Ebico Company Representative

KimYeovil

...and, of course, with louses like Cozworth in the woodwork, the Ebico model is doomed to failure.

Cardew

KimYeovil wrote: »

The reasons are clear (that is, the answer to Cardew's first question is self-evident).

Not clear to me KY . gas is pretty competitive - electricity not. Pray enlighten me!

Ah, the great 'friend' of passive customers Carmine (who regularly advises MSers to 'trouser' £250 per year from the vulnerable he feels such crocodile compassion for*) pounces and suggests that prices should be further pushed up by directing customers away. There is no pleasing Carmine. A hatred of Marks & Spencer, a hatred of Primark. A hatred of nPower, a hatred of Ebico. There is no model of business that Carmine finds acceptable.

Have you forgotton Utility Warehouse? When last I looked, and from the quotes of his I have seen, he is a great admirer of their business model.;)

(* Yes, I know what you're all thinking. But the difference is I cheer and celebrate when companies like British Gas withdraw from the cashback carousel.)

I like the ethos of Ebico. They make no secret that their tariffs are slanted toward the low user/pre -pay customer who doesn't or can't pay by DD. - obviously at the expense of the higher user.

1carminestocky

KimYeovil wrote: »

The reasons are clear (that is, the answer to Cardew's first question is self-evident).

Ah, the great 'friend' of passive customers Carmine (who regularly advises MSers to 'trouser' £250 per year from the vulnerable he feels such crocodile compassion for*) pounces and suggests that prices should be further pushed up by directing customers away. There is no pleasing Carmine. A hatred of Marks & Spencer, a hatred of Primark. A hatred of nPower, a hatred of Ebico. There is no model of business that Carmine finds acceptable.

(* Yes, I know what you're all thinking. But the difference is I cheer and celebrate when companies like British Gas withdraw from the cashback carousel.)

Amazing the response calling someone bitter and lonely provokes . Call ME what you like (you think I actually care what someone like you actually thinks of me? :rolleyes: ), unlike you, I certainly wouldn't judge someone a bad parent based on a few lines posted on an internet forum. In that respect, I'm glad my character and beliefs are a million miles away from yours. I'm putting you on ignore, not specifically because you annoy me, mostly because I genuinely can't be arsed to read your bitter posts anymore.

Anyway, back to the thread.....

Ebico

I'm from the Ebico head office.

All those asking about price reductions, we are currently finalising the details and will announce a reduction shortly.

With regards to any surplus made by the company, we have set up the Ebico Charitable Trust Fund which we'll be putting money into to help fund various different projects. We have a few things in the pipeline, including a scheme with Groundwork UK called Green Doctor, and are discussing sponsorship opportunities with NEA. We work with housing associations and are in talks with them about a few projects, unfortunately I can't give any details of these as of yet.

Our prices are better for low users because we try to promote using less energy. Other companies design tariffs to benefit you the more energy you use, but we don't think this is the best way to structure tariffs, which is why we just have the one flat rate.

I'll try and check the forums everyday but obviously they'll be days when I won't be able to do this, but I'll try and get any problems sorted as soon as possible.

Thanks.

Sol00

It's interesting to see that there will be a reduction, thank you.

I don't fully understand the way Ebico works, Cardew, but is it not possible that their electricity tarriff isn't as competitive as their gas tarriff, due to having less electricity than gas customers?

Ebico

We try to remain as competitive as we can, and in some regions we are more competitive than others on electricity.

The price reduction will be annouced shortly and will give us a better position in the field.

Cardew

Sol00 wrote: »

I don't fully understand the way Ebico works, Cardew, but is it not possible that their electricity tarriff isn't as competitive as their gas tarriff, due to having less electricity than gas customers?

Presumably they don't have many electricity customers because their prices are uncompetitive - 'Chicken and egg' comes to mind.

I ask the question about electricity prices out of interest, not as any form of criticism as they are not profiteering.

It just seems strange that they can procure gas competitively, but apparently not electricity.

KimYeovil

Ebico have the same service charges to account for as the other suppliers. In addition, the extra costs of more expensive meter types or payment methods are also bundled in (where they are separated from other suppliers' headline prices.)

The cost per kWh has to be taken from one or two thousand electricity units compared to from ten or twenty thousand gas kWhs. To receive just a basic £60 service charge from 2,000 electric kWhs costs 3p per unit. To receive £60 from 10,000 gas kWhs costs 0.6p per unit.

Leblanc_2

Hello E.C.R.

I have been with Ebico for some time and until very recently I have been happy with the service. However, in mid December I rented out a property where I had previously set up an Ebico account for both gas and electric.

I contacted Ebico and advised that the property now had tenants, and provided their names. I also advised the tenants to contact Ebico, which I believe they did.

I received a communication from Ebico acknowledging the transfer of the acount to the tenants.

About two weeks ago the tenants passed me a letter addressed to me at the tenanted address. The letter stated that Ebico was sorry to see me change my supplier. I assume that the tenants had changed their supplier.

I contacted Ebico by telephone on the 18 February and advised that I should not be receiving letters at the tenanted address as I was no longer the account holder and wanted an explanation as to why this was happening. The Ebico rep could not respond and said that I would be contacted withion 24 hours.

I was not called back so I rang Ebico again on 23 February and the person said I will get someone to ring you, as again they could not respond. A rep rang the same day but did not have the details of the changed account on his computer, so again he could not respond. He said he would look into the matter and ring me back.

It is now 25 February and no contact.

I have been surprised how complex and drawn out this matter has become. My only concern was that Ebico have the correct account details attributed to the appropriate person(s).

I have now spoken to three different Ebico reps and what at face value seemed a simple matter of verification, has become complicated. The left hand does not seem to be aware of what the right hand is doing. To make matters worse the Ebico personnel who are sat in front of their computers seem to be incapable of problem solving.

My impression of Ebico from personal experience and having read other threads, is that once everything is set up (and there can be a delay in this as evidenced from recommending Ebico to my sister-in-law, mother-in-law and niece) and there are no changes or whatever, then all is well. However, any change seems to throw Ebico admin systems into disaray!

I am still awaiting a resolution to this matter.

Cozworth806

KimYeovil wrote: »

...and, of course, with louses like Cozworth in the woodwork, the Ebico model is doomed to failure.

Wow thanks for that, it normally takes ages before someone calls me a louse!
Still means I have to pay for the gas I use, not sure why only using them in the summer would be a major issue, as it's actually screwing the larger companies from raking in the higher comparitive charges in the summer months.

Anyway ECR, Can you confirm if Ebico will not charge extra for gas for customers under IGT arrangements, and why there is a rebate system for DD customers?

Thanks,