Southern Electric came to the door today - their actions are disgraceful!

blue_monkey_2

I had a guy come to the door today from SE and he informed me (via his clipboard and the blank space next to the address) that I was not getting 'the fuel benefits I was entitled to and that I could claim then back today and get a rebate'. He then went on to ask who supplies, I said Scootish Power (I just switched) and he then said because my fuel company is from Germany I am paying too much as we on a European rate and I could get a rebate if I filled in the forms today. All he kept on saying was that I could have a rebate as I was paying too much and was not on the 'preffered rate for being in the UK'.

I asked who I would be getting my fuel from, he said the same place I do now but I could get be benefiting from the rebate.

I asked how I would get this 'rebate' and he said he would read my meter today and the I'd get the perferential rate.

After I asked him twice, the penny dropped......

I said 'so I'll be switching'. He said 'no, you'll be applying for your rebate because you are on the European Rate, you need to get the UK rate'. I said but who am I going to be paying?'. He said 'well, you are paying the European Rate now (while tapping the SP and German sign on his board) and you will get a rebate as you are not on the perferencial rate.

I said 'so I'll be switching?'. He said no, you'll be getting your rebate. I said but who will I be paying. Tapping the board the UK/SE sign on his board he said 'you'll be paying them but will get your fuel from the same place you do now'.

So, I said, I will be switching to Southern Electric then, I'll be paying Southern Electric so that means I'll be switching.

He said 'well, yes, I guess you will but you'll be getting your rebate.

I said no. I had just switched and was not going to risk my £72 cashback for the promise of £7.20 rebate.

Anyway, what p*ssed me off more is that he called for the lady who lived here before us and she is in her 80's and had alzheimers, the lady down the road is in her 90's and he was knocking on her door too. I am really annoyed that these people have some sort of licence to go around cold calling on people like this - especially the elderly - and switching them by the promise of 'rebates' without actually telling them they are switching. It stinks!!

Are they allowed to do this because I will report it if I can. Surely switching should be sold as just that, not by the promise of rebates and the like. Discraceful behaviour in my opinion!!

Cardew

Some of the actions of these doorstep salesmen are despicable and there are some real scum operating.

I am afraid it is what happens when commission is virtually the sole renumeration.

If you have his name or details(time/place/description) report him. You will get the usual platitudes and/or denials and nothing will be done. The next day he will be selling for NPower/BG/ etc as most work for an agency.

WhySoHard_2

They are Satan.

xplora

blue_monkey wrote: »

I had a guy come to the door today from SE and he informed me (via his clipboard and the blank space next to the address) that I was not getting 'the fuel benefits I was entitled to and that I could claim then back today and get a rebate'. He then went on to ask who supplies, I said Scootish Power (I just switched) and he then said because my fuel company is from Germany I am paying too much as we on a European rate and I could get a rebate if I filled in the forms today. All he kept on saying was that I could have a rebate as I was paying too much and was not on the 'preffered rate for being in the UK'.

I asked who I would be getting my fuel from, he said the same place I do now but I could get be benefiting from the rebate.

I asked how I would get this 'rebate' and he said he would read my meter today and the I'd get the perferential rate.

After I asked him twice, the penny dropped......

I said 'so I'll be switching'. He said 'no, you'll be applying for your rebate because you are on the European Rate, you need to get the UK rate'. I said but who am I going to be paying?'. He said 'well, you are paying the European Rate now (while tapping the SP and German sign on his board) and you will get a rebate as you are not on the perferencial rate.

I said 'so I'll be switching?'. He said no, you'll be getting your rebate. I said but who will I be paying. Tapping the board the UK/SE sign on his board he said 'you'll be paying them but will get your fuel from the same place you do now'.

So, I said, I will be switching to Southern Electric then, I'll be paying Southern Electric so that means I'll be switching.

He said 'well, yes, I guess you will but you'll be getting your rebate.

I said no. I had just switched and was not going to risk my £72 cashback for the promise of £7.20 rebate.

Anyway, what p*ssed me off more is that he called for the lady who lived here before us and she is in her 80's and had alzheimers, the lady down the road is in her 90's and he was knocking on her door too. I am really annoyed that these people have some sort of licence to go around cold calling on people like this - especially the elderly - and switching them by the promise of 'rebates' without actually telling them they are switching. It stinks!!

Are they allowed to do this because I will report it if I can. Surely switching should be sold as just that, not by the promise of rebates and the like. Discraceful behaviour in my opinion!!

A Little bit different here, he told my housemate Powergen is purchased by Germany, so that's why you're getting European and not UK rate which is expensive plan. At the end, we received a shock bills which is more expensive than Powergen. Well, this was like 2 years ago.

This happened in Birmingham! Are you from there as well?

Nowadays, we're in Coventry and most often Scottish Power coming around twice every half year, and we have to keep telling him that we are using the cheapest plan according to uSwitch.

Pssst

Many of them are simply agents. They get paid per sign up,hence the reason to lie and cheat. By the time any error is investigated,they are long gone.

ex-energywatch_adviser

http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/thecode/energysurescheme.html

see the link above -all sales agents should be registered with energysure.

Vestra

I really don't like door to door salesmen, they give such a bad name for the company, however all sales must be phoned into the call centre and if the advisor suspects the customer isn't fully aware of what's happening or the customer is old etc they ask more questions and if the customer is happy the sale cannot be put through.

blue_monkey_2

Just to add on quickly, he had this clipboard and it had a list of everyone in the street and he showed me who was 'claming' and he had written 'CLAIMING' next to those he had (clearly) conned into switching. I am going to see the old lady up the road later and make sure that he has not switched her and check the rate he has put her one so it can be dealt with.

Plushchris

All SE salesman do is lie

They lie even when they dont need to, Scottish Power is Spanish owned not German, so he could have still whipped up his "European prices" lie even if he told the truth, but no, he would know people dislike Germany more than Spain

If I get any of these guys knock on my door and I actually make the mistake of opening it to them I usually shut it again in their face, I dont want people knocking on my door and lieing to me.

Also, if you had let him near your meter you would have more than likely got switched even if you hadnt signed, all they need is your meter number and they can switch you.

NEVER SHOW DOOR KNOCKERS A BILL OR LET THEM NEAR YOUR METER.

blue_monkey_2

Morning everyone, Thanks plushhris, I was suspicious as to why he wanted to check the metetr so did not let him. I am going to check the neighbours later when I get back this afternoon.

I did not get his name unfortunately. I don't get why they are allowed to do this though.

terryya

Not wanting to detract from the disgusting behaviour in the OP but I quite like it when they call. I'm fairly clued up on prices etc and even had the misfortune of working for BG for 6 months so know how thing work.

All of this means I usually know more than the salesperson so, as long as I've got time, I listen to their bull*** and nod along at the right places then afterwards start picking their argument to bits.

The best one was one who called on my father-in-law and told him he could save a load by switching. FIL knew that I was clued up so told the salesperson to come back tomorrow and got me to check it out. It turns out that the salesperson had been 100% truthful and they were the cheapest supplier so he decided to switch. So salesperson comes round and asks if he is going to switch and he says yes, but i'm doing it online as I can get £50 quidco. The guys face was a classic apparently.

To be honest though I think there are some honest people doing it who are just trying to earn a living (just like there are helpful people in BG call centres) so I think it is bang out of order to be rude or slam the door in their face!