Scottish power online energy saver 7 cancellation fee

foolishboy

Hi all,

Finally getting the move to EDF sorted and have my final bill from scottish power in front of me.

Gas was moved over fine some weeks ago, Elec got messed up so only closing now. On the bill I see a £30 cancellation charge.

Now I read the small print on deals pretty carefully and waited until the 12 months had passed (opened the account on 24/12/2009) so I'm a little surprised. I cannot find the original T&C which is annoying, except at this link which refers to the charge:

http://energylinx.co.uk/online_energy_saver_7.html

...if that is accurate then I should not be paying the charge.

Anyone else had this? Admin error or did I misunderstand the T&C? I had several retention calls from SP and nobody mentioned this, would have been a good time to mention it if they were trying to make me stay!

Thanks!
FB

Scottish_Power

Hi foolishboy

Did you opt out of the Online Energy Saver 7 tariff as I am aware that customers were being offered to remain on this tariff with the reviewed prices until December 2011? If you did not opt out then you will have remained n the OLE7 tariff after December which still comes with the cancellation charge.

I can look at this for you if you wish to see exactly what has happened with your account. Send me an email to [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] and I can review this for you.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

foolishboy

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi foolishboy

Did you opt out of the Online Energy Saver 7 tariff as I am aware that customers were being offered to remain on this tariff with the reviewed prices until December 2011? If you did not opt out then you will have remained n the OLE7 tariff after December which still comes with the cancellation charge.

I can look at this for you if you wish to see exactly what has happened with your account. Send me an email to [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] and I can review this for you.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Now you mention it the final bill does say that I'm on Online ES 7 (Extended Dec 2011). So I had to opt out to avoid the cancellation charge? A bit like a mobile phone company automatically renewing my contract isn't it - not sure I like that.

I'll forward the email, thanks!
FB

foolishboy

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi foolishboy

Did you opt out of the Online Energy Saver 7 tariff as I am aware that customers were being offered to remain on this tariff with the reviewed prices until December 2011? If you did not opt out then you will have remained n the OLE7 tariff after December which still comes with the cancellation charge.

I can look at this for you if you wish to see exactly what has happened with your account. Send me an email to [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] and I can review this for you.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Hi Colin,

Did you get my email??

I got a response from the email I sent from the website:

"Thank you for your email.

You were on our Online Saver Energy 7 service package which was due to mature on 30th November 2010. However, due to the popularity of the package we extended it till 30th November 2011.

We informed all the customers to confirm by 12th January 2011 whether they want to stay with the extended package or want to move to the standard package, where we do not charge any cancellation fee. We did not receive any request for the cancellation from you and extend the package till 30th November 2011. You cancelled your account before the maturity date of your package that is the reason you have been charged the cancellation fee.

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

So basically I was allegedly informed of this but my failure to say something meant my contract terms changed and my cancellation fee period extended.

I am extremely savvy when it comes to this sort of thing, I always shop around when all of my contracts are due for renewal, so if I'd received such a notification I would have acted upon it.

Very unhappy about this, there is no way they can make sure people receive these communications yet they make significant changes to your terms based upon them. I'll bet if I sent them a letter asking to cancel and it never got there they would not be as keen to assume I was telling the truth and act as if it was received.

Obviously I'd like this refunded if I'm to ever consider returning to SP as a customer, which is more than likely in the future as deals change.

What are my chances here??

Thanks!
FB

foolishboy

Quick update to the thread ..

Colin has been extremely responsive, and I thank him for that, however SP have taken the position that an email was sent and they can prove that I got it therefore no refund. Also a postcard was sent to remind on 22nd December, which I did not receive either.

Obviously I'd like to see their proof, and sending a postcard to me on 22nd december is next to useless given how messed up the post was this year - how about a phone call? I know SP have my number as they called me plenty when I switched to EDF

Anyway, I've asked for complaints escalation procedure and if this is their final position I'll contact the Energy Ombudsman.

I'd be interested to hear from others who've had this problem, I cannot be alone I'm sure.

Cheers, and thanks again Colin, none of this reflects negatively on you personally, I think it's great that SP have a rep on here! :T
FB

holleybush

foolishboy wrote: »

Quick update to the thread ..

Colin has been extremely responsive, and I thank him for that, however SP have taken the position that an email was sent and they can prove that I got it therefore no refund. Also a postcard was sent to remind on 22nd December, which I did not receive either.

Obviously I'd like to see their proof, and sending a postcard to me on 22nd december is next to useless given how messed up the post was this year - how about a phone call? I know SP have my number as they called me plenty when I switched to EDF

Anyway, I've asked for complaints escalation procedure and if this is their final position I'll contact the Energy Ombudsman.

I'd be interested to hear from others who've had this problem, I cannot be alone I'm sure.

Cheers, and thanks again Colin, none of this reflects negatively on you personally, I think it's great that SP have a rep on here! :T
FB

Hi Foolishboy,

I have just experienced exactly the same problem as you! I got my final bill today with a £30 cancellation charge when I knew (well thought I knew!) that I was past the point of being charged a cancellation fee.

I too am very savvy usually with these issues but this one has come out the blue and I'm amazed more people haven't had the same problem.

If this charge is not refunded I think it is disgusting. I, like you, don't remember seeing an email saying my contract is changing and don't remember any flier or letter in the post. This is not the way to deal with new contracts surely? My deal should have expired and gone to the standard tariff with no response from me, not automatically changing to a new contract without my agreement. This highlights a major communication problem in my opinion.

I will now have to try to contact ScottishPower about this to get it resolved.

backfoot

This doesn't sound correct to me.

You entered a contract with SP and fulfilled the original terms. At the end of that contract you are free to move to another supplier without penalty.

SP have chosen to place you on a tariff at the end of the original contract. It sounds like that action is different from what the original terms and conditions would have stated.

It matters not,whether that tariff was beneficial to you in the meantime. They can't now invoke a whole new range of terms and conditions including exit fees where you have not formally agreed to those terms.

It is yet another Supplier making up the rules as it goes along and taking totally anti competive actions to prevent switching or to penalise you for so doing.

Definately,refer this case to CF and the Energy Ombudsman. It is also worth writing to OFGEM under the current consultation regarding the Retail Market Review. Let Ofgem know about the barrier to switching which SP have singularly invented to profit from switching customers for no apparent reason.

I totally believe you that their correspondence didn't reach you, but I don't think it makes any difference to the fundamentals of this situation.

(OVO Energy claimed they had e mailed me notification of a price increase, which I didn't receive.After refusing to accept that it was impossible,I got them to simulate the mail merge which they had used.When they did, they discovered that an extra dot in in my email address was generated and therefore became invalid.)

Good luck. I am sure you will prevail and another Supplier will be regretting that they didn't deal with your situation sympathetically and correctly and have opened themselves to a more serious situation.:D

foolishboy

After a lot of kicking and screaming they waived the fee in the end, but it was a lot of hassle and I dont think I'll be choosing SP in the future even if they are the cheapest - sometimes a few ££ just isn't worth the hassle!

Cheers,
FB

holleybush

thanks for your quick reply backfoot and for the information.

This is a very useful website to get answers - I only just registered today because of this problem.

I've emailed SP using the complaints email address given by foolishboy above but I can guess what they'll say... but I'm hoping I'll be surprised!!

backfoot

foolishboy wrote: »

After a lot of kicking and screaming they waived the fee in the end, but it was a lot of hassle and I dont think I'll be choosing SP in the future even if they are the cheapest - sometimes a few ££ just isn't worth the hassle!

Cheers,
FB

Perhaps Colin will confirm that this is now policy?

holleybush

I just saw your latest comments foolishboy... I'm glad they waived the charge for you, I think they are just trying their luck. I wonder how much money they make from the people that don't complain or don't notice the charge?