Scottish Power switch dilemma

Yorkie1

I'm yet another customer who has moved onto the new Online 9 tariff at the end of March.

On my consumption (17500 gas, 2000 elec), according to the comparison sites I will pay £861 on the new tariff.

On the Online 13 tariff I will pay £787.

If I switched to EOn I would pay £806 on their SaveOnline 6 tariff. And I think I could get £65 cashback through quidco (though it's a little confusing as the text seems to refer simultaneously to another offer which ran out a week ago).

Or capped I could get npower GoFix 5 at £844, with £22 cashback through uswitch quidco.

Do people think it's worth switching from SP? If so, to which plan?

If so, what's the best strategy? If I do not transfer before the end of the month, I will be liable for a cancellation fee of about £50. According to posts on the longer SP thread on here, the relevant date for the 'transfer' is when the registration is activated, which takes at least a couple of weeks - i.e. into the cancellation fee period.

Therefore, would the best strategy be to ask SP to transfer me onto their standard tariff immediately - and then to go for the transfer through the comparison sites, without the risk of paying the cancellation fee?

Thanks in advance for comments.

Yorkie1

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts about the best way to approach SP if I do decide to move away from them?

Thanks.

Premier_2

Martin says that cashback is not guaranteed until it's in your bank account. Hence you should not use it as a decing factor as to which deal to accept (unless you are a switch tart and accept such risks as an occupational hazard)

If you decide to switch supplier, just contact the new supplier - they should take care of everything for you

Yorkie1

Many thanks Premier. As it takes a couple of weeks for the new supplier's request to transfer to be actioned, I'll contact SP tomorrow to ask to go onto the standard rate, so that the transfer request isn't actioned after the cut-off date for the cancellation fee.

Ernisius

I initiated a switch from Scottish Power to British Gas, 1 week before the end of my contract, knowing that the process takes about 6 weeks.
I just got confirmation from Bgas that the switch is completed,

but, I got a call from Winback at Scottish power, who told me I would have to pay the cancellation fee for early termination because I had initiated the switch before the end of the contract.

(but he would waive the charges if I stayed with them)

Does anyone know if this is true, or was this just a threat to encourage me to stay with them.

Thanks

mjr

Afraid I can't answer your question, but remember if you did go back you may end up liable for a cancellation charge from British Gas.

oldandhappy

I had been with SP for a fair few years and the prices were about the best for me so had no reason to change or have contact with SP but when my capped expired and the tariff offered was not the best all changed... my change over has and is still being made difficult by SP. They have billed me my final Bill with and ESTIMATED amount although my new supplier has given them my exact reading on a said date. They refused today by phone to take the correct reading from me and were as horrible as possible. They expect me to pay an estimated bill that is at least 30% higher than it really is....I do believe SP will charge you the cancellation fee having now really felt the attitude of this company via just a handful of there employees. I would never ever return to them. Good Luck Dianne

st999

Say it takes 6 weeks to change, how much money are you losing by waiting until the end of your present tariff and incurring no charges or trying to be clever and changing before your tariff ends in the hope that you will be lucky and pay no penalty?

I bet it will only be pennies compared to the £30 you will lose by changing earlier.

Another tip if you are changing supplier.

If your current supplier allows you to submit readings online then submit readings every week beforehand so that your final bill is as accurate as possible.

Seakay

Ernisius wrote: »

I initiated a switch from Scottish Power to British Gas, 1 week before the end of my contract, knowing that the process takes about 6 weeks.
I just got confirmation from Bgas that the switch is completed,

but, I got a call from Winback at Scottish power, who told me I would have to pay the cancellation fee for early termination because I had initiated the switch before the end of the contract.

(but he would waive the charges if I stayed with them)

Does anyone know if this is true, or was this just a threat to encourage me to stay with them.

Thanks

This sounds a bit dodgy to me. You are with your original supplier until you pay the final bill. The fact that switching has to be started so far in advance of the switching date is nothing to do with you - you were just altering your behaviour to fit in with the time scale dictated by the industry. 1 week after initiating a switch you were still with SP and hadn't even been asked for readings etc because you were in the cooling off period - ie the process of switching had not started and you were, so to speak, considering your options but had made no decision.

t0rt0ise

It has been said on here time and time again that we should start the process of moving away, four weeks before the end of the contract so that by the time we are moved the contract is up. So I'd refuse to pay the leaving fee and assume it's just a hollow threat. If the sum does appear on the bill then I'd still refuse and raise a complaint. Not a lot they can do once you've left.

Ernisius

t0rt0ise wrote: »

It has been said on here time and time again that we should start the process of moving away, four weeks before the end of the contract so that by the time we are moved the contract is up. So I'd refuse to pay the leaving fee and assume it's just a hollow threat. If the sum does appear on the bill then I'd still refuse and raise a complaint. Not a lot they can do once you've left.

I did raise a complaint, and was called by SP complaints department.

They told me that although they will waive the charges, the new contract was an opt out option, they had sent an email telling me i would be moved to the new contract, if i did not opt out.

But, I did opt out, I actually did it twice because i never got any confirmation from them that I had opted out.

Also, what if the email had gone into junk. For something that locks you in to a contract, surerly it should be an opt in rather than an opt out.