Opus vows to up its game
Electricity supplier Opus Energy has revamped its sales and pricing policies for licensees, following a torrent of complaints about the company to the Morning Advertiser.
The major changes were revealed at a meeting with Opus managing director Charlie Crossley Cooke and MA journalist John Harrington at the company's offices in Northampton.
Opus, which has about 5,000 pub customers, has already acted to help six licensees whose plight was highlighted by the MA to the company before the meeting (see box).
The action marks a victory in the MA's Action on Energy Rogues campaign because it shows a major energy firm has promised to take steps to ensure mis-selling of energy contracts does not occur.
Under the changes, Opus has banned its salesmen from giving estimates on monthly bills at the point of sale.
Hosts will be told the unit rate and standing charge, and bills will be calculated on monthly meter readings. Opus expects this to remove any confusion about how much licensees will pay.
The company hopes it will also avoid the situation where bills rocket after a few months because estimates are inaccurate and hefty "reconciliation" charges are added.
Opus also said that it will pay for energy-saving Smart Meters at its pubs, at a cost of £5m. The company said that Smart Meters will enable it to take real-time meter readings remotely, saving the customer the hassle of needing to submit their own meter readings and ensuring bills are more accurate.
Opus has promised not to pass on increased charges from the National Grid to customers, costing the supplier a further £1.5m.
Opus also said it has added 50 extra customer service staff in the past year and that 90% of calls are currently answered within 30 seconds.
A spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses said: "Pub owners should not settle for poor service and should arrange contracts that allow them to go elsewhere if they don't get it. That is how free and fair competition works.
"Opus appears to be recognising this reality and the company has taken steps to address the concerns customers have raised."
Licensees find relief from opus difficulties
Licensees whose difficulties with Opus were detailed to the supplier before the meeting have thanked the Morning Advertiser after the firm acted to resolve problems.
Opus reduced Bill Skehan's rates from 9.85p to 6.65p per kWh and offered a rebate of 8% on bills paid since his contract began last February. His bills have varied between £400 and £1,200 during this period.
Skehan - of Skehans Free House, New Cross, London - had ordered CDs of his verbal contract with Opus but said these were blank.
"I've had a good result," he said. "I wouldn't have known what to do if it wasn't for the MA."
Liz Hardon said an agent promised bills would amount to £244 but they peaked at £1,097. She has received several demands for additional payments, including one for more than £5,000 in May, even after Opus said letters were sent in error.
Hardon, of the Runswick Bay Hotel in Whitby, North Yorkshire, said Opus has promised to carry out a meter accuracy test on 3 September and her rate will be adjusted after that. Opus also agreed to reduce her account deficit from £5,000 to £3,000.
Hardon said the meter was charging for unused storage heaters. "I've been vindicated," she said. "I knew there was no way I was using £1,000 [of power] a month.
"I'm more than grateful to the MA for stepping in. I wasn't getting anywhere before I got in touch with the MA."
Barbara Moylan of the Red Bull, Stoke-on-Trent, paid her last instalment in June, as requested by Opus. Three demands for payment were sent since then, but Moylan said demands have now stopped.
Two other licensees - Mike Thomas of the Rising Sun, in Plymouth, Devon, and Lawrence White, of the Horse & Groom, in Dartford, Kent - have adopted a "wait and see" attitude to Opus's concessions. The sixth licensee was unavailable for comment.
Direct contact for MA readers
Opus has also set up a dedicated email address for MA readers. Last month Crossley Cooke said complaints from MA readers would be dealt with "as an absolute priority". Readers were told they could email him personally or call customer care and say they read the MA. Complaints can now be sent to zn@bchfraretl.pbz - or call the customer care team on 0800 630 0841.
