amideislas

Endesa Extortion Update
In May of this year, Endesa (as usual) 'estimado' overbilled us €974.52 for the months of March and April 2011. We were forced to stop direct debit from Endesa several years ago for exactly this reason - so they can no longer extract their outrageous over-estimated bills from our account and refuse to credit or refund the difference.

Anyway, again, as usual, our actual meter reading was far below their estimate, so as usual, I took it in and gave them the correct meter readings, and disputed the bill. And as usual, a "Justificante del Expediente" was issued, and the new 'corrected' bill (which arrived in June) was now, €160.92. We paid it that day, filed the bank receipt, and this chapter closed.. or so we thought....

Re-bill at a higher rate, demand full payment again
In July, Endesa decided to re-bill March and April at a higher rate (same meter readings, but new factura number). New factura: €198.34. SAME dates and meter readings, just at a slightly higher per-kilowatt rate, and with a new factura number.

Obviously I didn't waste any time disputing this one - I submitted a dispute and the entire history of the billing of these months, along with the bank receipt for payment. Another "Justificante del Expediente" was issued.

Dispute rejected
A week later we get a notice in the mail stating that our dispute has been rejected and we must pay the €198.34, since the previously paid €160.92 was for a different factura (although both are billing for exactly the same dates and meter readings) Again, I filed another dispute.

Disconnection notice
At the end of August, we received a notice that unless we pay the €198.34 before end of October, they will disconnect our service. I filed another complaint / dispute. In September, we again received a notice that our dispute has been rejected.

The cutoff
Yesterday, Endesa cut off our electricity for non-payment of the (new) factura for €198.34, for the months of March and April, 2011, which we paid and have indisputable proof of, but which Endesa firmly chooses to reject.

Endesa claims that we must pay the full amount on this (new) invoice to have our electricity reconnected. There will be no credit or refund for the re-payment of exactly the same dates and meter readings, because we have stopped direct debit (which apparently excuses Endesa from any type of refund or credit for customers overpaying, even if forced to overpay through extortionist tactics).

Even though our abogado agrees that it's extortion, he also is quick to point out how much cheaper it will be to pay it than take them to court over it. He all but refuses to take legal action. So, I guess we'll have to pay it again.

Morale of the story
Welcome to the wholly corrupt and criminal world of energy in Spain.

Even if your protect yourself by cancelling or blocking direct debit, they will get their money in other ways, such as in this case, double-billing for same period and using disconnection to extort it from you.

Every politician, court and legal authority is fully complicit. Apparently, there's nothing you can do about it.

Chiclanagir

This is a terrible story. Can you put in a denuncia and I would certainly change your lawyer and go to Court.

snikpoh

I too would change lawyer.

However, I suspect that he is correct in that it will be cheaper to settle the bill rather than go to court

Have you tried changing supplier? It's supposed to be a free market now so why not try Iberdrola for example?

amideislas

Well, we've been told (from many directions) that all utility companies in Spain are all the same.

Apparently, the way the utility game works in Spain is that any utility company simply cannot operate in Spain without being extremely well-connected in politics (friends in high places, payoffs, legal shuffling, etc.).

One couple we know who was shafted by Endesa for nearly €5000 in overcharges took the initiative to spend nearly €10K in legal fees, and - after two and half years - finally won their case, and ultimately received a settlement of about €7000 from Endesa. So they only lost about €3000 in the battle (it could be argued they actually lost €8000 if you do the basic math).

Before taking Endesa to court, they switched to Iberdrola and now say they are still getting the same nonsensical runaround. Overbilling, double-billing, difficult to contact anyone, long drive to the nearest Iberdrola office, long queues, disputes are ignored, and it's still difficult, if not impossible to get credit or refund, etc.

Upside to switching:
Admittedly, many have told us that the Iberdrola online system actually functions without invariably going into some obscure and unrecoverable error state, and actually allows you to view and manage your account, unlike Endesaonline, which is prone to failure, and is basically useless for anything resembling 'managing' your account.

So, if we plan to stay in Spain (the corruption in the utility companies would be the only factor making us seriously consider selling up and getting out), I suppose we should pick the lesser of the two evils...

evamar

Try El Defensor del Pueblo, telling them that your constitutional right to a "vivienda digna" has been attacked as they have cut your energy without reason.

I would go to your Oficina Local de Consumo, and if you don't have one locally, go to the Instituto de Consumo. If they receive enough number of complaints they will start an official investigation and can force Endesa to return money and change their systems.

OK, this is funny, just found out that endesa has its own "defensor del cliente"!!!
http://www.defensordelcliente.endesa.es/defcl/index.jsf

amideislas

Thanks, Evamar!!!

I tried the Endesa link.. and filed yet another complaint (in the mean time I was forced to succumb to their extortion and pay their double-billing just to get my power back on!)

Amazingly, it actually worked without crashing (as the rest of Endesa's online forms always do).

We shall see if they attempt to solve the problem or just decide to try to give me yet another excuse why this extortion is justified.

Next stop: Oficina Local de Consumo, or failing that, new Abogado.

Thanks again...

--ami

Chiclanagir

Have tried once again to get online billing as our paper statements seem to have once again dried up. At the moment it is the NIE that is the stopping point although I am copying it exactly as it is on an old bill.

bobd22

I get my bills online set it up a while ago now so can't remember any problems or tips I'm afraid. For some reason even though I have it on line and get the email to say I have a new bill to view, whenever I am over I have the paper bills in the post box. I have just looked at the site and noticed there is now a new link to a online office in english.

Chiclanagir

Found that but it still doesn´t like the NIE No. There is also a "Help" form to fill in if you have a problem.......but it won´t send until you have put in your NIE No!! Grrrr.

bobd22

I do have in the back of my head something telling me I had a similar problem? I got the answer either from on here or andelucia.com? I think it was either leave blank (cant see that though) or if there is a NIF box put NIE in there?

EsuriJohn

I think when I got online I had to drop the 0 at the beginning of my NIE Number.

bobd22

Errrrrm that may be it I know there was a little trick but 4 years ago now

Chiclanagir

But there is no 0 on mine!

Kath Las Colinas

I had problems with the NIE too; I kept getting told to enter a valid number even though I was entering it correctly. I then tried registering using the passport number instead of the NIE. I received an email asking for an electronic copy of the NIE which I sent. This was accepted and I can now access the online site without further problems. It is worth a try ...

Kath

bobd22

I have just checked and searched on andalucia.com. There is mention there of putting nie without hyphons or spaces, also putting the passport number in iñplace of the nie as Kath says I think that could be how I got around it?