting to be answered.
I shouldn't have time to do anything else. Post a message on the internet, answer business calls etc.

 

[Mr D]

So what you are saying because i dont want to hang on the phone for 45 minutes plus waiting to be answered.
I shouldn't have time to do anything else. Post a message on the internet, answer business calls etc.

Its the spending time one way while not spending time the other.

Still, its your credit file and your time. Use it as you will.

 

[namesweb]

@Jass T - I'd suggest you stop digging yourself a hole as I don't think anyone is going to sympathise here. Pop some headphones in, phone in your pocket, crack on with your property maintenance work - line it up when you're doing items which aren't particularly difficult to have headphones in whilst doing - eg if you're siliconing round a bathtub, or replacing a tile in the kitchen; hell even driving between properties!

Just clear the matter up easy as, and prevent it being longed out...? Unless you reckon the compensation is worth 2-3 months of pissing about then you're not really looking to resolve the matter but obtain compensation for nowt.

 

[AllUpHere]

So what you are saying because i dont want to hang on the phone for 45 minutes plus waiting to be answered.
I shouldn't have time to do anything else. Post a message on the internet, answer business calls etc.

Oh come on, give it up, you see my point, you are just holding onto the fact that you may have a point by your fingernails.

 

[Jass T]

@Jass T - I'd suggest you stop digging yourself a hole as I don't think anyone is going to sympathise here.

Not looking for any sympathy mate. The idea of the post was to inform others of the failure of this company to resolve a issue.
Any business can make a mistake. But it's how it's they deal with it that reflects the company.

In this day and age not to be able to communicate with the company without waiting endlessly on the phone line is not acceptable in my opinion. Not to reply to customers emails is also bad practice.

Unfortunately it's become a thread about how to wait on phone queue.

Anyway I'll leave it at that. I had a hospital appointment this morning so had time to post this morning during the long wait. So this is my final word on it.

 

[NickGrogan]

Bulb is one of the better energy suppliers, plenty are worse.

Chat through the website, email them or wait on a call, your choice.

Thanks for your advice. But from my 2 previous experiences with the Energy Ombudsmen and Motor insurance Ombudsmen.
It took far less than the year you are suggesting and was resolved within 2 months, I was also awarded compensation.

Are you just really unlucky or do you like complaining?

 

[fisicx]

Chat through the website, email them or wait on a call, your choice.

I just tried their online chat. Got an answer to a query in less than 2 minutes.

Like many organisations these days telephone is the last resort method of contact. It's expensive to operate tying up one person for a single enquiry. With online chat they can often manage multiple threads making it much more efficient.

 

[Mr D]

I just tried their online chat. Got an answer to a query in less than 2 minutes.

Like many organisations these days telephone is the last resort method of contact. It's expensive to operate tying up one person for a single enquiry. With online chat they can often manage multiple threads making it much more efficient.

Online chat is efficient for the business. Not so much for the customer.
Some companies can have agents dealing with too many conversations at once.
What would be a 2 minute call turns into 20 minute on screen chat. Same info given.

 

[Jass T]

Bulb is one of the better energy suppliers, plenty are worse.

Chat through the website, email them or wait on a call, your choice.



Are you just really unlucky or do you like complaining?

I was hoping my last reply would be my last on this thread, but I need to clear your last question.

They were good when I was a customer. Not so great when I have left them over a year ago.
Regarding the Ombudsmen 3 complaints in 40 years isn't record breaking.
Only complain when a company doesn't listen.
1st complaint was nearly 30 years ago. Car was written off after a accident. The insurance company offered a derisory amount . Their engineer had put a ridiculous high mileage on his report. When they discovered my car had done less than half the mileage they refused to budge on the offer.
2nd time was 10 years ago when a company called Utility warehouse, who I had never heard of, started sending me backdated bills for the last 6 months claiming they had been my energy supplier.
Even though I was with another company and had the bills to prove it.
Not surprisingly I won both cases.
I don't know If am getting this wrong but from the replies on here it seems. I am wrong to complain or share my experience on here. From my original post all I've heard is how I should phone and wait for a reply. No mention of 7 emails over the last month's Bulb hasn't had the decency to reply to.
If people are happy to accept this sort of behaviour no wonder companies carry on like this. Especially the utility companies.

 

[Mr D]

Much harder to ignore a phone call than an email.

 

[Jass T]

Much harder to ignore a phone call than an email.

Not really, understaff the phonelines and hope the customer hangs up.
Anyway it's not that I haven't tried phoning them. Just that after the first 45minutes wait and 2 others over 30 minutes wait I gave up.
Also the last month was hectic with work and deadlines for flats with tenants moving in. The phone was ringing constantly from agents and landlords.
I also thought the number I was ringing, which was from their threatening emails , to call if was financial difficulty or to pay would be a priority number.
Using your speaker on and waiting call,what is the longest you have waited and are prepared to wait ?
I had one call to a car insurance company last year where I was waiting 1 hour 50 minutes before giving up. Obviously pre Covid days.

 

[Mr D]

Not really, understaff the phonelines and hope the customer hangs up.
Anyway it's not that I haven't tried phoning them. Just that after the first 45minutes wait and 2 others over 30 minutes wait I gave up.
Also the last month was hectic with work and deadlines for flats with tenants moving in. The phone was ringing constantly from agents and landlords.
I also thought the number I was ringing, which was from their threatening emails , to call if was financial difficulty or to pay would be a priority number.
Using your speaker on and waiting call,what is the longest you have waited and are prepared to wait ?
I had one call to a car insurance company last year where I was waiting 1 hour 50 minutes before giving up. Obviously pre Covid days.

When the need is mine?
As long as necessary. I've rung my mortgage company and my bank when needed.

Back in late March I had several calls of over an hour, two of them were over 2 hours.

Also had a situation a while back where chasing a wage I was on hold a considerable time. I was working the markets that day, dealing with customers face to face while the phone on my belt mumbled on about in a queue please hold.
Darn near half packed away the stall before I got through.

I'd not bother holding for a car insurance company if it wasn't one I needed. Presumably it was the company you used and you needed an answer / start process at that time?

 

[Jass T]

I'd not bother holding for a car insurance company if it wasn't one I needed. Presumably it was the company you used and you needed an answer / start process at that time?

Yes I was chasing a settlement for a claim I had.

 

[Carl Nixon]

There are far, far worse energy companies out there. nPower couldn't provide me with an accurate bill for my house for over 2 years because they had set up 25 different accounts at my address, including several who made out to A N Other.

Sometimes mess ups happen between the meter and the billing company (in this case bulb). Third parties read the meters and gather data from pre-payment meters (if you have one). They then give this to the billing company so they can charge you. In that chain there can missed readings, missing data or other mess ups. From memory they get up to 3 attempts to get it right.

No call centre is going to be quick at the moment. Their staff will be spread out over several counties slowing down things greatly - especially internal communications.

 

[Bob Morgan]

So no time to wait in the telephone queue which may resolve the matter. But plenty of time to wait for the Ombudsman.
Ok.

There's this little trick that can be used when ringing someone to resolve a matter. Put phone on speaker next to you and carry on working.
Deal with them when you get through the queue.

Far less time wasted than in a queue or the year or so for Ombudsman. And far less impact on credit file for a debt you don't owe.

The other ploy is to use another number they have not mentioned! - If they have options from 1 to 4, try 5, 6, 7, or 8, etc. It can have surprising results!

 

[namesweb]

The other ploy is to use another number they have not mentioned! - If they have options from 1 to 4, try 5, 6, 7, or 8, etc. It can have surprising results!

I find bashing # can sometimes get you through to an operator quickly.

I must admit though, generally I must've been lucky as during this lockdown, despite the hold voiceover telling me the wait will be over 15-20 mins I've usually gotten through within about 2 or 3.

 

[Alison Moore]

I think people are missing the point here, in this day and age you shouldn't have to phone a company to get something sorted. eMail should be fine, LiveChat even better as it's more instant.

 

[bob malonza]

Who knows why, but the good old bulbs are amazingly beautiful.