Opus complaints rise again

Complaints about electricity supplier Opus Energy are continuing to stream into The Publican from frustrated licensees.

Opus claims it has introduced measures to "better address customer concerns" and the energy watchdog said inquiries about the company have slowed. Despite this, problems for pubs still remain.

Rosemary Caldwell, licensee at the Old White Swan in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, said it has been "nearly three years of hell" dealing with Opus. She wrote to the company on June 28 asking to end her contract, but is yet to receive a reply.

In the first year Ms Caldwell faced a deficit of £3,986.13. Opus wanted to take £2,000 a month for three months to make up the deficit, she said. But her next statement showed she was in credit by £4,216.82.

"No-one understands the figures, not even my accountant," she said.

Licensee Lee Baxter signed up with Opus on a direct debit scheme in April 2004 at his pub in Clanfield, Oxfordshire.

When he decided to sell the Clanfield Arms he discovered he was nearly £3,445.87 in credit. The sale was completed last month, but he was told he would incur a £500 charge for not giving 45 days notice.

"I informed them in February I was selling the pub, but they said they had no record of the phone call," he said.

A spokesman for Opus said it was continuing to work to resolve any issues with its service. He said: "New measures have resulted in complaints about Opus Energy to Energywatch falling dramatically, something which the consumer watchdog has called stunning and unprecedented."

Energywatch confirmed the number of complaints has dropped.

The Publican was first to highlight issues with Opus and successfully intervened in a case involving licensee Paul Blyth, who was being charged 'out of contract rates' for five months, which totalled almost £7,000.