Pucci Cafe & Wine Bar
How our forensic Energy Audit helped small business owners when an electricity account spiralled out of control
Project Summary
Pucci Cafe & Wine Bar had held responsibility for their electricity supply since January 2023, but they had persistent problems trying to get an accurate account of where their payments were up to.
Payments were always made when requested, yet the supplier kept demanding more money. Nothing made sense – electricity account statements didn’t always show payments made, supplier records were incomplete, and enforcement visits began while the premises were still under renovation.
Despite more than two decades of business experience, the owners found themselves overwhelmed by an account they believed they were managing. By the time Evolve Energy Green Solutions was asked to step in, the situation had become stressful, confusing and urgent.
They needed someone to piece together what the reality was from the evidence, explain what had actually happened, and take control before the restaurant’s imminent opening.
This was going to require a forensic energy audit. Find out more about what this is below.
The Challenge
The owners became responsible for the electricity supply in January 2023, but the supplier later confirmed the formal account was not created until November 2023. This ten-month administrative delay left the owners paying into a system that was not properly set up, through no fault of their own.
Electricity use during renovation was minimal, but large standing charges continued to build. Payments were made regularly, yet the owners noticed that they weren’t always credited to their electricity account. Some were logged, others weren’t, and one significant payment of £1,372.57 had been sent to bank details that the supplier said didn’t belong to them, despite being used for previous payments.
By April 2025, enforcement representatives had visited the premises, and prepayment action was being threatened.
The owners had been in business for more than 20 years, but unclear supplier communications, mismatched records and renovation pressure meant they didn’t reach out for help until the situation became critical.
The Results
Evolve started again from the evidence, not assumptions.
Our forensic energy audit was required, which goes far above and beyond our standard free audit. Though a free audit is normally thorough enough to resolve issues, that was unfortunately not the case here.
Bank statements, bills, prepayment statements, meter-credit entries and supplier correspondence were analysed and rebuilt into a clear timeline. Every payment was traced, every discrepancy logged, and every supplier error documented. We were able to:
- Rebuild 27 months of billing and payment history
- Verify 24 customer payments against available records
- Spend more than two hours on the first detailed supplier call, raising formal complaints and maintaining a clear evidence trail, taking over the management of the situation for the owners
- Escalate the unresolved complaint to the Energy Ombudsman and supply the required supporting information
- Identify that a £1,372.57 payment had been sent to incorrect bank details, enabling the owners to pursue recovery through their bank
- Confirm verified supplier payment details, supporting the move back to conventional billing and help establish a Direct Debit
This was not a simple tidy-up. It was a forensic reconstruction combined with persistent supplier management and calm guidance for owners who had been under pressure for months.
The owners received a clear, evidenced account history and a practical route forward. The supplier issued a written apology, credited £50 for customer-service shortcomings and acknowledged a clerical error that had delayed invoicing.
Later bills confirmed that conventional credit billing and regular Direct Debit collection had resumed.
With the account stabilised, Evolve continued to monitor the position to make sure everything stayed on track, which meant Pucci Cafe & Wine Bar could focus on the launch and their official opening.
Key Outcomes
- The full payment history was reconstructed, and supplier issues were separated from the misdirected bank payment
- The owners understood what action belonged to the supplier, the Ombudsman and their bank
- Normal account management was restored, and Evolve continued to monitor the position to make sure everything stayed on track
