Fixed price going up before time!

Sweey_as_a_nut

Just received an e-mail off Atlantic Gas and electric saying both my fuel prices are going up. I am on FIXED PRICE 4 and been on this tariff since February 2011 and was lead to be leave that my costs were fixed until February 2012. It wouldn't be fixed price if they do put it up before the correct date would it. Any views on this, or ammunition I can use to retaliate.

Thanks.

keith1950

Yes, it's definately fixed until feb12, so might just be a mailing glitch !!

jalexa

Sweey_as_a_nut wrote: »

Just received an e-mail off Atlantic Gas and electric saying both my fuel prices are going up. I am on FIXED PRICE 4 and been on this tariff since February 2011 and was lead to be leave that my costs were fixed until February 2012.

AFAIAA, you are right that FP 4 is "fixed for 12 months".

Eliminate any possibility that *you* have misunderstood (the notice) and then that someone at Atlantic has not made an "incompetent mistake".

Have you confirmed what tariff name appears on your bill?

I think Atlantic answer the phones slightly quicker than Edf so you may get to speak to someone.

Sweey_as_a_nut

I have just read the e-mail again my name on it is correct, however they only put, Domestic Standard NSC, above this it says Fixed price 4.

Fixed price 4
Domestic Standard NSC

They also say I can leave before the price rise takes effect, however in the agreement I agreed to in February it says I can't leave the agreement until February 2012, if I do I will incur a penalty I think about £84.


Thanks.

jalexa

Sweey_as_a_nut wrote: »

I have just read the e-mail again my name on it is correct, however they only put, Domestic Standard NSC, above this it says Fixed price 4.

Fixed price 4
Domestic Standard NSC

They also say I can leave before the price rise takes effect, however in the agreement I agreed to in February it says I can't leave the agreement until February 2012, if I do I will incur a penalty I think about £84.

IME Atlantic as not quite as clued-up as their "self-trumpeted" customer service suggests. I don't think there is any such thing as "Fixed Price 4 Domestic Standard NSC". However there is "Fixed Price 4" and there is "Domestic Standard NSC". Two completely different tariffs and you can't be on two different tariffs at the same time.

I think somebody was instructed to mail merge an increase e-mail to everybody with "Domestic Standard NSC" in their tariff description. But you are on "Fixed Price 4".

Phone them up and ask nicely. (Quicker phone answer than Edf remember). If you do not agree with the progress of the telephone call, escalate to a "Complaint". They then "must" make a better effort in response by 8pm on the day after the day the Complaint was raised.

It's pointless looking for other explanations until that specific issue has been addressed.

While you are at it, if you do not have a copy of the "Fixed Price 4" Terms and Conditions, ask. Ofgem regulations require the T&Cs to be provided on request.

Mugget

Think you will just find its a mailing error or just informing you for information like for all their customers. If your on price fix then you won't incur a price increase. Not sure a small error like that warrants the major complaints route! Try calling to check if your worried but think you mind will be put at rest quite quickly.

Sweey_as_a_nut

Just to put closure to this thread.
Yes my prices are fixed until February next year, the reason I was concerned is the e-mail they sent me it's underneath.

Energy prices go up from 14 September 2011

Dear Mr W

I am sorry to let you know that we will be increasing electricity prices by an average of 11% and gas prices by an average of 18% on 14 September 2011. Our electricity prices were last increased in August 2008 and our last gas price increase was in December 2010.
We are committing to you that we will not implement any further price increases before August 2012 at the earliest.

We would have liked to avoid these increases; indeed, we have not increased electricity prices for three years. Unfortunately, they have become inevitable as a result of rises in the wholesale cost of energy, the cost of using the electricity and gas networks and the cost of the environmental and social schemes we are obliged to implement.

There is a lot of information included below which you should read carefully. For details of our new prices visit www.atlantic.co.uk/ourprices

For more information on ways to manage your energy accounts and for energy efficiency advice visit www.atlantic.co.uk/PriceChange.

I hope that by ensuring there are no more price increases before August 2012 at the earliest, we have shown our commitment to doing what we can to help you.

Yours sincerely,

Alistair Phillips-Davies
Generation and Supply Director

Help and Advice

This email includes links to view our new prices and ways to help you manage your account(s). Your tariff name(s) is stated below. We know that it can sometimes be difficult to pay a bill. If this applies to you, please let us know so that we can help by calling us on 0845 078 6740. If we've let you down in any way, we want to put it right. Visit www.atlantic.co.uk/HelpAndAdvice/ComplaintsProcedure to find out how to contact us with a complaint. For independent advice you can contact Consumer Direct at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or 08454 04 05 06. If you have any other query please visit our website www.atlantic.co.uk/PriceChange or call us on 0845 0724343.

Your Rights

You have the right to terminate your contract with us, but please call us on 0845 070 1912 before making a final decision about changing supplier to see if we can help. If you do decide to leave we will respect your decision and help as much as we can. If you inform us that you wish to change supplier before the new price takes effect your final bill will be calculated at the old price, provided we receive notice of your transfer to a new supplier within 15 days of telling us that you wish to change. That said, we really hope you decide to stay with us.

If you have an outstanding debt you will have to pay this before you change supplier. We may object to the change if you do not.

jalexa

Sweey_as_a_nut wrote: »

If we've let you down in any way, we want to put it right. Visit https://www.atlantic.co.uk/HelpAndAdvice/ComplaintsProcedure to find out how to contact us with a complaint.

I suspect, as others do, that the email was sent "in error", possibly for the technical reason mentioned in my previous post.

I am drawn to the quote above extacted from the communication. It is inviting you to complain. Go to it.