Is it too late to switch from Scottish Power to avoid a penalty ??

*Jelly_Tots*

Hi everyone, Please be gentle as I have only ever gone on the Grabbit board and am a total hopeless case at working out energy tariffs etc - so please no rolly eyes (:rolleyes:) symbols . But I would really appreciate any help with the following :

Ok - I am with Scottish Power and have just realised there will be a penalty for leaving my capped tariff after 30 September (Scottish Power also would not let me switch before 30 Aug).
So I switched to EDF last night online, thinking I had avoided the SPower penalty. But according to EDF they take 6-8 weeks to set up the new account. So surely even if I'd applied to EDF on 1st Sept (the first day after my tie-in finished) it would have been impossible to avoid the Scottish Power penalty charge.
So what I'm asking is, is there anyway to 'log' with Scottish Power the fact that I switched to EDF last night, before the 30th September deadline, or not ? I rang EDF and they said there isn't a way of logging my application as being on 29th September due to this 6-8 week wait.
Thanks

*Jelly_Tots*

Just had another thought - would I be better to:
- cancel the EDF application
- contact Scottish Power to get them to put me onto the standard tariff with no tie-in
- then be free to switch in a few days while avoiding penalty ?
My head hurts.

Armengar

if you "switch" in 6-8 weeks then yes this would be after the 30th september, so yes try and switch to another "perhaps online?" tariff with scottish power that has no tie in, then go to another supplier.

*Jelly_Tots*

Armengar wrote: »

if you "switch" in 6-8 weeks then yes this would be after the 30th september, so yes try and switch to another "perhaps online?" tariff with scottish power that has no tie in, then go to another supplier.

Many thanks ! I just rang and switched to standard tariff.

emeraldbugle

*Jelly_Tots* wrote: »

Many thanks ! I just rang and switched to standard tariff.

You can switch it online, you should get an automatic email then.

grannybiker

*Jelly_Tots* wrote: »

Many thanks ! I just rang and switched to standard tariff.

Hope it's actually registered to switch on their system.

We switched to them by phone, providing all bank details etc back in July.
September another phone call, wanting us to switch to them, whoops, data hadn't been transferred. Another 40 minutes on the phone to provide it all again.
Next evening, another calll- do we want to switch? Whoops data not updated.
Still haven't had anything in writing, so assuming it's got lost again!

rogerj

When my fixed term tariff came to an end I received an email saying I would automatically be put on another fixed term to Sept 2010 unless I opted out.

So I clicked on the opt-out and received an email confirming that I was now on their standard tariff

A couple of days ago I had a phone call from Scottish Power trying to 'sell me back in' to their fixed term deal. I declined because I want to be free to compare and switch, if I find a better deal.

Today I received this-
______________________________________________________________
We've capped your prices until September 2010
We recently sent you an email to let you know we'd be moving you to our new Capped Price Energy 2010 Offer*. This has been taken care of and your prices are now capped until 31st August 2010.

We hope you're happy with your new energy deal, knowing that it gives you peace of mind for another year. Just the way you like it.
_______________________________________________________________________
The small print says it will cost me £50 to get out of the fixed term if I want to switch. Am I correct in thinking the person who phoned me -and wouldn't take no for an answer, is on commission? And will Scottish Power now allow me to switch without a £50 charge?

Has anyone else had this experience from Scottish Power ?

rogerj

Apparently I'm not alone in being switched into a years fixed contract after opting out. I had this reply from Scottish Power.
________________________________________________________________
I can confirm that your account has been reverted to our standard direct debit account. Due to an error on our systems an email was sent to all customers that were on the fixed rate you were on previously as it did not recognise that some customers had opted out of the capped deal.
________________________________________________________________

The old excuse... system error. However at least I can now shop around without a £50 penalty.