When to Switch

Rajibear

Hello Everyone

I been trying to understand when the right time to switch is without incurring any penalties.

I am trying to decide who to go to for both my house and my parents.

I am currently on EDF Online Saver 7 and about a week ago I completed an online switch request via energyhelpline to Npower Go Fix 8. Will i be subjected to early cancellation charges even though it is unlikley i will go live with NPower until January sometime. If so what do I need to do to avoid this?

For my parents who are with EON on SaveOnline v 4 i would like to switch to Scottish Power Fixed Price Energy April 2013. SaveOnline v4 contract period finishes on January 2012. Shall i engage the switch now or do i have to wait until 15th January until i do so. Of course the product and incentives may not be available at that time.

Thanks for all your help folks

Raj

macman

A switch takes 4-5 weeks to go through, so any switch commenced on 10/12 will not be completed until early to mid-January.

Rajibear

Thanks

Some people have stated elsewhere on the forum that its the date the new company contacts the old company that is taken into account. if this isnt the case they as you suggest there is nothing to worry about.

Raj

macman

It is not-you are still in contract for as long as the old company is supplying you. Your contract ends at the date of changeover.

SnowMan

Rajibear wrote: »

Thanks

Some people have stated elsewhere on the forum that its the date the new company contacts the old company that is taken into account. if this isnt the case they as you suggest there is nothing to worry about.

Raj

As macman said it is the date the new company takes over the new supply (which seems to be typically 6-8 weeks after you initially use the comparison site to switch) that determines whether a penalty would apply and not the date the new company contacts the old one.

I think if a utility company tried to create a term that said a penalty was based on when the new company contacted them rather than the date of the switch then it would be deemed an unenforceable unfair term if challenged.

Some companies such as Scottish and Southern Electric have a discretionary policy that they waive any penalty in the last month if someone switches away in any case.

I think if you arranged a switch say 3 weeks before the end of a contract (expecting it to take 6-8 weeks) and by some miracle you were switched after say 2 weeks I suspect you would be able to get the penalty waived by (if necessary) putting in a complaint to the old company and making the old company know you would be prepared to take it to the Energy Ombudsman if they didn't waive it. However if the switch took more than 3 weeks (i.e. the almost certain scenario) the penalty would automatically not apply.

Sadly it is all too common for utility companies to tell you on the phone that it is the date the new company contacts them that determines whether a penalty would apply not the actual switch date. You could be forgiven for thinking that the call centre staff had been briefed to give deliberately wrong information. That is where the myth originates from I think.

Scottish and Southern were guilty when I was moving away from them of giving wrong information. The call centre person said it was the date that the new company contacted them that mattered, when I challenged this I was put through to a manager who confirmed this was complete tripe.

Rajibear

Thankyou Guys for all you help :j