NPower woman calling me back at 5pm please help

manicdeb

Hi There,

I've been on the comparison sites which all tell me that NPower Sign Online 20 is the best for my to switch to but will this still be the case once their prices go up in January?

Not done anything like this before so just need to make sure I'm not making a schoolgirl error

Many thanks, Manicdeb

JasX

1-Who are you with now?

2-If npower are calling you you're certainly not being the most efficient about it as using a cashback site and not dealing with npower directly will net you an extra £40-£100 cashback for switching

3-Confirm you put your useage in in ANNUAL KWH only as any other method will result in gobbleedegook nonesense comming out of the comparison site (ie guesses based on monthly spend etc)

4-if in doubt might be better to defer changing until npower's prices go up and if your existing supplier has put up prices recently use the ofgem loophole to get your prices fixed at the lower rate for a few weeks while you switch.

manicdeb

JasX

i#m currently with British Gas on standard tarrifs

as I mentioned in my first post the comparison sites tell me npower are the cheapest for me I rang them myself to try and get clarity on all this and the lady is ringing me back at 5pm when i have my pc on with my annual usage onscreen - although i did put my annual usage on the compairisons sites also

Plushchris

So what did she say?

You didnt sign up with her did you??

JasX

Well 2 ways to approach it:

1-BG raised their prices on 12th November and had 60odd days froom that date to notify you in writing, you then have 20 days to object, end your contract and have them notified by yoour new supplier (within 15 days) in order foor you to have your prices frozen at pre Nov 12th levels for the period since then till you actually switch (typically 6 weeks after you do the above).

If you've had the official notification the clock will be ticking already.

If not you can either wait for one or send a letter now objecting to the price rises, stating you have not yet received their official notification however will be kicking off a switch and insist they freeze prices none the less.

Alternative route is just to pay the higher prices from Nov 12th and switch to another provider. Be aware however npower's discounts (£100 dual fuel) are factored into the comparison sites already and require you to stay with them for a full year, so if you don't like their new prices in the new year you'll be stuck with them.

risks either way switching now or switching in the new year when there is a more level playing field. But good to be thinking about it up front and no 'huge' rush unless you're plannign to go the first route and have already had their letter.

backfoot

My advice would be to go out at 4.55 p.m.

seafarers_wife

Sign on line 20 prices are staying fixed until december 2011, ive just changed my tarriff with them and got the t&c's through and it doesnt say anything about the prices rising, just that they are fixed until dec 2011 and then you go onto the standard tarriff.

Plushchris

seafarers_wife wrote: »

Sign on line 20 prices are staying fixed until december 2011, ive just changed my tarriff with them and got the t&c's through and it doesnt say anything about the prices rising, just that they are fixed until dec 2011 and then you go onto the standard tarriff.

The prices on SOL 20 are not fixed, they are guaranteed to remain a percentage below Npowers standard tariff until that date but that doesnt mean they are fixed.

IE if the standard prices go up by 5% then SOL20 can go up b 5% too and still be 3% lower (or whatever the percentage is)

MillicentBystander

npower - why does nobody giving advice ever mention the fact that, should you leave them within 12 months of joining, you not only have a £40 exit fee to pay (nothing terrible there as most of the energy suppliers now do this) but, what should really trouble you is you also don't get the £105 annual discount that is scandalously INCLUDED in the 'savings' shown on the switching sites. Is it really worth it? Look elsewhere would be my advice.

davidgmmafan

I think that has been mentioned before, but its certainly worth repeating.

loofer

does exit fee still apply if you are just switching tarrif but not provider (i.e SOL17 to SOL20)?
Would I still get the £100 discount at the end of the 12 months, even though I have changed tarriff part way through the 12 months?
Can I still get cashback via comparison sites if I am just changing tariff but staying with same provider?