Scottish power vs Scottish hydro

edigym

I was approached by Scottish hydro salesman and he convinced to switch (with couple discount vouchers). Before that I was on Scottish power online plan. Of course the salesman did not mention that there is £50 leaving fee for Scottish power!

So I got a phonecall from Scottish power 'win back' team and the chap was telling blaa blaa we can take you back and leaving fee will be cancelled. This happened after 7d cooling off period.

I told him to call back later.

My options.
A) Go with Scottish Hydro and take £50
Change back ot Scottish Power. Will Scottish Hydro try apply similar cancellation fee? The supply hasn't changed yet, but both parties have send their welcome/sorry to leave letters.

Any advice?

eurmalian

Sorry, very quick question: Is it Scottish Gas or Scottish Power? As they're different compaines and your title says one while the post says the other...

edigym

Topic updated.

eurmalian

Do you know what the contract that you've signed up to with Scottish Hydro is? As if it isn't a fixed term contract then there probably is no cancelation fee. If there is one and you are out of the cool off period then I would expect that they will want you to pay it. What will happen if you choose to 'stay' with Scottish Power is they will let you join Hydro and then raise a sale for them to take back over the supply, meaning you get all the cancelation charges and such from Hydro. Unless they Hydro guy has been guilty of miss-selling there isn't much else they can do once the cool off is past.

Id say that what to do all depends on whether your new contract with Hydro is a fixed term on with a cancellation fee and whether the hydro prices are actually cheaper. Have you checked that? As door to door guys are great at claiming massive savings no matter what...

Newcroft

My own observations from having dealt with both companies:



I have recently changed supplier from SP to Scottish Hydro Electric - and much prefer Scottish Hydro Electric. I had to pay a cancellation fee (dual fuel) to SP, however, in my opinion, it was worth it.

With Scottish Power, my bills were wrong (wrong readings, wrong tariff, wrong amount of credit). There seemed to be a breakdown in communication between the Call Centre staff and the billing department. I used to dread the bills coming in.

I also found that SP's online facility was not the most dependable. When you consider that customers with online accounts have to monitor them solely online, SP took weeks to fix a problem with their software.

Scottish Hydro Electric, on the other hand, have a better customer support system. For the last few years, I have been looking after my elderly father's Gas & Electric bills, both of which are supplied by Scottish Hydro Electric.

Their Call Centre staff have authority to amend bills whilst the customer is still on the phone; something that SP agents are not allowed to do. Hydro Electric staff actively encourage customers to ask for an agent by name, should the customer experience any further difficulty with a particular problem. This ensures continuity. With SP, it was a case of having to speak to yet another agent - and having to explain yourself all over again.

Whereas phone calls to SP can result in lengthy waits (0845 rates), Scottish Hydro Electric answer their phones much more quickly; and you don't have to use 0845 numbers.

Since transferring, I have received 2 calls from Scottish Hydro Electric, asking if I was satisfied with their customer support, (something I have never had from SP).



For me, there's no comparison.

ImNotMe

I just want to second that. I was with Scottish Power for 10 months during which time they tried to read my meter several times, each time telling me the meter was not registered to the address and therefore they couldn't take a reading, and would send someone else out.

When I moved out I called them and tried to give them a reading, their reply was to tell me I wasn't a customer. Fast forward a month, I got a bill in for £900. I called them up and said I had the meter reading from when I left and gave them it. The guy on the phone more or less called me a liar because the difference was so great.

The only thing which saved my skin was the fact the landlord (he owned about 30 flats in the building) was having so many problems with Scottish Power that he employed someone full time to work with them. When I moved out the three of had taken the reading.

End result the bill was reduced to £346

I have been in my current flat for 4 years all that time with Scottish Hydro and haven't had a single problem. The few times I have spoken to customer service they have been helpful and friendly. I had overpaid and they sent me a letter asking if I wanted to remain in credit or if I wanted the money paid back. I opted to remain in credit, saying that if I remained in credit at that point next year I would take the money. one year later they paid money into my account, it was a nice surprise.