Bold, punchy and vibrant, the premium beers produced by craft brewer Two by Two Brewing along with a dazzling taproom, have won legions of fans. But its efforts to sort out an energy bill problem have fallen repeatedly flat.
Then getting a debt collector’s letter, despite having already paid, did not go down well with the family firm based in Newcastle’s Wallsend.
Now however it’s ‘Cheers!’ all round, with the payments fairly sorted out and a special toast for company secretary Rod MacLeod, whose son Robert is managing director of the business launched in 2014.
++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on maisha.frost@express.co.uk
It was Rod who contacted Crusader recently asking for help after hitting a brick wall with supplier ScottishPower. He had also contacted its collection agency LCS which had correctly referred him back to the power provider.
But, thanks to his immaculate record keeping and timeline, getting to the bottom of what had gone became much easier for everyone involved.
A combination of problems led to the dispute that surfaced as the company moved units and energy supplier this year. The crux of the matter concerned overpayment on the company’s electricity account.
This happened after a communications overlap just before it left, as well as a debit, based on an estimated charge for gas although Two by Two never used gas.
Rod was also most unhappy with the late payment and debt referral charges, asking: “How can these be right and reasonable when we have made a duplicate payment?
“I have done everything in my power to provide an explanation with evidence of our case. My points were looked at in isolation, getting continuity was difficult.”
The sum at issue was £112. These days every penny counts for small businesses and besides the brewery needed to have it sorted for its accounts.
Since we highlighted the problem, wires have been uncrossed and action taken regarding the payments covering the final bill, plus Two by Two Brewing has received a £50 goodwill gesture.
Although it was rattled by the debt collection letter, there has now been confirmation that no default note was placed on the account.
When consumers and businesses receive a debt demand that is then dropped, it is always important for them to check their credit rating too to ensure no adverse marks have crept in.
A ScottishPower spokesperson said: “We’re sorry for the inconvenience Mr McLeod has experienced. We have resolved the issue, closed his account and have made a goodwill payment in recognition. We appreciate his patience whilst we worked on a resolution.”
Crusader received warm thanks from the brewery for our help and we say Viva! Two by Two, whose cans and unit are sights to behold featuring standout Latin-style graphics as stunning as the beers themselves, unique flavour-bombs that showcase hops from around the world. www.twobytwobrewing.com
