Switching from Scot Power to EDF

scoobydoob

Hi,
I've been looking at some gas & elec comparisons and it would appear that my current Scottish Power Online Energy account is much more expensive than some of the current offerings. EDF Online Saver version 6 for example would work out about 25% cheaper per year.
I've put in my current readings and my usage from Nov 2009 is roughly £500 quid more than my direct debits have paid (yikes!!). Now, if I go and sign up with EDF online, do they take care of the whole transfer of services or do I also need to write a letter or termination to Scottish Power? Oh, I'm not under any kind of long term contract to Scottish Power.

Now, before anyone asks, I'm certainly not looking to get out of paying the money I owe Scottish Power...I'd just like to switch companies as effortlessly as possible. If I make a change to switch companies will Scottish Power block the change due to the outstanding balance or will they allow the change to proceed immediately and just bill me for the outstanding balance?

kjsmith7

EDF will give you two weeks to get paperwork to you and give you an opportunity to change your mind, then will contact Scottish Power for you. It'll then take 28 days, so the total time to switch is about 6 weeks. Scottish Power will likely contact you to try and persuade you not to go, but obviously it's your choice at the end of the day.

If you're in debit by £500, even if you are on a monthly direct debit and so the balance isn't "payable immediately", they may still prohibit you from switching. Not guaranteed, but bear it in mind. If your DD is cancelled whilst you're still with them, the balance will become payable immediately. When you've left, you'll have 28 days to settle the balance in full. Don't rely on having an instalment plan.

Remember to provide EDF with a meter reading on your switch over day, they'll then provide this to Scottish Power for you so you have an accurate final account and a great start with EDF. Hope that helps

hethmar

Ive just signed up to EDF from scottish power (but Im £500 in credit with SP so not the same circs). Remember also you may have to pay a £50 termination fee to SP. If you use quidco.com's link to EDF you get £40 cash back so you virtually cover the termination fee. Im hoping on over £350 savings a year.

Ive swopped several times now and its always gone smoothly with the new provider sorting everything out.

scoobydoob

kjsmith7 wrote: »

If you're in debit by £500, even if you are on a monthly direct debit and so the balance isn't "payable immediately", they may still prohibit you from switching. Not guaranteed, but bear it in mind.s

thanks for the helpful posts
Wow...didn't realise it took that long to switch..no prob tho.
When u say they may still prohibit me from moving, what do they actually do? Do they just send some kind of rejection notice back to EDF due to my outstanding balance? How do I get round this? I realise it may take a few more months to be back in credit with them via DD, but don't they give me the option to settle the balance first?

scoobydoob

hethmar wrote: »

Ive just signed up to EDF from scottish power (but Im £500 in credit with SP so not the same circs). Remember also you may have to pay a £50 termination fee to SP. If you use quidco.com's link to EDF you get £40 cash back so you virtually cover the termination fee. Im hoping on over £350 savings a year.

Ive swopped several times now and its always gone smoothly with the new provider sorting everything out.

Good to see someone else doing the exact same swap....proves I;m not losing my marbles :rotfl:. It looks like saving me around 25% a year or roughly £400.
Is the £50 termination fee applied even if u r not in any kind of fixed period contract?

Nemo

I'm also thinking of switching from Scottish Power to EDF. I've done the comparisons through www.switchwithwhich.co.uk , and found there are 2 Online S@vers currently available. If you click on the Tariff Details for V6 it says:-

Unfortunately EDF Energy isn't allowing any switching sites to switch you to this tariff. If you would like to switch to this tariff please call EDF Energy directly on 0800 096 9000.

This message isn't on the V5 though. I don't know if this means that any cashback would be rejected with V6. With my own usage, V5 is only about 0.5% more expensive.

Personally, I think I'm going to hold off to see if the cashback improves in the next week or three. I've looked through the feedback on TopCashBack, and it seems that it's typically at £60 and drops to £40 on occasions. It has been £80 in the past. Anyone got any more info on this?

wirehair

I too am in the process of switching from Scottish Power , I had asked them to transfer to Online Energy 9 as is was much cheaper , but guess what , thats for new customers only . So I am swapping to Brittish Gas Websaver 6 . Guess what Scottish Power have now offered me Online Energy 9 if I stay . No Chance . I am also interested if the £50 fee is payable by everyone as it has not been mentioned to me. I have beeen with SP for serveral years.

kjsmith7

scoobydoob wrote: »

thanks for the helpful posts
Wow...didn't realise it took that long to switch..no prob tho.
When u say they may still prohibit me from moving, what do they actually do? Do they just send some kind of rejection notice back to EDF due to my outstanding balance? How do I get round this? I realise it may take a few more months to be back in credit with them via DD, but don't they give me the option to settle the balance first?

You are correct in that they (Scottish Power) would send you a rejection letter, detailing why they have prohibited the swap e.g. "Outstanding balance - £500". You can then phone Scottish Power and pay this, and the swap should still go through, as EDF will most likely automatically attempt to move your supply again. If it fails though, you can just re-do the switch, as you then won't have an outstanding balance. Another alternative is to pay the balance and switch to "Quarterly" bill pay whilst you are moving over, as some suppliers don't give you a direct debit discount on your final bill anyway (check this on your T&Cs).

kjsmith7

wirehair wrote: »

I am also interested if the £50 fee is payable by everyone as it has not been mentioned to me. I have beeen with SP for serveral years.

You may find it in the T&Cs for the tariff you are on. Either way, if you're making a big saving it'll be worth it. WebSaver6 will only contract you until 1 August, after that you can either move again (tariff or company) without penalty, or stay on the tariff until May 2011.

JennyR68

I recently moved from BG to EDF. The whole process took 3 weeks and 1 day.

hethmar

Nemo wrote: »

I'm also thinking of switching from Scottish Power to EDF. I've done the comparisons through www.switchwithwhich.co.uk , and found there are 2 Online S@vers currently available. If you click on the Tariff Details for V6 it says:-

This message isn't on the V5 though. I don't know if this means that any cashback would be rejected with V6. With my own usage, V5 is only about 0.5% more expensive.

Personally, I think I'm going to hold off to see if the cashback improves in the next week or three. I've looked through the feedback on TopCashBack, and it seems that it's typically at £60 and drops to £40 on occasions. It has been £80 in the past. Anyone got any more info on this?

£40 cash back through quidco. Mines already tracked for the V6