Moving from npower to eon

oliverbrown

I am thinking of moving from npower (Sign Online 19) to eon (SaveOnline 9). The npower contract says if I leave before 30th September 2011 then I will incur an early exit fee. I am keen to move ASAP, because my npower reduced price ends on 15th October 2011.

Question is, if I sign up today to eon will I incur the fee, or is the fee only incurred if the closing reading is taken before the 30th September 2011?

jalexa

oliverbrown wrote: »

Question is, if I sign up today to eon will I incur the fee, or is the fee only incurred if the closing reading is taken before the 30th September 2011?

OK. This is not easy. You need to keep your wits about you. First of all the "transfer date" is the date agreed (by the suppliers) that each fuel transfers on, not the date you apply. Typically transfers take between 4 to 6 weeks. Though "unlikely", I am not aware there is any absolute guarantee a quicker transfer won't occur.

That is the easy answer. With your tariff (AFAIAA) you have 2 "lock-ins". The first an Early Termination Charge which can be levied if you leave before the maturity date (30/09?). BTW if you have received notice of an increase, if you formally "reject" the increase and promptly initiate a switch, you will not have to pay the ETC, nor the "increased" rates.

This is where it gets harder. Your tariff (AFAIAA) has a "deferred discount":eek: element (the DD discount) which is paid 12 months in arrears. If you switch before the 12 months is up you would forfeit the discount. I am not aware that can be avoided by rejecting the increase.

Beware "deferred discount":eek: tariffs if you do not understand the circumstances in which the "deferred discount":eek: might be forfeited.
Typically tariffs from NPower and Atlantic feature "deferred discount":eek:

You might be interested to know that (typically) Eon does not pay discount on a final bill.

oliverbrown

Hi jalexa,

Thanks for the reply, very helpful.

Regarding the switch over date, eon FAQ says there is 14 day cooling off, then an estimated 28 days to switch after that. That's why I thought today might be a good day to switch, as 14 days would take me to 1st October. If npower take "leaving" to be the switch over date, this cannot be technically before that date owing to the cooling off period, so it should be fine.

Regarding the npower DD discount, it is one year and a day since my second fuel switched over to npower, so my £100 deferred discount seems to be safe too.

melaniejade7

Hi Oliver,

I too am currently with Npower online 19 until 30th Sept and looking to switch to eon save online 19. I note on my npower paperwork that the £100 DD discount will be applied to my account on or before the last day of the 12 month so I take this to be the 29th or 30th Sept. They have in m y letter said my tariff changes wont take affect till the 15th October. Like you im concious of missing out on the eon rates as I have heard once all the big suppliers change their prices then some products can be removed from the market.

My plan is to call npower tomorrow and advise that I am not accepting their standard go save tariff and check if I apply to a new supplier straight away does this affect my DD discount? if it does then I shall wait till 1st October.

Good luck

jalexa

melaniejade7 wrote: »

My plan is to call npower tomorrow and advise that I am not accepting their standard go save tariff and check if I apply to a new supplier straight away does this affect my DD discount? if it does then I shall wait till 1st October.

Hmm. In that case you realise that you are going to have to accept the answer as an accurate answer to your question?

Something else will happen, the contact will become a "retention opportunity". Be prepared, probably to be "obfuscated".

In fact there is virtually no difference in cost or terms between Eon Save Online 19 and the NPower (equivalent) Sign Online 23. One (you know which) features "deferred discount":eek:, while Eon doesn't pay discount on final bills.:(

Perhaps you might also want to look at Scottish Power Online Energy Saver 15, in particular the size and length of the "guaranteed discount" (compared with NPower and Eon).

Oliver (I think) has it right about when to give notice. The only question you need to clarify is what date your 2nd fuel transferrred on, then add 12 months.

oliverbrown

jalexa wrote: »

Oliver (I think) has it right about when to give notice. The only question you need to clarify is what date your 2nd fuel transferrred on, then add 12 months.

That's the way I read it. My second fuel switched on 16 September 2010, so my discount was payable on 16 September 2011.

I made the switch yesterday, got the sign up confirmation from eon, so we'll se what happens. I know it's not great that eon don't pay discounts on the final bill, but they do at least pay out discounts as soon as the product you are on ends, regardless of whether it's the final bill.

npower's deferred discount seems worse to me, it essentially gives you one window a year in which to leave, without missing out on a fair chunk of money (which is included in the comparison engine quotes). That said, if the product "maturity date" and the DD discount coincide (as they do in my case) then it's not so bad as leaving early would incur the exit penalty anyway.

meggsy

Can I suggest you email npower telling them of your intention to switch providers as I did recently, I believe that when you switch after a price rise they have to keep you on your current tariff until the switch. Also ask when your discount is due. Get it in writing, I've never phoned them it's the only area that has improved they usually reply within a day or two.

We were on SOL19 and switched to Cooperative Energy on the 21st July. I received their online welcome pack which said they anticipated taking over the supply around the 31st August. Actual dates were 24th for elec and 29th for the gas supply. I gave them the first meter reads and they took the first direct debit on 1st September.

npower produced the final SOL19 elec bill about 10 days ago and the gas bill yesterday which I paid via my online account as I had cancelled the DD. So now free of npower

Deferred discount - ours was due in March but didn't show until the June bill which means a loss of 5 months discount which I have noted some are comparing to an exit fee (which shouldn't be applied when switching after a price rise) so I am pursuing this with npower as a final fling

oliverbrown

In fact, just this morning I received a letter from npower notifying me of the price increase. In the letter it says if I contact them to let them know I'm switching suppliers, they will hold my SOL19 price until the switch, as you say. I'll email them now.

I hope you have success with the deferred discount. It might be difficult getting them to pay it as it's technically something they give, rather than something they take away, but definitely worth a try. If they pay out for you, I'm sure a lot of people here will want to get money from npower too.

Aiming_High

I'm just looking into this too...hense coming to this thread.

I'm also thinking of switching to e-on as it's showing as slightly cheaper with some money back from quidco too.

What a headache this all is. LOL i think I need to read more.

oliverbrown

I just rang npower, and they said they will hold my Sign Online 19 price until my switch to eon completes.

Actually I could have waited until 15th October to switch, but given that my £100 deferred DD discount has just been paid, every day I wait will be a day of lost DD discount.

george1939

melaniejade7 wrote: »

Hi Oliver,

I too am currently with Npower online 19 until 30th Sept and looking to switch to eon save online 19. I note on my npower paperwork that the £100 DD discount will be applied to my account on or before the last day of the 12 month so I take this to be the 29th or 30th Sept. They have in m y letter said my tariff changes wont take affect till the 15th October. Like you im concious of missing out on the eon rates as I have heard once all the big suppliers change their prices then some products can be removed from the market.

My plan is to call npower tomorrow and advise that I am not accepting their standard go save tariff and check if I apply to a new supplier straight away does this affect my DD discount? if it does then I shall wait till 1st October.


Good luck

The discount to receive it. You must have twelve full direct debits taken out by Npower after switching over to them.