Having Problems Changing Supplier For My Gas & Electric

Spandy

I can save 20% by switching electricity suppliers (from British Gas Click Energy 6 to NPower sign online v20... ). Is there a way I can get both £15 going through uswitch, and £20.20 via topcashback? Going direct to the NPower doesn't get me any cashback better offer.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Spandy

Incidently, both simplyswitch.com and energyhelpline.com reckon my final bill will be £160/year for 1700kWh, but the former think they save me 34%, and the latter, 29%... I've been a keenie and checked, and it is simplyswitch who have the accurate figure.

Maria_MacGowan

Hi if you can't find what you are looking for on Npowers website it might be worth giving them a call and see what they offer you then, explain what you want and see what happens but it may be that you may only be abel to have 1 option. But never say never and keep trying to get what you want. Hope this helps you.

KimYeovil

Maria_MacGowan wrote: »

[...]We will see what happens with British Gas remember I do have the iligal use of bank details to use which I will do if I have to, even if I don't get them to back down if I loose the payment in instalment battle and have to get a loan out they will be sorry because I will use the bank details issue against them and make there life hell (I am sure they don't want that to become public knowledge at the moment it is only between people on this forum and those on facebook but it will go very public if they don't back down) I e-mailed my complaint to the complaints department regarding both issues and made it quiet clear to them that them using my bank details without permission will be leaked via tv, papers, radio, internet etc if they don't back down. (Sorry I do have an evil streek I'm afraid hee hee) [...]

Gosh. I am sure Mr Laidlaw and his cronies are quaking in their boots.

davidgmmafan

The one thing which leaps out at me is

"but to be really honest if I get a lower direct debit I am happy as I am having less outgoings a month."

This really concerns me, you are not alone, this is a mistake people make all the time. The agents, from either company, you have been speaking to work on commission. They can and do lie about the DD amount to get a sale and thus boost thier income.

The ONLY way to resolve this is to do an accurate comparison based on your consumption. Anything else is just storing up trouble for the future.

I hope you won't take offence at the next bit, I'm not taking a cheap shot just being honest.

I must confess I really struggled to read many of your posts. I get the impression you are really mad about this and have other things which require your attention. Believe me when I say I know what it is like to feel like you are being battered from all sides.

Now onto the specific points. It is quite possible you have been able to change suppliers in the past and paid off a balance after. This is particularly if you made regular payments or paid off each bill in full. There wouldn't be a balance until the next (final) bill.

Also if there is a payment plan in place, such as DD, companies systems aren't clever enough to object to the supply leaving as it still thinks they will get paid.

If, however, there is a balance outstanding from a past bill I believe the supplier can object for as little as £5.

With regard to the direct debit your complaint there must be directed at the agent who put through the contract. They shouldn't have accessed the bank details (not sure on the legalities of keeping them) and put them on the new account without you being aware of it.

They are supposed to read a script out giving details of things you need to know, like the tariff and the payment amount.

The other complaint relates to when you told them that the DD details were not to be used. The advisor cancelled them yet a payment still came out. I can to some exten understand that this process is automated, but under the circumstances it would've been good practice for someone to keep an eye on the account and cancel any DD's.

My real concern in all of this is changing supplier so regularly usually leads to confusion. For example if all the switches were close togehter there may have been estimate reading used which don't tally with your actual readings. Unless you do a comparison based on a YEARS ACTUAL CONSUMPTION switching supplier is pot luck. It may save you money, it may cost you money.

Maria_MacGowan

KimYeovil wrote: »

Gosh. I am sure Mr Laidlaw and his cronies are quaking in their boots.

Hi there this is to everyone that said it could not be done, Kim, Macman, well they must have been quacking in there boots as I got a phone call this afternoon and guess they have written off the electric bill which was for £100.44, letting me go over to Eon and putting the final gas bill £77 in the post, which if I want to I can pay in instalments. British Gas 0 Rotwieler 1 They are doing it on the basis that they had made 3 serous mistakes all involving my bank account. Now if you lot want my help to sort out any simular problems just conctact me on this thread it will stay open, but may take a couple of days to get back to you as I have a nice job to re build my PC again this could take a while by for now. 3 days now thats a record for me I thought it might have taken longer for British Gas to back down. :T:D:rotfl::):A:j