Delivery problems, excessive invoices, “totally outdated” customer service… In one year, several hundred customers of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplier have used the services of Olivier Challan Belval.
The clouds are accumulating for customers of Primagaz, supplier of butane, propane and biogas in bottles or tanks and LPG. To the point that the Energy Mediator decided to make the subject public.
Since the fall of 2023, Primagaz customers have been penalized by the change in Primagaz’s information system, explains the Mediator, who draws up a long list of problems for which he was contacted: “delivery difficulties initially, failure to activate or terminate contracts, unregistered meters, absence of invoices, blocking of direct debits, inaccessible customer area, incomprehensible or excessive invoices, non-reimbursement of overpayments, etc. ».
Several hundred people have appealed to the Mediator due to a dispute with their supplier and their difficulty in contacting him. “Since January 1, 2024, more than 500 consumers have reported to my Energie-Info information service and 245 have requested my intervention in mediation,” underlines Olivier Challan Belval, national energy mediator, in a letter sent on October 28, 2024 at Primagaz. Despite my repeated alerts to Primagaz services, I see no improvement. (…) It seems completely abnormal to me that, despite the seriousness of the situation which continues, no additional means are dedicated to resolving these problems, in particular to strengthen your customer service which is clearly totally outdated.
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Responses that do not live up to expectations
Olivier Challan Belval decided to make this letter public after receiving a response, on November 12, which did not meet his expectations. Jan Schouwenaar, CEO of Primagaz, explains the technical reasons which caused these difficulties – a change in accounting and customer management software – and emphasizes that his company is also experiencing, “a significant financial impact”. The Mediator now asks the management of Primagaz “to strengthen the means implemented so that all of its customers’ billing problems are resolved before the end of the year, that they are compensated for their losses, and that payment facilities are granted to them when they need it”.
Like the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Mediator has therefore decided to give the names of companies which do not respect their commitments.
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