Beware

kat21

I am currently with scottish power for my electricity supply and decided to change to equipower some time ago. I am also a customer with southern electric (for gas) although I was aware that they are one and the same group (southern, equipower, equigas) I thought they all traded respectfully under there own names. Then came the shock, (well shock to me) they wanted to read both my gas and electricity meter at the same time!! I pointed out that I was with southern for my gas and equipower for my electricity to which they replied we align our gas and electricity bills. I pointed out that I hadnt signed up to a dual fuel and that I thought the two companies traded differently to which they said no, they traded as one and the same. I then pointed out that I wasnt informed that both my gas and electricity bills would be arriving at the same time and, I then decided to contact energy watch. I pointed out to energy watch that I had not signed up to a duel fuel and indeed had I done so, I would have got discount but, rather that I wanted my gas bill to arrive in one month and my electricity bill to arrive in another. I pointed out to energy watch that there is no indication to say customers of southern electricity would end up aligned to Equipower if they took out a contract for fuel from them. Energy watch rang me back later on that day to confirm that indeed there was no indication that my bills would become aligned. equipower offered a take it or leave it saying that in future all there bills would become aligned I am now back with my old supplier. Energy watch pointed out to me that customers apparently prefer to have there gas and electricity readings taken at the same time, and to be billed for both fuels at the same time and, that was what energy watch was pushing for. I pointed out that customers such as myself on low incomes it would be a lot of money to find all at once. It makes me wonder whom energy watch is regulating!! for instance did you know that by having your gas and electricity meter read at the same time would cut down on the visits needed (each visit is charged to your supplier at twenty pounds sometimes more) sources energy watch. It would also potentially do away with duel fuel discounts because if we are forced to pay for our gas and electricity at the same time, its only going to benefit the share holders, for example, one bill cuts down on administration costs and postage, one meter reading cuts down on paying for the meter reader to attend your home and if it did become the norm, the so called duel fuel discount would dissapear.
How come a subsiduary of one company can affect the trading of another? energy watch say that it is up to the consumer to check to see if the energy supplier is a subsiduary of another company so that they do not end up in the position that I did. I pointed out to energy watch that none of the switching sites make you aware that one company is the umbrella of another and that it could potentially affect they way they charge your for your supply of fuel. I Never thought that southern electric would have had any impact on Equipower from the producing of bills point of view but, we live and learn so, becarefull, check if the company your already with trades under any other name and also (energy watch advice) make sure their isnt an alignment policy in place before you sign up.
what are your views do we rely too much on switching sites how do you feel about receiving your gas and electricity bills at the same time (but loosing the discount)?
kat21

oldwiring

There is no ownership link between Any member of the SSE Group ( Southern Electric etc ) and Equipower. However Equipower use the services of SSE for billing purposes, and it is absolutely logical that the reading cycles for both SSE customers and Equipower customers in an area should be brought in to line. I suggest that is what you were being told and what actually happened to you.

kat21

not sure what you mean in an area or in line? as you state they are two seperate companys but just because I am an exisiting customer of the umbrella group of an organisation doesnt necessarly mean that I should have to have my southern electric bills brought into line with my equipower bills, they should make there position clear which as I have found out via energy watch they did not. bringing readings into line from one company to suit another without making that clear to the customer is in my view bad practice. I would never have consulted with Equipower had I known before hand that they were going to link my bills together (because of the financial implications of such a move. I wanted seperate bills from what I thought was two seperate companys, next we will end up with the water board jumping on the band wagon! customer choice and transparency! thats all I ask for.
kat21

hurrah

Even you have your gas from one supplier and your electric from another (that are not connected with each other in anyway),their is still no guarantee they want have the same billing date/cycle,or the same outsourced meter readers.

Woby_Tide

kat21 wrote:

next we will end up with the water board jumping on the band wagon! customer choice and transparency! thats all I ask for.

they already do if you are metered as they use the same figure from the meter to calculate bills. Personally I think it makes perfect sense to reduce the administration where possible (alongst with other ethical reasons i guess in terms of meter readers making needless journeys due to billing preferences of customers). If a combined reading saves £20 in admin fees that won't then be passed onto the customer it makes more sense. Wanting to pay more to the utility companies just to receive seperate bills seems...well...barmy and not MSE

tripled

Why not go on a dorect debit or payment card scheme to spread your payments?

cheghead

I have Equipower and Gas and personally prefer having both bills produced at the same time. Really can't see what's the problem. Certainly not to go to the effort of going to energy watch!

oldwiring

kat21 wrote:

not sure what you mean in an area or in line? as you state they are two seperate companys but just because I am an exisiting customer of the umbrella group of an organisation doesnt necessarly mean that I should have to have my southern electric bills brought into line with my equipower bills, they should make there position clear which as I have found out via energy watch they did not. bringing readings into line from one company to suit another without making that clear to the customer is in my view bad practice. I would never have consulted with Equipower had I known before hand that they were going to link my bills together (because of the financial implications of such a move. I wanted seperate bills from what I thought was two seperate companys, next we will end up with the water board jumping on the band wagon! customer choice and transparency! thats all I ask for.
kat21

Area= where one lives and te meters are located. I dod not write in line but in to line= coordinated. It would be foolsih of a co not to get its reading cycle for both coordinated. Its an efficient use of resources. Frankly if you want a service that does not use its resiources efficiently then be prepared to pay for it.

Woby_Tide

I'm still a bit bewildered at what the complaints are in the original post, they complain that they are loosing a dual fuel discount despite blatantly stating they are using two 'companies' (one of which just happens to subcontract it'[s account handling to the others). The fact that meter readings are combined isn't helping the shareholders only, it's reducing costs that would be passed onto the consumer. Also how can receiving one bill 1 month and the other in another month help people on a low income, surely you just budget month by month over the 12 months (or quarterly) as the billing cycle has absolutely no effect on the amount you'd be required to pay surely?

kat21

It would seem from the amount of posts here that you all have a vested interest. I think those that work for companys should make there positions known, and yes it does help the share holders, any savings to the company are bound to have an impact ! Unless a company specifically says it brings its meter readings into line, then they are in breach of not supplying the full facts to the consumer, its a waste of time for the companys involved and its a waste of time to the consumer, (hence why I was re instated to my old supply as though I had never left. Sorry posters I do not agree with the sentiments you pass on. Perhaps your not poor like me balancing the books. Direct debit? why would I want to pay direct debit, gawed you lot really take the biscuit. why should I pay for fuel in advance. Look at how many have come unstuck trapped in contracts through the evil direct debit scheme. My brother in law had money taken out of his account for nearly two years before he realised it was way too much, again a nice move by the companys concerned. To be honest I think this site has become infiltrated by either share holders or dishonest people whom have a vested interest in trying to convince the status quo, that this is how things should be done. If I want my bills individual at different billing periods, then thats what I should be offered not incentives to the gain of only the share holders and companys concerned. I think in regard to the supply of fuel in this country its become a rip off. Look at the price of crude oil at the moment yet fuel prices fail to fall. No doubt companys will tell you that they bought it at that price so were selling it at that price! rubbish, YOu sell fuel to make a profit, and you find as many ways to rip people off to keep the share holders happy.
kat21

kat21

With regards to the billing cycle it does help to keep my gas and electricity bills in different months, on many points actually, firstly, my summer months bills are cheaper than winter, paying one bill one month and another in another month helps me save for each in each individual month. I have done it this way for more than eleven years and never I repeat never had difficulty in paying any bills as they come through the door, look at how many people are introuble now! dont pull the wool over everyones eyes your actions are throwing millions of people into det traps, handy if you work for any of the companys concerned keep direct debit payments low, pretend customers are paying the right amount, then when they try to leave knock them for six with a massive bill.
you cannot see my points because you have a vested interest.
kat21