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I am left helpless and desperate due to an energy broker called The Gas Companmy fleecing me (microbusiness) after securing a contract under false promises and increasing their charges by 168% soon after securing the contract.
my experience is as follows:

DATE CHRONOLOGY SCHEDULE 1
14/10/2009 FOLLOWING AN UNSOLICITED VISIT BY A BROKER OF THE GAS COMPANY TO GREENSLEEVES WITH A PROMISE TO PROVIDE LESSER COST ENERGY AT 2.498p PER KILOWAT A RATE, LESS THAN WE WERE PAYING TO THE EXISTING SUPPLIER Southern Gas AT A RATE OF 2.629 per KW , THE GAS BROKER OBTAINED THE SIGNATURE FROM THE MANAGER (Mrs. M.V. Sebastianpillai) ON A BLANK CONTRACT FORM ON 14.10.2009. HE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION. THE BROKER THEN TOOK THE BLANK CONTRACT FORM AWAY WITH A PROMISE TO VALIDATE THE DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT AND SEND IT BACK WHICH HE NEVER DID UNTIL OVER 4 YEARS LATER FOLLOWING OUR REPEATED REQUESTS. NO CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY WAS MENTIONED OR RECEIVED AT ANYTIME SO FAR UP TO NOW ALTHOUGH THE GAS COMPANY REPEATEDLY BLOCKED THE CHANGE TO A NEW SUPPLIER.
1/04/2010 THE GAS COMPANY WITHOUT INFORMING US UNILATERALLY CHANGED THE INITIAL AGREED FIXED RATE OF 2.498p PER KWH BY 168% TO 4.2p PER KWH ON 1 APRIL 2010. THIS WAS DURING THE PERIOD IN FACT ENERGY PRICES WERE DECREASING (SEE CHART WE WERE PAYING ONLY 2.629 PER KILOWAT TO THE EXISTING SUPPLIER WHEN THE GAS COMPANY PERSUADED THE MANAGER TO SUPPLY A LOWER RATE THAN THIS. THEN THE TGC STARTED TAKING LARGER THAN USUAL SUMS VIA DIRECT DEBIT. THEY DID NOT SEND US ANY USAGE OR RATE BUT TOOK LAGER THAN AGREED AMOUNTS BY DIRECT DEBIT MANDATE. THEY CLEVERLY TOOK US UNAWARE FIRST BY CHARGING THE AGREED RATE AND ONCE WE WERE OFF GUARD HIKED THE PRICES BY 168% WITHEN A MATTER OF FIVE MONTHS QUITE OPPOSITE TO THE DOWNWARD TREND OF ENERGY PRICES AS SHOWN BY HOUSE OF COMMONS ENERGY COST GRAPH FOR THIS PERIOD. WE ATTRIBUTED THIS SUDDEN RISE TO INCREASED USAGE AND TRIED TO CUT DOWN THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION. IT IS ONLY WHEN WE RECEIVED A COPY OF CONTRACT FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER 4 YEARS (AT OUR REPEATED INSISTENCE ) IN NOVEMBER 2013 DID WE REALISE THAT THE GAS COMPANY HAD FRADUANTLY INSERTED A RATE OF 4.2 AT ON THE BLANK FORM AT SOMETIME TIME ON A LATER DATE AFTER GETTING THE BLANK CONTRACT FORM SIGNED. THIS NEW RATE WITHIN 5 MONTHS WAS 168 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE RATE AGREED INTIALLY AND ALSO MORE THAN THE 2.629 P THAT WAS BEING CHARGED BY THE PREVIOUS SUPPLIER FROM WHOM THE BROKER PERSUADED THE MANAGER TO CHANGE OVER WITH A PROMISE OF A LOWER RATE OF 2.498P.
24.08.2011 CONCERNED WITH THE WITHDRAWL OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TAKEN CONTRARY TO THE DIRECT DEBIT MANDATE BY THE GAS COMPANY AND WITHOUT INFORMING US, I WROTE TO THEM ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION AND FOR RECREDIT OF THE EXCESS AMOUNTS TAKEN. IT APPEARS NOW FROM THE STATEMENT PROVIDED TO THE ACCOUNTANT MR KUGAN ON 9.02.2014 THE REAL REASON FOR THESE LARGE AMOUNTS WAS THAT THE GAS COMPANY WITHOUT INFORMING US HAD FRAUDUANTLY INCREASED THE RATES FOR GAS TO 4.2 P PER KILO WAT CONTRARY TO THE INTIAL PROMISE FOR A FIXED RATE OF 2.498 FOR THE ENTIRE 4 YEAR TERM.
20.07.2012 EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE GAS COMPANY ASKING FOR STATEMENTS FOR USAGE AND RATES RATHER THAN DIRECT DEBIT STATEMENTS ONLY BUT WITH NO RESPONSE
25.08.2013 I SENT AN EMAIL TO TGC REGARDING EXTRA LARGE AMOUNTS TAKEN BY THEM AND ASKING FOR A DETAILED ACCOUNT.
19.09.2012 FOLLOWING MY QUERY THE GAS COMPANY RETURNED £2171.55 AS EXCESS PAYMENTS TAKEN FROM THE DIRECT DEBIT BUT CONTINUED TO TAKE VARIABLE AMOUNTS BY DIRECT DEBIT WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY DETAILS OF TARIFF OR RATES.
25.08.2013 EMAIL SENT ASKING FOR EXPLANATION FOR SEVERAL EXTRA AMOUNTS TAKEN OTHER THAN THE REGULAR DIRECT DEBIT PAYMENTS
09.09.2013 EMAIL SENT TO GAS COMPANY GIVING THE DETAILS OF EXTRA AMOUNTS TAKEN WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION NO EXPLANATION OR RESPONSE RECEIVED.
23.09.2013 I WROTE TO GAS COMPANY REGARDING THEIR NON-REPONSE TO MY EMAILS AND TELEPHONE CALLS AND INFORMED THEM THAT IF THEY DO NOT RESPOND I WILL BE TAKING THE MATTER TO OMBUDSMAN.
25.09.2013 CONCERNED BY THE IRREGULAR LARGE AMOUNTS BEING TAKEN BY THE GAS COMPANY I WROTE TO GAS COMPANY FOR AN EXPLANATION.
19.09.2013 I WROTE TO THE GAS COMPANY ASKING FOR A COPY OF MY CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR ENERGY SUPPLY. I SENT EMAIL TO GAS COMPANY PROTESTING AT AUTOMATIC ROLL OVER WITHOUT GIVING US REMINDER OR NOTICE AND PRODUCING A COPY OF THE CONTRACT. EMAILED COPY
23.09.2013 AFTER THE REFUSAL BY THE GAS COMPANY TO ALLOW A CHANGE OVER OF GAS AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AND CONCERNED BY THE INCREASING IRREGULAR AMOUNTS TAKEN BY THE GAS COMPANY I WROTE TO THEM ASKING FOR THE COPY OF CONTRACT, GIVING THEM NOTICE THAT I WILL GO TO THE OMBUDSMAN IF I DID NOT RECEIVE A REPLY WITHIN 14 DAYS. THE GAS COMPANY FAILED TO RESPOND TO MY EMAILS, LETTERS OF 23 SEPTEMBER 2013, 04 NOVEMBER 2013 AND 10 DECEMBER 2013 (SENT BY RECORDED DELIVERY TO REGISTERED ADDRESS: REEDHAM HOUSE, 31 KING STREET WEST, MANCHESTER, M3 2PJ, TRADING ADDRESS: 11 HART STREET, BRADFORD, WEST YORKSHIRE, BD7 3HH , AND POSTAL ADDRESS: ADRIAN FRANCIS ASSOCIATE LTD TRADING AS GAS COMPANY, PO BOX 186, WA 3 9 AJ) AND ALSO DID NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. THE LETTER SENT TO TRADING ADDRESS BY REGISTERED WAS REFUSED BY THE ADDRESSEE AND RETURNED TO ME BY THE ROYAL MAIL.

24.09.2013 MY ACCOUNTANT REQUESTED FOR THE CURRENT GAS TARIFF ON 24.09.2013 AND ON 15.01.2014 BUT NO RESPONSE.
11.10.2013 OFFER BY BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERING SIGNIFICANT LOWER RATES THAN TGC. THIS OFFER WAS SUBSEQUENTY BLOCKED BY TGC.
31.10.2013 GAS COMPANY WROTE TO ME THAT THEY HAVE ROLLED OVER THE CONTRACT ON 30.10.13 AND PROVIDING ME WITH A COPY OF GAS CONTRACT FOR THE FIRST TIME . THIS TOO WAS ONLY A PHOTOCOPY. AS THE TERMS AND TARIFF WERE QUITE DIFFERENT TO THAT WAS OFFERED ON TGC AGENT’S VISIT ON 14.10.2009 WE SUSPECT THAT THAT THE INTIAL CONTRACT FORM HAS BEEN ALTERED. HOWEVER TGC HAVE DECLINED TO SUPPLY THE ORIGINAL SIGNED FORM SO FAR. NO CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY WAS PROVIDED ALTHOUGH THE GAS COMPANY CONTINUED TO OBSTRUCT THE CHANGE OF ELECTRICITY TO OTHER PROVIDERS. THE GAS COMPANY DID NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A NOTICE LETTER PRIOR TO THE ROLL OVER NOR DID THEY NOT PROVIDE ME THE NEW RATES FOR OVER 3 MONTHS UNTIL 09.02.2014 AFTER THEY HAD EFFECTED THE ROLL OVERs.
01.11.2013 GAS COMPANY INCREASED MUCH HIGHER RATES AND STANDING CHARGES WITHOUT INFORMING US. (SEE ACCOUNTS SCHEDULE II AND III ) AND KEPT US IN THE DARK UNTIL THE ACCOUNTANT REQUESTED THE FINAL ACCOUNTS.
04.11.2013 I WROTE TO THE GAS COMPANY ABOUT THEIR AUTOMATIC ROLL OVER WITHOUT GIVING US A REMINDER OR DETAILS OF THE NEW RATES. COPY BY EMAIL
04.11.2013 HAVING RECEIVED NO NOTICE OR THE RATES FOR THE ROLL OVER OR RESPONSE TO MY PREVIOUS LETTERS I COMPLAINED TO THE OMBUDSMAN IN WRITING AND ON THEIR WEBSITE ( Ref: WEBENER096807C)
BUT THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE JURIDISCTION ONLY OVER THE GAS SUPPLIERS AND NOT OVER GAS BROKERS.
05.11.2013 EMAIL SENT TO GAS COMPANY WITH COMPLAINTS FOR RESPONSE copy posted.
5.11.2013 I REPORTED THIS CASE TO CITIZENS ADVICE WHO ADVISED ME THAT THE ONLY OPTION LEFT TO ME UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WAS TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION.
12.11.2013 GAS COMPANY OBSTRUCTED THE TAKE OVER OF ELECTRICITY BY TOTAL GAS &POWER WITHOUT PROVIDING EVIDENCE FOR AN ELECTRICITY CONTRACT WITH THEM .
THE GAS COMPANY CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ONLY THE INVOICES AND TOOK MONEY VIA DIRECT DEBIT WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY RATES OR QUANTITY USED. THEY CONTINUED TO TAKE UNEXPLAINED VARIABLE LARGE AMOUNTS VIA DIRECT DEBIT.
10.12.2013 I COMPLAINED TO THE GAS COMPANY THAT THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN THEIR RATES OF TARIFF SINCE 28.05.2013 AND IF THEY CONTINUED NOT TO PROVIDE THE RATES AND USAGE THE DIRECT DEBIT TO THEM WOULD BE CANCELLED.
FRUSTRATED BY THE INACTIVITY OF THE OMBUDSMAN AND THE CITIZEN ADVISORY CENTRE REGARDING THIS MATTER I WENT TO THE EXTENT OF WRITING TO THE PANORAMA REGARDING THE MALPRACTICES CARRIED OUT BY TGC ENERGY BROKER AND THEIR UNACCOUNTABILTY TO THE OMBUDSMAN.
08.01.2014 I AGAIN COMPLAINED TO THE GAS COMPANY THAT THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN THEIR RATES OF TARIFF FOR GAS SINCE 28.05.2013 AND IF THEY CONTINUE TO NOT PROVIDE THE DIRECT DEBIT TO THEM WOULD BE STOPPED AND LEGAL ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. I ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THEY NOT RESPONDED TO MY REGISTERED LETTER AND IF THEY CONTINUED TO DO SO LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. ALSO COPY SENT BY EMAIL
22.01.2014 AS NO REPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE GAS COMPANY THE DIRECT DEBIT TO THEM WAS CANCELLED.
22.01.2014 I WROTE TO THE GAS COMPANY BY REGISTERED LETTER AND BY EMAIL THAT THEY HAD STILL NOT PROVIDED THE RATES FOR GAS SUPPLY OR EVIDENCE OF ANY CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY. IF THEY STILL CONTINUED TO OBSTRUCT THE CHANGE OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY LEGAL ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.
01.01.2014 GAS COMPANY OBSTRUCTED THE TAKE OVER OF ELECTRICITY BY N POWER (11.39/KV DAY TIME RATE, NIGHT TIME RATE 6.53/KVWITHOUT PROVIDING ANY CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY AND CONTINUED CHARGING WELL OVER THE OFFERED RATES BY N- POWER AND OTHER COMPANIES.
07.01.2014 EMAIL SENT TO GAS COMPANY REGARDING THEIR FAILURE TO RESPOND TO MY LETTERS
08.01.2014 ON 08.01.2014 I SENT A REGISTERED LETTER TO GAS COMPANY THAT IF THEY DID NOT SEND ME THEIR NEW TARIFF FOR GAS TO MY ACCOUNT WITHIN 14 DAYS MY STANDING ORDER PAYMENT TO THE GAS COMPANY WILL BE DISCONTINUED.
14.01.2014 REGISTERED LETTER TO GAS COMPANY TRADING ADDRESS RETURNED
23.01.2014 EMAIL LETTER WAS SENT BY KUGAN ADVISING GAS COMPANY THE DIRECT DEBIT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THEIR NON-RESPONSE AND FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE RATES AND TARIFF.
06.02.2014 GAS COMPANY AGAIN OBSTRUCTED THE TAKE OVER OF ELECTRICITY BY N-POWER WITHOUT PROVIDING EVIDENCE FOR AN ELECTRICITY CONTRACT WITH GREENSLEEVES

08.02.2014 I WROTE TO GAS COMPANY ABOUT THEIR REFUSAL TO ALLOW N-POWER TO TAKE OVER ELECTRICITY WITHOUT PRODUCING A CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY WITH US
08.02.2014 ACCOUNTANTS LETTER TO GAS COMPANY POINTING OUT THAT THE GAS STATEMENT OF 7 FEBRUARY 2014 IT DOES PROVIDE THE RATES BEING CHARGED SINCE 01.11.2013 .
08.02.2014 AS NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED TO THE LETTERS OF 23.09.2013, 04.11.2013, 10.12.2013, 22.01.2014, 08.02.2014, 03.03.2014 THE GAS SUPPLY WAS TAKEN OVER BY GAZPROM AND ELECTRICITY BY BRITISH GAS AT MY REQUEST.
18.02.2014 THE GAS COMPANY SENT THE RATES AND CHARGES FOR GAS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 28.05.2013 TO MR KUGAN, ACCOUNTANT
17.02.2014 REQUEST WAS MADE FOR FINAL RECONCILATION STATEMENT AFTER THE CHANGE OF ENERGY SUPPLY
18.02.2013 LETTER FROM GAS COMPANY TO THE EFFECT THAT THEY HAVE BLOCKED THE CHANGE OF ELECTRICITY TO N POWER
03.03.2014 REQUEST WAS MADE BY MR KUGAN FOR RATES FOR GAS SINCE 01.11.2013 WITH NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF DIRECT DEBIT TO GAS COMPANY .
03.03.2014 LETTER WAS SENT TO GAS COMPANY AS TO THEIR NON RESPONSE FOR THE LETTER OF COMPLAINT RAISED BY ME ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2013.
14.03.2014 LETTER SENT TO THE GAS COMPANY FOR TAKING MONEY BY DIRECT DEBIT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NO LONGER ENERY SUPPLIERS TO OUR COMPANY
17.03.2014 LETTER SENT TO GAS COMPANY GIVING DETAILS OF METER READINGS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WERE CHARGING FOR ENERGY THAT THEY NO LONGER SUPPLIED TO OUR COMPANY
03.04.2014 THE GAS COMPANY SENT A DEMAND OF £ 4700.80 AS TERMINATION CHARGES WITH AN ACCOUNTS SHEET WHICH MY ACCOUNTANT STUDIED AND FOUND ERREONEOUS AND NOT ACCEPTABLE
14.04.2014 A LETTER OF DEMAND WAS SENT TO GAS COMPANY ASKING FOR THE REFUND OF £20, 849.67 AS PER THE ACCOUNTANT’S SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS COPIES OF WHICH WERE FORWARDED TO GAS COMPANY. THE GAS COMPANY HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT IF THEY DO NOT SETTLE THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT OF £20, 849.67 WITHIN 30 DAYS LEGAL PROCEEDINGS WILL COMMENCE TO RECOVER THE MONEY WITH COSTS.
15.05.14 DEMAND FOR TERMINATION COST FOR ELECTRICITY RECEIVED FROM TGC. AS UP TO NOW NO SIGNED CONTRACT FOR ELECTRICITY WAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE CONTRACT WAS REQUESTED BY GRC.
AS I HAD NEVER SEEN OR RECEIVED AN ELECTRICITY CONTRACT FROM TGC I WROTE TO THEM ASKING FOR ONE. THEY WANTED 10 DAYS TO PRODUCE THE DOCUMENT.

20.05.14 AS I SUSPECTED THAT TGC HAD ALTERED THE ORGINAL PAPER SIGNED I DEMANDED TO SEE THE ORIGINALS WHICH THE TGC DECLINED TO PRODUCE.

dr A SEBASTIANPILLAI