Following my dad's death in September, I finally set the wheels in motion in January, on my mum's behalf, to have their energy account transferred from Dad's name to Mum's. The first person I spoke to was great. She took a lot of details, and passed them on to the bereavement department. Since then, it has been all downhill. I had a phone call from the bereavement dept. It was explained that the old account would be closed and a new one opened in my mum's name. To all intent and purpose, it is still the same account, as the contract will still end on the same date.
Anyway, this person said that they would need to see the death certificate, but a photo/scan would do. She would send me an email to which i could then reply with said copy. No email came. Suspecting that they might not have my email address correct (given over the phone), I sent them an email with a copy anyway. I know it arrived as i got back the generic automated message. Still didn't hear from them, and sent another email a couple of weeks later. Still nothing.
Went on live chat, and the representative did all he could to answer my queries, but in the end it boiled down to things that only the bereavement dept. could answer, and he asked if it would be ok if they contacted me. Ten days or more later, still nothing!
Now, today, my mum has had a letter from First Utility, and IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE APPLIED £60 EXIT FEES (£30 for gas and electricity) FOR CLOSING A DECEASED PERSON'S ACCOUNT!
I am tearing my hair out with this company, and now have to sort this out for my mum, though she will have to post the letter on to me first. Why the f* did they need to 'close' the account in the first place - would it really have been too difficult for them just to change over the name?
