London Energy Price Increases

hollie.weimeraner

Martins email this week shows London Energy increasing their prices for Gas & Electric.

London Energy website shows that only new standard account customers will have the increases.  Those people with online accounts will be unaffected.

http://www.ukpower.co.uk/price%2Bupdates.asp

claretherookery

ive been a london energy customer for a while. my meter readings are all done online. ive just called them about the price increases which for me have gone up. i asked what london energy online is and how do i get on it and she said it was the same as standard??? for worcester im now paying from 17/1 gas 2.5p (1465kw) then 1.6p & elec 10.72p (225kw) then 6.6 - outrageous! the energy helpline link martin gives states london energy online is the cheapest for me??!! at 2.5 then 1.48 & 8.01 then 5.41 with so i think im going to have to call again on monday. i agree they have crap customer service! :-/

ctw_2

I'm feeling a bit frustrated as I took Martin's advice about the best time to change providers. I also used the recommended site and kwh to find the cheapest provider. However, I received no cash benefit from swopping, as it said that Union Energy didn't support the site. They didn't have any swopping offers on their own site either.

The dual fuel option remained the best for me. As a result of this, I left Union Energy duel fuel, (through my union and part of the Scottish Power group,) who have a price freeze till Dec'05, and went to London Energy. I was already unhappy with the switch, as I was not given advance warning about change dates. I received my letter, dated after the actual change, informing me that my electricity had switched. I could not therefore provide accurate meter readings. The electricity reading, provided 10 days late, has also not been passed on accurately to Union Energy, and London Energy seem unconcerned about both issues.

To add insult to injury, Martin has now announced that London Energy are about to hike their prices. I have threatened to switch back and all London Energy say is "if thats how you feel!"

After seeing the top posting, and ringing:0808 1013210 I have now spoekn to the customer services team, dedicated to price increases. They have confirmed that the price increase doesn't apply to me. However, I am still unhappy about the customer service and as the dedicated team were unable to help with this have left a message requesting a manager looks at the reading problem.

Hope the number proves useful to someone else.

Carol

Lisa_H

As a London Energy Customer I am looking to switch due to the price increase so I too used the Energy Helpline link which told me that London Energy Online is my cheapest supplier. Seaboard Online and SWEB Online were also the same price (sorry, cant remember the spelling of these!!) as London Energy Online. I tried to convert to the London Energy online tariff which apparently has to be done online but as I'm already an existing London Energy customer it would not accept my registration, therefore I am not entitled to the lower online prices. When I called customer services they informed me that my registation would be accepted by Seaboard Online or SWEB Online as they are sister companies of London Energy and therefore can get the London Energy Online prices (these came out the same for me)

jrawle

Apparently, the online tariff is only available to people who sign up online via one of the comparison sites, for example uSwitch. Being a cynic, I assume it's so that they can attact lots of new customers who use those sites, while charging all their existing customers a much higher price.

Note that London, SWEB and Seeboard energy are all the same company, owned by EDF Energy (part of the French national electricity producer). I was already with SWEB, so phoned them to ask about the online tariff. I was told that it did exist, but that I could only sign up for it online via uSwitch. But uSwitch just said "contact your existing supplier to change tariff with them." So I simply switched from SWEB to London to take advantage of the online tariff.

The latest hitch is that my first bill has arrived, and they've put me onto the higher tariff, and not the online one. So I called them, and they've promised to sort it out and send me a new bill. I wait with bated breath.

If anyone else signs up for EDF Energy's online tariff, I'd be interested to know if you actually get the online prices or not. In particular, if you've changed from their standard tariff. Obviously it's in their interest if existing customers don't do this...

I must add that EDF's customer services are always polite and helpful, it doesn't take long to get through, and best of all it's a freephone number! I wouldn't hesitate to choose them as my supplier, as long as the prices are reasonable.