Midway through switch to Click Energy 5

classact_2

I'm one of several who were previously on npower Sign Online 8 which had a massive price increase of over 100% at the end of August 2008 for electricity. Like many I decided to switch to British Gas Click Energy 5 Online despite knowing that the tariff was also due to receive a price increase. I am midway through the switch and have had a couple of letters from British Gas, including one detailing the then Click Energy 5 prices. Obviously after reading this forum I am aware that British Gas Click Energy 5 has recently received a price increase and British Gas Click Enery 6 is now available and also better value that the new British Gas Click Energy 5 prices (but not the old).

I haven't received notice from British Gas that the Click Energy 5 prices detailed in the letters I have received are no longer current. Therefore, just as I did with npower, I am going to wait until I am informed in writing or by telephone that they are no longer current and then exercise my right to switch again. When I informed npower that I wished to switch, I stated that I expected to receive the original pre-increase Sign Online 8 prices up until I switched. Today npower rung me and tried their hardest to convince me to stay, even stating that npower Sign Online 13 is better value than British Gas Click Energy 6 for gas (which is correct!). However unbeknown to them, I am still under contract with British Gas for their old Click Energy 5 prices which are better value than the new Click Energy 6 prices. The npower representative tried to get me to just switch my electricity but I told him that I absolutely wanted to switch both and if I found out that npower gas was cheaper (which it will be when British Gas inform me of the Click Energy 5 price change) then I'd switch that back again.

I'm someone who is happy to switch and switch and switch again, riding the online variable tariffs rather than price fixing.

I will be interested to see if/how/when British Gas inform me of the Click Energy 5 price changes given that I have not yet switched to them. Woe betide them if they fail to do so and just switch me to the current Click Energy 5 prices rather than those stated in the letter next to me (assuming I hear nothing about it).

Who else is in this boat?

lowbrim

I am and not a happy bunny!!! and it looks like British gas have no intention of telling us the price has increased they are just going to charge us the higher price. This is one for governement, OFGEM but my guess is as usual we are on our own to fight our individual cases. My guess is that there are many thousandsof people who switched to click 5 unaware that the prices have increased as BG introduced click 6 at the same time giving you the impression that click 5 had been replaced but the prices remained the same as when you signed up!

1carminestocky

(Whispers) There are loads of British Gas employees who post on here incognito so be careful out there Speaking from experience of all of the Big 6 energy suppliers, BG are the absolute worst of the lot (in fact, I would go so far as to say they are they worst company in ANY sector I've ever dealt with). This practice of regularly superseding the click products (SIX new ones in 2 years!!) and leaving their loyal customers on the old, uncompetitive tariff to help pay for the new, switching-site friendly Click tariff is IMO nothing short of sharp practice and how on earth the regulator hasn't stopped it leaves me speechless.

OFGEM!!! WAKEY WAKEY!! STOP THIS PRACTICE NOW!! MERELY TALKING ABOUT IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!

lowbrim

1carminestocky wrote: »

(Whispers) There are loads of British Gas employees who post on here incognito so be careful out there Speaking from experience of all of the Big 6 energy suppliers, BG are the absolute worst of the lot (in fact, I would go so far as to say they are they worst company in ANY sector I've ever dealt with). This practice of regularly superseding the click products (SIX new ones in 2 years!!) and leaving their loyal customers on the old, uncompetitive tariff to help pay for the new, switching-site friendly Click tariff is IMO nothing short of sharp practice and how on earth the regulator hasn't stopped it leaves me speechless.

OFGEM!!! WAKEY WAKEY!! STOP THIS PRACTICE NOW!! MERELY TALKING ABOUT IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!

I agree but this time British Gas seem to have excelled themselves they have increased the price of Click 5 at the same time as introducing click 6 but not told the customers that signed up for it and do not seem to have any intention of doing so..

Woodgnome_2

I am also in the same boat. My Gas and Elecy changed from Eon to BG click 5 yesterday. Are we legally entitled to the old Click 5 prices until we receive written notice of the increases from BG? Looking at posts and other threads it seems to be a bit of a grey area.

lowbrim

I have just gone onto the consumer direct website and written a complaint on this issue.

British Gas are just taking us all for a ride. They pay the measly fines they are issued with and then just carry on in with there underhand ways. Its about time OFGEM started issuing big fines and distributing them to the customers (say £50/customer) that way they would take some notice. the fines so far are less the the Chief Execs salary and you can guarantee they will be tax deductable!!

This is the website if anyone feels upto complaining I know its a pain and will probably have no affect but if enough people do it you never know! http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact?action=complain

lowbrim

Woodgnome wrote: »

I am also in the same boat. My Gas and Elecy changed from Eon to BG click 5 yesterday. Are we legally entitled to the old Click 5 prices until we receive written notice of the increases from BG? Looking at posts and other threads it seems to be a bit of a grey area.

Yes I am not sure as I said I spoke to them not sure if that was the right thing to do! They told me it was in there tems & conditions that they did not have to which I find difficult to believe. But I have nowswitchedto Click 6 online which I am not happy about hence the complaint to Consumer Direct for what good it will do.

1carminestocky

I've left a messgae regarding this on Ofgem' Consumer affairs answerphone (020 7901 7295 ). It would appear Ofgem don't want any real contact with the great unwashed as ConsumerFocus' tel number is plastered all over their site, but I don't think it would do any harm if we all left Ofgem a message to get back to us and explain what they intend to do about this appallingly shady practice. I know it was briefly mentioned in their recent whitewash, sorry, report into the industry but I'm determined to see them sort this practice out by outlawing it immediately. Light regulation by the FSA got us into the sorry mess that is the banking industry, Ofgem are if anything even lighter regulators. If they won't get their hands dirty get someone in who will. Maybe let Allan Asher head up a new REGULATORY body?

lowbrim

1carminestocky wrote: »

I've left a messgae regarding this on Ofgem' Consumer affairs answerphone (020 7901 7295 ). It would appear Ofgem don't want any real contact with the great unwashed as ConsumerFocus' tel number is plastered all over their site, but I don't think it would do any harm if we all left Ofgem a message to get back to us and explain what they intend to do about this appallingly shady practice. I know it was briefly mentioned in their recent whitewash, sorry, report into the industry but I'm determined to see them sort this practice out by outlawing it immediately. Light regulation by the FSA got us into the sorry mess that is the banking industry, Ofgem are if anything even lighter regulators. If they won't get their hands dirty get someone in who will. Maybe let Allan Asher head up a new REGULATORY body?

I have just got through to OFGEM (after you supplying their number I was expecting a answerphone! but someone picked it up) with regard to our discussion and they have told me that BG have 65days to inform us of a price increase and it "must" be in writing. On receipt of the notification we then have 10 days to inform them that we are changing supplier and if we do this we do not pay the increased price whilst the transfer to the new supplier takes place.

I am now kicking myself for transferring to Click 6!! if this turns out to be correct. In fact if I had not looked on this site i would not have known the prices had increased and would potentially have been better off. Lesson learned!!!

Cardew

lowbrim wrote: »

I have just got through to OFGEM (after you supplying their number I was expecting a answerphone! but someone picked it up) with regard to our discussion and they have told me that BG have 65days to inform us of a price increase and it "must" be in writing. On receipt of the notification we then have 10 days to inform them that we are changing supplier and if we do this we do not pay the increased price whilst the transfer to the new supplier takes place.

I am now kicking myself for transferring to Click 6!! if this turns out to be correct. In fact if I had not looked on this site i would not have known the prices had increased and would potentially have been better off. Lesson learned!!!

It is certainly correct that on receipt of the formal notification from BG(incidentally they have 65 working days - 13 weeks) you can leave BG and get the pre-increase rate.

However Click 6 still seems to be the cheapest tariff for most people. Although you could have moved to another supplier and then back to Click 6 I suppose.

1carminestocky

lowbrim wrote: »

I have just got through to OFGEM (after you supplying their number I was expecting a answerphone! but someone picked it up) with regard to our discussion and they have told me that BG have 65days to inform us of a price increase and it "must" be in writing. On receipt of the notification we then have 10 days to inform them that we are changing supplier and if we do this we do not pay the increased price whilst the transfer to the new supplier takes place.

I am now kicking myself for transferring to Click 6!! if this turns out to be correct. In fact if I had not looked on this site i would not have known the prices had increased and would potentially have been better off. Lesson learned!!!

It IS correct, but the reason I got in touch with them was I want them to actually outlaw the practice of the Click products being superseded all the time, leaving existing loyal customers paying an uncompetitive tariff.