Is your capped tariff ending? Article Discussion

misty-mitts

Violetta - it was in the e-mail they sent me. Here's an extract from it...

I also confirm that you are on Fixed Price 2009 which will expire on 31st August 2009 and the default package will be Capped Price Energy September 2010.

The prices are as follows:

Electricity

Daily Service Charge = 12.88pence

All/Day kWh = 10.575pence

Gas

Daily Service Charge = 4.335pence

All kWh = 3.406pence

The prices will be capped and will not increase with the increase in the energy prices however will fall if there is a decrease. If you want to change the package you can do it within the first 7 days of the transfer you will not be charged any cancellation fees. However, if you changes the tariff after that there will be a cancellation fees of £20.00 for Gas and £30.00 for Electricity.

fineanddandy

Thanks for the nod about SP putting you automatically on the capped 2010 rate by default. Just fired off an email asking them to confirm that I will be put on the standard tariff.

You really have to be on the ball with these companies, and tbh, I just dont trust them as far as I can throw them!:mad:

violetta

misty-mitts wrote: »

Violetta - it was in the e-mail they sent me. Here's an extract from it...

I also confirm that you are on Fixed Price 2009 which will expire on 31st August 2009 and the default package will be Capped Price Energy September 2010.

The prices are as follows:

Electricity

Daily Service Charge = 12.88pence

All/Day kWh = 10.575pence

Gas

Daily Service Charge = 4.335pence

All kWh = 3.406pence

The prices will be capped and will not increase with the increase in the energy prices however will fall if there is a decrease. If you want to change the package you can do it within the first 7 days of the transfer you will not be charged any cancellation fees. However, if you changes the tariff after that there will be a cancellation fees of £20.00 for Gas and £30.00 for Electricity.

That is weird - we are both on the same tariff and would be changed by default to Capped Price Energy September 2010, but have been sent entirely different emails. Here is the relevant extract from mine:

"Option to opt out
If you don't want to protect your prices and would prefer to move to our standard monthly Direct Debit prices please tell us before 30th September 2009.

Standard monthly Direct Debit prices are currently the same rates as Capped Price Energy September 2010 prices and could go up as well as down."


Why on earth would they apply different rules to customers in the same situation?

zzyorkshirepuddingzz

I've been reading all these posts because I too am with SP Fixed Price 2009 which is due to end on 31st August. I'm not happy to be Fixed for a whole year again. I've tried the comparison website and always seem to get a saving with EDF and then when I go to EDF website and put in my gas and electric consumption it tells me that it can't give me a saving!
In view of this I tried to make head or tail of SP's different tariffs and it's impossible. So we rang them up and said we didn't want to stay on the capped tariff for 2010 and would they tell us what is the best and cheapest deal for us using our consumption history. They told us that Fix n Flex is the best deal. So if this is the best deal, we said, why are you going to automatically put us on a capped tariff for another year? So that is probably where we're going at the moment and with Fix n Flex you can change it in the first 6 months. Although Pay in Advance looks pretty good and cheapest too. You get a 5% discount but you have to pay a year upfront. However, the interest rates in the banks are so low that it's probably worth giving SP your money to get the cheaper tariff.
Anyway, the gist of all this is, have any of you tried to ring them up on 0800 400 200 and ask them to work out for you the best and cheapest tariff for next year?
Also, I can't understand why Scottish Power has no clear concise explanation of the different schemes and tariffs on their website. You've got to be a genius to be able to work out which one is best for you!

violetta

Thank you zzyorkshirepuddingzz, that is probably what I will do in the next week or so - here's hoping that I get a call centre operative who is helpful and knows what they are talking about like you did - luck of the draw, I suppose. Any doubts, I could always phone a second time to see if I get the same answer from a different operative.

I too cannot understand why they don't explain all the options clearly, and strongly suspect they hope to bamboozle the consumer into taking the option they want.

zzyorkshirepuddingzz

That's exactly what we thought Violetta! They want people to sign up again for the fixed price for 2010 because it makes it easier for them. It's not necessarily what's best for us the customer. As it's a free phone number we can ring as often as we like until we are sure we have the best tariff and most importantly that we understand it properly! Also, we told them that we want the cheapest tariff or we would switch companies. They don't want you to do that, so will try to help if they can! Good luck.

delmar39

In response to the post by exessex mum and a few others, we have written confirmation from the Scottish Power official rep that we won't be charged cancellation fees IF the switch takes place after 31st August. So, if you commence things now it'll take 6-8 weeks so you won't be charged if you start the ball rolling now as long as your supply doesn't move before 31st August. So, in simple terms if your supply moves before the 31st August you get charged if it moves after 31st August you don't get charged. In relation to not being able to go to EDF via comparison sites, I have just switched to them via Energyhelpline so this isn't correct. I read these posts and it got very confusing with people not appearing to take in the information being provided. So, this is my contribution to the mix...!

I also agree with zzyorkshirepuddingzz that it is a good idea to contact Scottish Power direct. They have a reasonably good on-line tariff although not as good as the EDF online 5 version and you are tied in until July 2010 so cannot switch.

redwin11

I am on the same deal that ends in three weeks.

This morning I registered with EDF (via TopCashBack) and fingers crossed they won't complete the changeover by the end of the month!

ragjoy

delmar39 wrote: »

In response to the post by exessex mum and a few others, we have written confirmation from the Scottish Power official rep that we won't be charged cancellation fees IF the switch takes place after 31st August. So, if you commence things now it'll take 6-8 weeks so you won't be charged if you start the ball rolling now as long as your supply doesn't move before 31st August. So, in simple terms if your supply moves before the 31st August you get charged if it moves after 31st August you don't get charged. In relation to not being able to go to EDF via comparison sites, I have just switched to them via Energyhelpline so this isn't correct. I read these posts and it got very confusing with people not appearing to take in the information being provided. So, this is my contribution to the mix...!

the is what edf and sp told me,but im wondering if edf contact sp after 10 days could sp push them straight threw so as to gain the £50.
im going to do mine on the 15th hopefully this will be safe then.

delmar39

I'm fairly sure that we won't be charged. I don't know whether you've switched before (guess you have), but it's always taken between 6-8 weeks to do mine so we should be fine. I switched using a cashback site previously (Moneysupermarket) and had a few problems. It took about 4 months to complete the switch and when I called the energy provider they told me it was because I'd used a cashback site to make the switch - in other words if you don't go direct your switch might not be seen as a priority. The cashback site also failed to pay my cashback and when I contacted them they said they had paid it! It took about 2-3 weeks of regular calls to get this sorted out and in the end they paid it. The next switch I made I went direct and it was smooth. I just hope that this time everything runs ok, but Energyhelpline do get good reviews and it's a MSE top pick. Happy to sacrifice £15 to get a good service. All the best and let's hope we don't get charged....!