Warning npower Go fix 8 finished changed to expensive tariff

retepetsir

I received the same letter in December and am currently trying to work out what's cheaper!

It looks like the EDF Blue fixed to June 2014 is already around 10% cheaper than Go Fix S and that's not including any cashback.

So should I wait until Feb 4th to switch or get the ball rolling now?!

SnowMan

retepetsir wrote: »

I received the same letter in December and am currently trying to work out what's cheaper!

It looks like the EDF Blue fixed to June 2014 is already around 10% cheaper than Go Fix S and that's not including any cashback.

So should I wait until Feb 4th to switch or get the ball rolling now?!

I initiated my transfer from Npower go fix 8 to EDF Blue June 2014 two days ago.

I am gambling on the switch not taking place before 3rd February. The switch will probably take 4 - 6 weeks but there is always the possibility of a superfast switch in 3 weeks.

There is a 12 day cooling off period with EDF so you are taking a small risk switching now because 12 days doesn't take you to 3rd February, although that risk of being switched too early is minimal come the beginning of next week if you initiate a switch then.

Also check when your direct debit discount is due as you want to make sure you get your annual discount. I switched to npower on 18th January so I am safe there.

dampsquib

I initiated a transfer from Go Fix 8 to EDF Blue Mar 2015 on the 1st Jan, thinking I would be OK as switching was expected to take 4 to 6 weeks. I wasn't.
My gas transfer date was fine, but they gave me an electricity start date of 27th Jan - just 26 days after my request.
I've had to use the cooling off period to cancel the switch. Took a while on the phone - but at least EDF provide a freephone number.
I'll try again next week. Beats me why you can't specify a 'not before' date in the switching process.
.... and how come, you make one request to switch, and your contracts for both fuels end on the same date, but you get different start dates each time?
I'm keen to escape from Npower's 'deferred discount' system. My contract lasted for more than a year so I'm OK for one discount, but I wonder what happens to the last couple of months. I guess I lose out?
I know EDF's 2015 deal is more expensive than their 2014 deal, but I'm sick of wasting time searching for the best deal, so wanted to forget the whole business for two years! That plan's failed already as my first switch request was going through too quickly.

SnowMan

dampsquib wrote: »

Beats me why you can't specify a 'not before' date in the switching process.

When I have raised a related issue with Consumer Focus they weren't interested in doing anything about it. They say they want to make switching easy but then ignore simple changes that could make switching much simpler.

.... and how come, you make one request to switch, and your contracts for both fuels end on the same date, but you get different start dates each time?

No it doesn't make sense does it.

I'm keen to escape from Npower's 'deferred discount' system. My contract lasted for more than a year so I'm OK for one discount, but I wonder what happens to the last couple of months. I guess I lose out?

Yes that is correct you lose out for the last 2 months. Someone who took out the Npower Go Fix 8 tarriff for 14 months could never achieve the quoted cost given by the comparison site.

Consumer Focus have a confidence code for comparison sites. However what would make me more confident, is for the quoted comparison site cost to be achievable, which it isn't here.

jdeeuk

The reason you get put on GO save ( in npowers case) or another "non contract tariff" in any companies case is that they have to put you on something and what they put you on HAS to be stated. they cannot put you on next best tariff without your verbal or writen consent as many tariffs carry exit fees or certain criteria that a user may not want to continue with or start on.... would you rather they put you on their energy online tariff only for you to then come on here and say they have no right to tie you into a tariff without your consent?

SnowMan

jdeeuk wrote: »

The reason you get put on GO save ( in npowers case) or another "non contract tariff" in any companies case is that they have to put you on something and what they put you on HAS to be stated. they cannot put you on next best tariff without your verbal or writen consent as many tariffs carry exit fees or certain criteria that a user may not want to continue with or start on.... would you rather they put you on their energy online tariff only for you to then come on here and say they have no right to tie you into a tariff without your consent?

Certainly Npower are constrained in their choice of tarriff they move customers to at the end of the Go Fix 8.

But the real issue is that I and others signed up for Go Fix 8 not any other tarriff that follows on from it.

What should be possible is to switch away from that Go Fix 8 tarriff at the precise end rather than having to have practical knowledge of precisely how long it is likely to take to switch to be used together with a crystal ball technique to time the initiation of the switch. And it should be possible to achieve the quoted cost of the comparison sites when exiting at the end of the tarriff.

There is an Npower representative on this forum. So my questions to Adam are

1. Do you think it is reasonable to have a tarriff such as Go Fix 8 which doesn't last a whole number of years and so where the customer can't switch away at the end of the tarriff and achieve the price quoted by the comparison sites, because of the loss of the direct debit discount for the part year at the end? Do you accept that Npower are aware that it is difficult for comparison sites to allow for the loss of direct debit discount at the end, in fact can you confirm whether the tarriff was designed with the aim of getting the comparison sites to quote an unachievable cost, and if not what action now that you are aware of this will you be taking action to make sure this scenario of an unachievable comparison site cost doesn't happen again?

2. Customers have signed up for Go Fix 8 not any other tarriff. Shouldn't Npower have a more flexible policy in relation to customers such as dampsquib trying to switch away precisely at the end of the tarriff? (not talking about customers trying to exit before the end of the tarriff but customers trying to time their switch to be precisely at the end of the tarriff)


Should say I've had a reasonable experience with npower over the past year and a bit. They did try to increase my direct debit even though I was around £200 in credit, but they set out a clear breakdown of the calculation of my direct debit from which I could see they had ignored the credit, and they quickly agreed to reverse the increase when I called. That compares with others experiences of EDF where no calculation or explanation of interim direct debit increases seems to be given.

silvertree

I have a question regarding GoFix8 too. I believe my dual fuel was switched over to npower at the end of Dec 11 so that makes me 12 months into contract. No £100 discount yet though. When I phoned up to enquire the chap told me that in the first year the discount is reflected in your monthly payments...I don't get this. Everywhere you see that it is at the end of the 12th month that you are credited with the £100. So why did he say that...I can't even seem to find a straight answer on the website. Should I expect £100 at the end of Jan or not?

I too am looking to switch suppliers as I am finding that this new tariff they are putting me on to is a lot higher. He wouldn't say whether or not I would be penalised if I started the ball rolling with a transfer away from npower. Like the earlier post pointed out, it can go wrong and you never really know how quickly it will transfer. Makes you wonder if there is some vested interest in making it go faster or slower....Get your early exit fees or keep you on that high tariff...

davehsug

I don't mean to be flippant, but when you sign to these tariffs, you are told in the letter exactly what will happen at the end of the tariff. You don't have to go on to it, just contact them before it expires & get onto the best tariff available or switch supplier if you wish. Nobody is compelled to stay on the more expensive tariff.

DMFR

I too am with npower go fix 8. I received an email on 14th December when I applied to join npower

Thank you for switching your energy supply online to npower. We will now start processing your contract and post you a copy for your records.

I received another email on 18th February 2012 saying

Welcome to npower, we have some good news; you're now officially supplied by us! Do your bit for the environment and have less paper to file by viewing your bill online.

Am I due to receive £100 discount?
I am going to start looking for a new supplier, but when can I initiate the switch over so I do not get penalised by npower?

Thanks

chris-j

It's a racket. I have switched from Npower Gofix8 to EDF Blue June 2014. Initiated transfer on 5th Jan and it is progressing. Hopefully will start on or after 4th Feb but based on reports here not holding breath to get £100. Paperwork does say it is paid at end of 12th month, since my DD started in Feb12 and supply on 9th Jan 12 then i should be due but getting info from npower impossible - nobody knows.

If i dont get the £100 I will make complaint to regulator but this is a general problem, discounts tied to products but lost if you switch even at end of product so, as has been reported, you cant actually achieve the price quoted normally within offer period (EON were the same, they dropped discounts for previous billing quarter when you switch).