The nightmare with First Utility continues. I had a call from a debt collection agency, no less, this morning. Cue long phone conversation with the debt collectors, first, and then with First Utility Customer Service. Of the two ghost accounts which were supposed to have been deleted, one had been and the other one hadn't. To top it all, FU didn't invoice me for October and on the web site it appears like I am paying 'by direct debit' but I have set up no direct debit and they most certainly haven't got my bank details. I have never seen anything like this, a mess of such legendary proportions. Time after time I am told that this time things will get sorted out, I will get billed normally and it will all be ok. I daren't leave the supplier whilst the situation with the ghost accounts still exists -a neighbour is in that situation and it gets even more horribly tangled.

So I spoke to nice lady at FU Customer Services -at some length; the call must have lasted perhaps half an hour- and she said the problem with the remaining ghost account would be sorted out today, the strange thing about a direct debit which I haven't set up doesn't mean anything and will have no repercussions. Well, I hope so, although given the history of my 'relationship' with First Utility...

Tags: first utility, first utility fiasco, kafkaesque nightmares, life