MoneySavingExpert Simply Switch Voucher!

doublehard1

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone else was robbed of their £35 amazon voucher using the MoneySavingExpert link? I've just tried to claim, In the fine print it says that you have to wait until you are connected and claim within 60 days of the application. Well I waited until my first bill (to be sure I'm connected) which happens to be 76 days from my application. I now can't claim the voucher! Whats a con!

Anyone else had the same experience. I've switched in the past (using money supermarket deals) and had the money sent straight through with out having to jump through hoops and then not getting the money in the end.

Fire_Fox

If it's in the small print it's not a con.

doublehard1

Personally I'd class fine print that allows a 'window to claim' of about 10 days, 50 days after signing with no reminders a con. I would have hoped that a deal specifically through the MSE site wouldn't have the kind of loop holes that it preaches against.

I'm thoroughly disapointed and would warn anyone to be extra careful following an offer affiliated with this site in future.

My printer broke a month ago and i've been waiting for my first bill to claim this voucher towards getting a new one.

Fire_Fox

You will have been connected long before you received your first bill, you should have been asked to supply a meter reading on your switchover day, did that not happen?

doublehard1

Yes, approx 40 days after signing up. It was after then that I got my account number. The last time I switched I didn't need to jump through these hoops, i just did the quote, picked the deal I wanted then once I was switched I received the voucher. As all partys are aware of the switch this extra step of entering details within a specific time frame is designed to swindle people out of the voucher. For example, the link is only on one email, which happily says that you can't clame your voucher straight away. In fact it says you don't need to do anything everything will be taken care of as they have all your details. To rub salt in it says that they've got all the details about your supply and that filling the form in is to check the transfer has gone smoothly!!! It's deliberatly missleading serves one purpose, to stop people getting the voucher. Again as stated before, had this come from another site I would have been more vigilant, but as it came through MSE I assumed it would be consumer friendly.

Premier_2

Vouchers must be claimed after your supply has gone live with your new supplier and within 60 days of your application date. If your supply is delayed from the normal 4 – 6 weeks you must inform us so you don’t miss out due to a delay in the supply going live

...

If you do not claim your voucher with the set time scale you will not receive your voucher

http://www.simplyswitch.com/moneysavingexpertcashback/ss_offer_page_tc.html

Fire_Fox

Next time set a reminder on your mobile phon or computer, that is what I used to do with those mobile contract cashback deals.

doublehard1

RE: Premier

Exactly!!!

6 weeks = 42 days, you only get 18 days to claim with no reminders. I unfortunately waited for my first bill (so I new the transfer had gone through and so that I'd have my account numbers ets) which put me 2 weeks passed the claim point. Do you think that the limit is a coincidence? it's obvious that people would use there first bill details which would fall outside the cut off. Its a deliberate trap, and again as I've said before, you expect better with the deal being affiliated with MSE. I just hope people will read this and not think that MSE is any different from any other affiliated offer, its there for one purpose, making money!

Premier_2

doublehard1 wrote: »

... I just hope people will read this and not think that MSE is any different from any other affiliated offer, its there for one purpose, making money!

Not quite, but like any good business, it does indeed survive by making money.

How do they earn their money?
A. Comparison services are paid between £30 and £60 per switch from the energy companies; in other words they're referral businesses. ...

Why do they only pay cashback via this site?
A. In the early days of the site, back in 2004, a comparison service boss asked me, “how can we be your top pick?” Flippantly, I replied “pay customers some of your cut!” and surprisingly it agreed to a trial, but only for users of this site, so as not to cannibalise its existing custom.
That was the start, and as this site's grown, with now over 7 million users a month, they all want a piece of the pie; hence each year there’s a price war to be the site’s top pick cashback provider.

Yet still in the main it's only links from the site, or for those who use the phone service and quote the deals here. If you go direct you get exactly the same service but without the cashback.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

Where do the links come from?
They come from finance comparison sites like Moneysupermarket, MoneyExpert, Uswitch, Moneyextra, Beatthatquote, Find, Smartquotes or affiliate sites such as Tradedoubler or Commission Junction. Their links are used and then if someone clicks through, this site gets a split of their revenue....

Source: How this site [MSE] is financed

neildallaway

Hi Premier,

Where would I stand if I wasnt told that my account was live until 63 days after my application date? There was never an opportunity for me to claim my voucher after my go live and before 60 days were up.

Regards,

Neil

davefrombristol

Hi Neil

Like me up a creek without a paddle.

What amazes me is that they only send one email that relates to the vouchers and there is no mention of any 60 day period - No warning signs whatsoever that you are going to be timed out. They go out of their way to remind you not to fill in the form and in any case you cannot get the form passed without your new suppliers account number which wont arrive for at least 40 odd days.

It must be in Moneysavingexport's interest to rid themselves of practises like this as it is blatently unfair and it will put me off ever getting drawn in by offers of free vouchers/wine etc ever again - I should have known that there is never such a thing as a "free meal" - never again will I get caught like this.

Can anyone point me in the direction of the ombudsman ?

As I would like to send him/her my email from simply switch to complain about how devious and misleading it is and the complete lack of any warning about the 60 day period and absolutely no link to any terms and conditions that state the above period.

All of you considering switching and looking forward to spending £35 worth of vouchers beware as many of us simply were unable to claim them.

Dave