MSE News: Scottish Power faces probe into 'unfair' lock-ins

joe134

jumpedtheshark wrote: »

I don't see the problem here - where's consumers' personal responsibility gone? If you're on that fixed price deal and know when it ends, even if you didn't hear from Scottish Power asking if you want to opt out, you should have contacted them yourself to see what would happen when the deal expired and then decided whether you wanted to stay with them or not.

I was on the fixed price deal, and was very aware of when it was ending, so looked around for alternative deals to decide whether I wanted to stay or not. As it turns out, I also received an e-mail. If you receive meter reading e-mails, it's hard to believe that this one would be the only one to get marked as spam.

If you can't take care of looking into what happens when the fixed price ends, don't take capped deals. Just like you shouldn't stooze if you can't prepare for when the 0% ends, or take any mortgage deal that reverts to a standard rate after a period of a couple of years unless you're able to make decisions as to what to do at that point.

MSE should be educating consumers, not promoting the idea that it's OK to be an uneducated, uninformed consumer and blame the provider. If Scottish Power are fined, who pays? The educated, informed consumers. I think OfGEM has bigger fish to fry than this, like the over-charging of consumers forced to use pre-pay meters.

Hi, I agree with you to a certain degree that the customer has a duty to look after his/her affairs. However, this is where I differ, the company, which ever one it is should have a default position, like the banks, as you mentioned, that any fixed or capped tariff , unless no expiry date is specified should go back to the default tariff.I.E. standard tariff,with NO penalty charges.There are many reasons why any customer may not be in a position to attend to their affairs at any given time. They may be ill, away, dead even. so why is the company so keen to transfer you to another fixed or capped rate? It,s to do with one thing only, MONEY. I know we will pay any fine imposed, but the principal counts.All the big 6 are doing is playing the numbers game, and we have seen where that ends, companies going under.There is only so many customers to go round, the big six will become 5 etc. If they treated their customers with respect, there would be less of this merry go round we are all forced on.They set the rules , not us, we merely play by them;

waspsforever

I have just been onto the comparison web sites and now find that Scottish Power have a Online Energy Saver 7 tariff which is one of the best for price. When I go to my online account with them I can not find this tariff anywhere, has anyone seen it and gone on to it.
Also how do you obtain cashbacks?

mcgsp

What upset me was the price of the new fixed tariff they were going to automatically transfer me to. The lock in is nasty too in that many people will only realise the cost of the new tariff when they get a bill and by then they may well be locked in and have to pay a "fine" to get out!

I transferred from the capped rate to the Online Saver account which was then available (6 I think it was called) as I was reluctant to leave Scottish Power which in the past has usually offered good service and competitive prices.

I see now they have an Online Saver 7 account. My account details say that I was transferred to the Online Saver account - I wonder will I get the cheapest Online Saver tariff? Craig could perhaps answer this one. I'm sure others who moved recently to an Online Saver account will also be interested in the reply - if we do get the cheapest Online Saver it will show SP still cares about its customers.