MSE News: EDF Energy price hike to hit thousands

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Approximately 60,000 on a cheap online deal will be auto transferred to the provider's pricier standard tariff in August ..."

Read the full story:
EDF Energy price hike to hit thousands

Cardew

This has been discussed in a number of threads like this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2591705

The objection is the wording of the letter which would lead many to believe they would be put on another good deal(not all customers are like us 'anoraks')

The spokesman is quite correct in saying that they cannot transfer you to another on-line deal as they have a tie in clause and penalty for leaving.

If they had put a big WARNING notice on the letter they could be excused.

BG did similar when their 4 year fixed deal ended last April.

corbyboy

I don't know if I am being picky here but are they actually raising the price of the tariff or are they moving the customers onto a different tariff? If it is the latter then the title of the article is a little misleading.

I agree that using the word "competitive" to describe the basic tariff isn't right. But if EDF cannot move you to another online tarriff what do you want them to do?

Saying that people won't bother to move tarriffs isn't right either. Everybody who was on this old tarriff could only have got their by switching in the first place. So why are you assuming they won't bother to do it again?

davidgmmafan

Similar with NPower to when they did same to most of this customers on older versions of Sign Online. There was a load of info in there promoting the company and just a brief mention of the new (mostly higher) prices.

KimYeovil

IT SCREAMS IN BOLD IN THE VERY SECOND SENTENCE OF THE LETTER that the typical user will be paying an extra £446.

The reading comprehension of many people is shocking. I genuinely can not see why people are complaining about the letter. No anorak is required to understand it. How many of the whingers have actually read the letter and are genuinely complaining about the wording of the letter rather than complaining about the shocking disparity in price between standard tariffs and cheaper tariffs?

NMarkW

I'm presently on the EDF v5 deal, and will be switching asap. However, a couple of things concern me - 1. is there a penalty for leaving the deal before 31 July? EDF don't mention anything (of course), but it might be buried in the small print. Can any of you MSEs clarify this? 2. (a more general question really) if there is a lock-in period, does it matter when you first apply to switch? I know switching supplier can take weeks/months to complete, but knowing the evil ways of big companies, if you apply early so as to complete the switch just as your deal runs out, are they likely to hit you for a penalty, based on the date that you first tell them you're leaving? HEADS UP FOR MARTIN ET AL - I think this is a big issue affecting lots of MSE activity so it would be helpful to have some info on the site about it.

Any advice appreciated! Mark

makeApoint

I'm happy with the EDF letter. Understood it and moved to a different tarrif.

What do you expect them to say? What would you do if you are in the shoes of their Marketing team relying on the job to pay for your living? Other companies would write the letter in the same way to inform customer of price changes.

What next? Utility companies to produce 5 pages of 'Key Facts' similar to mortgage applications?

dlyricist

makeApoint wrote: »

I'm happy with the EDF letter. Understood it and moved to a different tarrif.

What do you expect them to say? What would you do if you are in the shoes of their Marketing team relying on the job to pay for your living? Other companies would write the letter in the same way to inform customer of price changes.

What next? Utility companies to produce 5 pages of 'Key Facts' similar to mortgage applications?

Just because at present we have culture of bull and spin does not mean it can't be criticized as much as it is produced, until the customer service demanded by most - is acceptable to most.

KimYeovil

dlyricist wrote: »

Just because at present we have culture of bull and spin does not mean it can't be criticized as much as it is produced, until the customer service demanded by most - is acceptable to most.

Where is the bull or spin in the letter? I genuinely can not see anything misleading.

Cardew

KimYeovil wrote: »

IT SCREAMS IN BOLD IN THE VERY SECOND SENTENCE OF THE LETTER that the typical user will be paying an extra £446.

The reading comprehension of many people is shocking.

Kim,

I would readily admit that my 'reading comprehension' might be lacking, but my reading of the second sentence was not that "the typical user will be paying an extra £446"

The second sentence stated:

As an EDF Energy customer on our Online Tariff Version 5 product, you’ve benefited from one of our best deals. In fact, a typical customer could have saved up to £446¹.

Does not the footnote indicate that as the EDF spokesperson stated

"A typical customer on the version 5 online tariff will have saved £446 on average compared to our standard prices since the tariff was launched on 5 January 2007.

Even re-examining the letter in the light of your warning about reading comprehension, I still cannot see how your interpretation of the second sentence is correct.

Perhaps the points about the opaqueness of the letter were well made? One of us would appear to be wrong;)

syco1

KimYeovil wrote: »

IT SCREAMS IN BOLD IN THE VERY SECOND SENTENCE OF THE LETTER that the typical user will be paying an extra £446.

The reading comprehension of many people is shocking. I genuinely can not see why people are complaining about the letter. No anorak is required to understand it. How many of the whingers have actually read the letter and are genuinely complaining about the wording of the letter rather than complaining about the shocking disparity in price between standard tariffs and cheaper tariffs?

I am beginning to understand how to use this forum - if a reply is made by KimYeovil, just ignore it. It will be insulting the OP and everyone else who posts, rather than giving any useful advice. I Have known people like that in real life.