What a pack of lies!

rhodes1968

Energyhelpline switched me to a tarrif with the same supplier, at the same price, but I'd get £20 back after a year, & because I'd mentioned Martin Lewis, I'd get £15 off them.
Instead, when I got my first bill a fortnight later (luckily) I discovered that I'd been switched to a tarrif that was 8p dearer for the first kWhrs. & when I asked to be switched back, there was an exit fee to pay! Energyhelpline had said that there were no strings, no exit penalties.
B Gas kindly waived this exit fee, & reinstated the status quo.

Plushchris

rhodes1968 wrote: »

Energyhelpline switched me to a tarrif with the same supplier, at the same price, but I'd get £20 back after a year, & because I'd mentioned Martin Lewis, I'd get £15 off them.
Instead, when I got my first bill a fortnight later (luckily) I discovered that I'd been switched to a tarrif that was 8p dearer for the first kWhrs. & when I asked to be switched back, there was an exit fee to pay! Energyhelpline had said that there were no strings, no exit penalties.
B Gas kindly waived this exit fee, & reinstated the status quo.

Whats tariffs did you switch to and from? The only BG tariff I'm aware of that has £20 back after a year is the Energysmart one?

Also, you say the first rate was higher, was the second rate lower?

JasX

rhodes1968 wrote: »

Energyhelpline switched me to a tarrif with the same supplier, at the same price, but I'd get £20 back after a year, & because I'd mentioned Martin Lewis, I'd get £15 off them.
Instead, when I got my first bill a fortnight later (luckily) I discovered that I'd been switched to a tarrif that was 8p dearer for the first kWhrs. & when I asked to be switched back, there was an exit fee to pay! Energyhelpline had said that there were no strings, no exit penalties.
B Gas kindly waived this exit fee, & reinstated the status quo.

Did they switch you to the correct tariff you were quoted for or a different one? was the price and breakpoints what you were quoted (did you ask?), did you have a clue what was supposed ot be going on at any point in the process?

Plushchris

The only tariffs BG have that offer £20 back at the end of the year are the Energysmart ones and none of those have cancelation fees AFAIK

Also, first bill? A fortnight later?? That doesnt sound right to me..

Premier_2

rhodes1968 wrote: »

Energyhelpline switched me to a tarrif with the same supplier, at the same price, but I'd get £20 back after a year, & because I'd mentioned Martin Lewis, I'd get £15 off them.
Instead, when I got my first bill a fortnight later (luckily) I discovered that I'd been switched to a tarrif that was 8p dearer for the first kWhrs. & when I asked to be switched back, there was an exit fee to pay! Energyhelpline had said that there were no strings, no exit penalties.
B Gas kindly waived this exit fee, & reinstated the status quo.

Did it not occur to you that it would be strange for a supplier to be running two different tariffs with exactly the same billing structure?

When energyhelpline said it would be the same cost, they probably meant it would be the same cost per annum based on your stated usage. That doesn't mean it is exactly the same pricing structure. Perhaps the second tier units were lower or that you'd be entitled to some additional discounts for things like prompt payment, payment by DD, paperless billing, online management etc.

Plushchris

Premier wrote: »

Did it not occur to you that it would be strange for a supplier to be running two different tariffs with exactly the same billing structure?

When energyhelpline said it would be the same cost, they probably meant it would be the same cost per annum based on your stated usage. That doesn't mean it is exactly the same pricing structure. Perhaps the second tier units were lower or that you'd be entitled to some additional discounts for things like prompt payment, payment by DD, paperless billing, online management etc.

You can add the Energysmart features onto your current tariff and keep the same unit rates etc.

It could be that this is what happened and it coincided with a change in prices within BG

Getting the "first bill" within two weeks is the giveaway here, I'd say the "New rates" are the new rates for the OPs old tariff (which may have had a cancelation fee)

Until we know what tariff the OP was on and what they were switched to its impossible to say, although it does sound like its an energysmart tariff to me because of the £20 back after a year.