e.on Fixonline 8 - question for e.on Company Representative on alternatives?

victor2

In my opinion you don't want to switch until after completion of FOL8 to be sure you get the discount it gives. I was on FOL7 (which ended May 1) and started the switch a week before it ended. Even then I was unsure about the final discount, but the company I was transferring to said they would do nothing until after the 10 day cooling off period anyway, which took me just past the end of FOL7. Haven't seen the final bill yet from E.On, but am confident the discount for FOL7 will be there. Of course I'll be hit by a few weeks on their standard tariff, but that beats losing the discount.

sparkle76

Hi Victor2, thanks, but if I am staying within Eon does that concern apply?

Doc_N

sparkle76 wrote: »

Hi Victor2, thanks, but if I am staying within Eon does that concern apply?

Yes, because e.on can, according to the T&C, charge you £30, even if you transfer to another of their tariffs before 1 July. I doubt they would, but they could.

You are also at risk of losing a large discount on the final bill, though you can put readings in now, and ask for a bill, to minimise that loss.

The risk of leaving it until later though, is that there's a price rise coming, and nobody knows how long the present tariffs will last. I've already moved to a longer January 2014 fix with Scottish Power for that reason.

victor2

sparkle76 wrote: »

Hi Victor2, thanks, but if I am staying within Eon does that concern apply?

Sorry, missed that bit. E.On do state you lose discount on your final bill if you "leave" before the end of the contracted period. I suppose it depends on how they interpret moving to another tariff within E.On.
Worth emailing them. They responded within a day or so of my emailing them with my question about leaving. If you're going to request a bill, do it before changing anything. I tried after they knew I was leaving and they refused to bill me as my next bill would be my "final" bill. My online account was closed as well, but can't really blame them as I was leaving and not just changing tariff.

sparkle76

Thanks, it's so confusing, I will e-mail Eon and see what they say, because at least I would be staying with them this way. If they disagree it will be more tempting to move, I think EDF was the next best one for me and I would get £30 or so via one of the energy comparison sites.

Also isn't it a bit weird to ask them for a bill, I normally just complete the energy ratings but this normally doesn't generate a bill...I will ask only if they don't let me move to the other tariff or I am likely to lose my discount.

Airmike23

Doc N and Sparkle76 - Eon only charge the £30 cancellation fee if you leave Eon and join a competitor company before the plan end date - eg. FixOnline 8, if your change of supply completes before 1st July 2011 you will be charged the £30, even if cos date is 30th June! You can transfer to another Eon product via the self serve website, or by speaking to an agent over the phone, up to 8 times a year (twice per 90 billing cycle). This is where it gets messy - Say today 31st May 2011 a customer opts for Save Online 7, this product has a cancellation charge of £30 if the customer leaves Eon before 1st July 2012. In 3 months time the customer notices there is a new tariff and looks cheaper, via the self serve website the customer changes from Save Online 7 to the new Eon product (takes a couple of seconds), the new product has no cancellation fee. At this point the customer is NOT charged the £30 cancellation fee for coming off Save Online 7 because they are still an Eon customer. Then the customer decides to switch power companies May 2012, with supply date being 31st May 2012 with new supplier, even tho leaving Eon on tariff swapped to after Save Online 7, because original terms were £30 cancellation rate, and because the customer is leaving before 1st july 2012, the £30 would be on the final bill, even tho tariff leaving Eon is not Save Online 7. Crazy yes!!

Doc_N

Airmike23 wrote: »

Doc N and Sparkle76 - Eon only charge the £30 cancellation fee if you leave Eon and join a competitor company before the plan end date - eg. FixOnline 8, if your change of supply completes before 1st July 2011 you will be charged the £30, even if cos date is 30th June! You can transfer to another Eon product via the self serve website, or by speaking to an agent over the phone, up to 8 times a year (twice per 90 billing cycle). This is where it gets messy - Say today 31st May 2011 a customer opts for Save Online 7, this product has a cancellation charge of £30 if the customer leaves Eon before 1st July 2012. In 3 months time the customer notices there is a new tariff and looks cheaper, via the self serve website the customer changes from Save Online 7 to the new Eon product (takes a couple of seconds), the new product has no cancellation fee. At this point the customer is NOT charged the £30 cancellation fee for coming off Save Online 7 because they are still an Eon customer. Then the customer decides to switch power companies May 2012, with supply date being 31st May 2012 with new supplier, even tho leaving Eon on tariff swapped to after Save Online 7, because original terms were £30 cancellation rate, and because the customer is leaving before 1st july 2012, the £30 would be on the final bill, even tho tariff leaving Eon is not Save Online 7. Crazy yes!!

From the e.on terms and conditions for Fixonline 3 - 9:

Cancellation fees
We may charge a cancellation fee as set out in Your Plan if:

• you transfer your gas and/or electricity to another supplier
• you transfer your gas and/or electricity to another E.ON plan
• you move home and do not continue with your FixOnline plan if available.

E.on are entitled to charge the £30 cancellation fee even on a switch to another e.on product. Worth bearing in mind.

molerat

They have not charged me the past two changes from plans with fees because I have moved to another fee plan each time.

When you input meter readings you can opt for a bill so if you are thinking of changing it keeps your loss of discount to a minimum.

sparkle76

Thanks all, I am planning to e-mail them today. Interesting to know about the £30 applying even within Eon, and also the ability to request a bill when I input meter readings too (I normally pay little attention when inputting the data, clearly!).

Airmike23

I work for Eon and the £30 is not charged when you do a tariff change!