Atlantic Electric&Gas Retrospective Price Increase - SURELY ILLEGAL?

KimYeovil

The price goes up. It goes up on the same date for everyone. It is silly (and unfair) and unmanageable for everybody to have their own rolling contract with their individual dates. Their computer systems (I concede) are dodgy enough as it is.

Instead of telling everyone by email or letter on that one day it is spread around over the usual quarterly billing cycle so that they only have to deal with one ninetieth of their customers each day. Or would you rather have your bills increase even more so that they can employ temporary staff to cover the enquiries? Or not get through to them for days on end? Or not be able to transfer out for an extra few weeks during the deluge?

To allow this the companies have 65 working days (ie three months including weekends) to inform you over the normal cycle. If you are not happy with the new prices you can switch to another company and pay the old prices. Or if you are very poor and only used so much gas because you thought it would be a certain price, again you can switch and only pay the old prices.

ph0u203d

KimYeovil wrote: »

How many times is this going to be brought up??? THE THREE MONTHS RULE IS IN THE CONSUMER'S FAVOUR. You have the opportunity to get between one and ninety three days energy at the pre-increase price. Bad luck if your bill coincides with the increase. Good news if it was two and a half months ago. Do you all genuinely not understand the reason and the reasonableness of the policy?

I take your point here. In most cases it does benefit the customer. So perhaps it would be better to introduce a sub-clause that allows customers to switch to a new tariff with the current supplier & benefit from the pre-increase prices up until this point?

Having said that, is it then likely that suppliers would stop bringing out new cheaper tariffs at the same time as increasing the prices on an exisiting tariff, and instead wait until the 65 day period had expired.

heywood_2

Cardew wrote: »

How doesn't it answer your question?

Ofgem recently made a ruling that Energy companies had 65 working days(which is 13 weeks - 3 months) to formally notify their customers after they had increased prices.

What is it you don't understand?

Just that it simply didn't tell me what the 3 month rule was. But the post above does - thanks very much

Money_Man

Mmm slightly confused reading this thread. Atlantic sent me the same letter yesterday too but i think the concensus is that they are within their rights and I may actually benefit in any case? I pay a monthly amount to them, £30 for gas and £34 for electric.

[Deleted User]

Hi, and thanks to everyone for teh posts. It's cleared a lot up in mind and perhaps saving me a call to Atlantic that's pretty pointless, as they seem to be within their rights.

I have a slightly more complicated situation in that i have questioned the accuracy of my meter, and thats being swapped out on Monday for testing and a new one fitted, which will take 6 weeks overall. Due to my questions srrounding the meter, my DD hasnt increased and therefore there are some arrears on my account which i will of couse pay if teh meter comes back as being accurate.

CLearly though i am unable to move away form Atlantic until this is completed.....taking me outside the 14 day rule to move......any advice as i cant think of how to get around the problem...?

grumpy_oldman

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but not to the site, so I just wanted to let you know what happened to me in case it helps anyone else. I received a letter from Atlantic today along with many others. They bill me for gas and electricity. I have been with them for 23 months now and have been satisfied with the overall package including the annual loyalty credits and their service. Point 1) I always use the freephone number 0800 052 5252. Although it is supposed to be for SWALEC customers, anyone can use it as long as they have their 10 digit customer number to punch in (and plenty of patience waiting for the call to be answered in the first place). Still, it's free OK? Point 2) Calling Atlantic wasn't pointless for me because I explained that I was not happy about receiving a bill that was effectively a guesstimate. The pleasant young lady called Claire, said that if I had meter readings handy, which I did, she would ensure that I was only charged the new rate from these readings today. She also calculated how much the overcharge would have been for the period 25th August to today and posted credits to my account that will appear on my next statement, to balance everything out. The total credit amount was over £50. The fact is that the Regulator has given them the ability to wait up to 65 working days to notify us of an increase THIS MEANS THAT THE REGULATOR IS NOT WORKING IN THE INTERESTS OF THE CONSUMER and something should be done about that! However, I believe that the treatment that I received was fair under the circumstances and I will continue to use Atlantic for the moment.

matty2767

i had the same letter.

although when the rise took place on the 25th August i contacted them with the readings at that time. when i look through the bill which i also received today the split is different in their favour. i will be ringing them on monday as well.

Cardew

grumpy_oldman wrote: »

I was only charged the new rate from these readings today. She also calculated how much the overcharge would have been for the period 25th August to today and posted credits to my account that will appear on my next statement, to balance everything out. The total credit amount was over £50.

The fact is that the Regulator has given them the ability to wait up to 65 working days to notify us of an increase THIS MEANS THAT THE REGULATOR IS NOT WORKING IN THE INTERESTS OF THE CONSUMER and something should be done about that! However, I believe that the treatment that I received was fair under the circumstances and I will continue to use Atlantic for the moment.

Welcome to the forum.

I am not sure I understand the points you are making.

The young lady charged you at the new rate from today's meter readings and not the estimated readings on 25 August. - excellent, so you have had an extra 7 weeks consumption at the old tariff rate.

So why have you been given compensation of £50+ for the difference between old and new prices from 25 Aug, when you haven't paid at the new rate.

Are you sure you have not misunderstood and you will get one or the other - £50+ compensation OR charged the new rate from today's meter reading?

I suspect that it will be the former i.e. the £50?

Also as explained in both threads on this subject, the up to 65 working days formal notification works in favour of the customer and was brought in by the Regulator for that reason. It means you can get up to 4 months at the old tariff rate.

The rises are covered in all the media and come into force for all customers on the same day. In the unlikely event you didn't receive that news and don't like the increase, you can move supplier and pay the old rates until you have moved.

Perhaps you can suggest a fairer way of implementing price rises?

ic

Of course anybody jumping ship (as is their right) would also lose their month's discount, which is applied annually - so leaving might not work out so well. I too have received the letter and may ring to complain.

Megabusymum

Hello, I'm sorry to be so dim but I've read so much I've confused myself.

I was an Atlantic customer, got the increase letter yesterday and swapped to Click6 this morning.

Am I correct in thinking I will be charged the pre-increase price on the bills that close my gas and electricy accounts with them?