Customer service

[Wicksey]

There have been numurous postings over the years about customer service here, or the lack of it. I think things have improved but Energiaxxi, formerly Endesa, still have a lot to learn.

Our power went off about 9.30pm on Thursday and still wasn't on the next morning. So began the saga of firstly even trying to get to speak to someone on their breakdown number. Thank goodness it's a free number as I must have rung a dozen times and finally learned that shouting 'avería' at every moment the recorded message went quiet, I finally got to speak to a human being.

I first rang about 9.30am, and then again at lunchtime to be told the engineers were working on it. Still no further contact or power so at 5.30pm I rang and was told it had been fixed at lunchtime The lady I spoke to was very apologetic when she heard that we (and the neighbours) were still without electricity. It was only then that the engineers rang. Why they cannot locate our meter without us having to get in the car and meet them to bring them to the house I'm not sure. Eventually power was restored at 7.30 pm after 22 hours. What a palava and a whole day of hanging around and phoning to chase them up.

I have now lodged my claim for the two freezer's worth of soggy food so we'll see how we get on with that

Funny thing was that, after we'd had the electricity on for a while, the neighbours here on holiday contacted us as theirs still wasn't on. The engineers had disappeared without checking all was OK so the neighbour got out his own equipment and started checking his meter and fuses and I think he fixed it himself somehow

On a positive note, hats off to Movistar whose PAYG SIM I had recently bought just as a spare second one in our UK phone. It had somehow switched onto data when the phone was turned on in the UK despite the fact I was told it was just a very basic phone/text SIM when I bought it. Data was switched off on the phone so it seemed to do this and take 4€ of my credit all by itself. Very impressed with Movistar customer service who replied immediately to my email, to say they had switched off the data facility on the SIM and refunded my 4€. Not a huge sum I know but a prompt and positive result .

[Wicksey]

Well ... not unexpected but this is the reply I have received:
Having analyzed the content of the same, we regret to inform you that, due to the circumstances described and by the technical information available, we cannot consider ourselves responsible for any inconveniences you may have suffered." In this case, and as you have seen, they tell us that they have not found any technical cause that may have affected their supply.

Funny how a power cut for 22 hours affecting a number of houses wasn't their fault. In fact one of our neighbours came to their cortijo the following Tuesday, 4 days later, and then said they still didn't have power and called out Endesa themselves.

I've asked for the complaints book but not sure if that works with them. Any other suggestions

[maureenscot]

There is an EU service similar to consumer advice in UK. Cannot remember what it is called. Apparently it is little used as little known about, hmm. But it must be on some .gov or EU website

[Beachcomber]

Try your insurance company.

The control panel of my generator was damaged during a thunderstorm a couple of years ago. Endesa denied responsibility but the insurance company paid out and asked us if we would instigate a court case against them using the insurance company's own lawyers and at no expense to ourselves.

A year or so later we were summoned to a hearing at a court in Málaga. The case was heard and it was all over within a few minutes. A week or so later the insurance company wrote to say that we had won the case and Endesa were ordered to recompense the insurance company for their payout together with costs and interests of about €450 which the insurance company split with us half and half.

I think we also made a report to OMIC at the town hall but I cannot remember for sure.

[Wicksey]

I'd forgotten that you can usually claim for lost freezer food through the contents insurance. I did it a couple of times in the UK but have never needed to since living in Spain. I contacted Liberty and I am waiting to hear back. Problem is they want photos and I didn't take any, so not sure if I can claim now.