MSE News: Warning for Scottish Power customers on fixed rate deals

cw18

Right - I've just spent half an hour on the phone to a smashing chap at Scottish Power regarding tarriff change on 1st September.

Online Energy Saver 6 is a 'limited' product (in terms of how many people are allowed to sign up for it) - therefore (even though it's still a relatively new one) they can't guarantee it will be available on 1st September, so what Toxteth_OGrady was told is correct.

BUT they're now being briefed that -- as a switch to OES6 ties us in to another contract with cancellation fees -- if a customer switches NOW the cancellation fees on our current Fixed Rate contracts will NOT be applied to our accounts. The chap I was talking to said it's possible not all departments have yet been briefed on this (priority seeming to be given to the front line phone staff), so if you want to switch early the best bet is to PHONE them.

In the terms & conditions it says 'may be charged' - and they've decided not to if it means customers are staying with them on a fixed contract

So I'm switching to OES6 tomorrow.......

violetta

Toxteth_OGrady wrote: »

... the reason being that the OS6 tariif may no longer be available on that date.

Maybe they have a super duper shiny new improved tariff up their sleeves to introduce after 1st September (or are developing this now they see how many folks are changing to EDF) Things must be developing amongst the power companies as MSE says that BG have just introduced another cheaper online version of their tariff.

For now, I am still planning to wait until 1st September and see, having clicked to reject the new capped 2010 deal on offer and taken a copy of the confirmation of this.

fullstop

Hi Violetta, According to the ticker on the energyhelpline web page the EDF tariff may just have days to go before it is pulled.

violetta

fullstop wrote: »

Hi violetta, According to the ticker on the energyhelpline web page the EDF tariff may just have days to go before it is pulled.

Thank you for the warning fullstop, but I don't think EDF would be suitable for us as we are on E7, and EDF's deal only seems to be for single meter rate.

I also don't care for the way they are trying to panic people into changing quickly by threatening to pull the deal - smacks a bit of DFS tactics - sale must end Sunday and all that.

You can sometimes come off better by biding your time - certainly was at MFI once when buying a kitchen: we were told we must order that week or the £199 dishwasher offer would have gone. We weren't quite ready to order then, and went back the following week and she was right - the £199 offer had been pulled, but replaced by a dishwasher for £99 offer !!!

mcgsp

I'm pleased to see MSE giving ScottishPower some of the publicity it deserves and I hope next's week's newsletter will also warn people of the big increase in costs for any SP customer whose fixed price ends at the end of this month and who does nothing before the end of September.

I thought gas and electricity prices (for the suppliers such as SP) had come down in the past year!

Cypermethrin

scosttishpower company representative (aka Craig)

I phoned up SP Customer Services this afternoon to ask if I was allowed to initiate my change of provider before 31-Aug-09 - and the answer was a categorical "NO" and if I did I would be charged the cancellation fee.

I now have read this thread contradicting this inforamtion

It would seem to me that SP are misleading their customers - and your kind attempt to clarify the situation has added to custmer's uncertainty about what is and is not possible to do without incurring a cancellation fee.

Who is right - you on an internet forum - or your colleagues on SP Customer Services ??

matthew57

Cypermethrin wrote: »

scosttishpower company representative (aka Craig)

I phoned up SP Customer Services this afternoon to ask if I was allowed to initiate my change of provider before 31-Aug-09 - and the answer was a categorical "NO" and if I did I would be charged the cancellation fee.

I now have read this thread contradicting this inforamtion

It would seem to me that SP are misleading their customers - and your kind attempt to clarify the situation has added to custmer's uncertainty about what is and is not possible to do without incurring a cancellation fee.

Who is right - you on an internet forum - or your colleagues on SP Customer Services ??

I've dug out the terms & conditions - It is clear that the cancellation fees are only payable when "switching...before 31 August 2009".

It is a shame Customer Services are giving out incorrct info.

lrr_2

Just changed as well to Energy Saver 6 but double checked with them that I was (I was fine) as account online just says online saver and this is a different product with higher rates. Get them to email with the current rates for your area so you can always able to quote it if you have to get in touch with them (more than likely).

I also had to apply for the tarriff by email as it was not showing in list of products I could change to on my online account.

Mags66

Just a quickie - we have just changed our supplier from Scottish Power to be told that we would have to pay £50 exit fee - but they had not notified us that they had changed our tarrif and conceded that they were at fault and waived the exit fee and sent £25 for their mistake. So do not lie down and accept the exit fee !!

violetta

Have just received this email from SP:

Taking care of your energy needs, just the way you like it
We recently sent you an email to let you know your Fixed Price Energy Offer ends on 31st August 2009 and we would automatically move you to Capped Price Energy 2010* on 1st September 2009.

However, you told us you wanted to opt out of this new deal and move to our standard monthly Direct Debit prices^ instead of capping your prices until 31st August 2010. On 1st September 2009 this transfer will take place.

Another great deal just for you
At ScottishPower we're committed to trying to bring you our best deals. And, although having the reassurance of capped rates wasn't the right deal for you, there are other offers available.

For example, as you're happy to manage your account online, our Online Energy Saver 6 offer is 3% cheaper than the standard monthly Direct Debit prices that you will shortly be moved to - and will remain so until; 31st July 2010.**

For more information about Online Energy Saver 6 read our Terms and Conditions, and if you're interested, please register now.


Alternatively, challenge us to find a deal that's right for you

» Take the Savings Challenge

................................................................................................................................

Thank you for choosing ScottishPower as your energy supplier

P.S. Please remember that even if you move to Online Energy Saver 6** your Direct Debit amount may vary, depending on your usage. In the next 3 months we will look at the amount of energy you use and if there are any changes to the amount you have to pay, we'll let you know.


Curiouser & Curiouser, as they say.