Add your feedback on energy supplier Spark

Former_MSE_Archna

This is a feedback thread on energy supplier

Spark

Please share your experience with other MoneySavers. Click reply to take part

• Did you switch go smoothly?
• Have you had problems since?
  
• Is it easy to contact?
  

The feedback comes as part of the

Cheap Energy Club

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tazzer8

well....ive dont it! After being with Southern Electric for both my gas and electric ive switched based on the easy to use new Energy Club by MSE. Heres the comparison.

1. I was on the standard gas and electric tarrif with SE.
2. I have a 4 bedroom detached and extended home but only two people living here.
3. I was paying £85 a month via DD for electric and £82 a month via DD for gas.
4. I was in credit by £400 ish in my electricity account and £146 in credit in my gas account. As Usual SE strongly advise that I keep it in there - hmmm..i wonder why lol! I mean I like a buffer in there for heavy usage months but come on SE!
5. The comparison in Pence per K/Wh is this:

GAS: SE price = 13.42 ppkw Spark = 11.2 ppkw
ELEC: SE price = 4.29 ppkw Spark= 2.729 ppkw

In Summary....ill get the £546 credit paid back to my account and ill also be paying around £32 a month less than I was. BINGO!!!!

Im sure that SE would say "we could have matched that if you went for a different tarriff - eg a dual fuel" but if thats the case why not suggest that to me instead of ripping me off for years. Im a savy buyer with insurance etc but never got round to sorting out energy. With this now being the 2nd biggest household expenditure after mortgage im glad I did!

Thanks MSE! :rotfl::T

markcheng

When you read the terms and conditions of Sparks, it is not quite traditional as normal supplier. It seems want money first and not sure about the cancellation period. If it is clearer or easier to understand, I would have chosen this one.

At the moment, I am still hesitant to sign up with them.

halifax50

I would so like to make the savings suggested by transferring to Sparks but have read so many negaive things about them.
A sample can be found on the Review Centre web site:

I cant post a link but the below without the spaces should help you find them.

http:// www. reviewcentre.com / reviews199569.html

I look foward to hearing more positive reviews over the coming months, but for the moment I will not take the risk.

Wywth

halifax50 wrote: »

I would so like to make the savings suggested by transferring to Sparks but have read so many negaive things about them.
A sample can be found on the Review Centre web site:

I cant post a link but the below without the spaces should help you find them.

http:// www. reviewcentre.com / reviews199569.html

I look foward to hearing more positive reviews over the coming months, but for the moment I will not take the risk.

Don't, whatever you do, look at any other energy supplier's reviews on that site, else you'll end up using candles :eek:
(that's assuming you don't look at candle supplier reviews on that site )

dragonwitch

I have just used the energy comparison site and was informed that my savings would be around £222 per annum with Spark Energy. I went direct to the Spark energy website and did the exact same comparison with exact same figures and the saving for the exact same deal came up as £17 per annum. So be careful to double check all the figures before you decide on proceeding with a change as all may not be as it appears!!

Wywth

dragonwitch wrote: »

I have just used the energy comparison site and was informed that my savings would be around £222 per annum with Spark Energy. I went direct to the Spark energy website and did the exact same comparison with exact same figures and the saving for the exact same deal came up as £17 per annum. So be careful to double check all the figures before you decide on proceeding with a change as all may not be as it appears!!

Did you use Martins site? I really don't think he sits there making the numbers up ... but maybe he is? :eek:

I suppose it would be too much to ask for all the details? (Edit: Thought so - Newbie's left without answering :cool:)
i..e
1. What is your supply region (or first part of your postcode)
2. What is your annual consumption in kWh
3. What is your current supplier and tariff
4. What comparison site did you actually use

Btw, if you use two different comparison sites and get the same results, it is most unlikely they have both made the same error (but still theoretically possible) - so always double check using two
If you don't get the same result, how do you know which is correct unless you keep trying until you get the same result from another source?

bebewoo

Did you switch go smoothly? Yes, so smoothly that I didn't even notice Spark had taken over my supply without permission until Npower sent me a "Sorry you are leaving letter"
Have you had problems since? Yes Spark rejected my erroneous transfer request. Their tariff is way more expensive than my previous supplier was. I'm trying to transfer via the regular route now, but have read so many reviews about them refusing to let people leave that I am not hopeful.
Is it easy to contact? No, am on hold for ages.

Good luck everyone moving to Spark. They are the Hotel California of energy companies. And they text you all the time, sometimes several times a day. I cannot believe MSE is recommending them.

Wywth

bebewoo wrote: »

Did you switch go smoothly? Yes, so smoothly that I didn't even notice Spark had taken over my supply without permission until Npower sent me a "Sorry you are leaving letter"
Have you had problems since? Yes Spark rejected my erroneous transfer request. Their tariff is way more expensive than my previous supplier was. I'm trying to transfer via the regular route now, but have read so many reviews about them refusing to let people leave that I am not hopeful.
Is it easy to contact? No, am on hold for ages.

Good luck everyone moving to Spark. They are the Hotel California of energy companies. And they text you all the time, sometimes several times a day. I cannot believe MSE is recommending them.

Can I ask how they obtained your mobile number to text you on if, as you suggest, you never asked them to supply you in the first place?

Why didn't you (a) stop the transfer when nPower sent you a 'sorry you are leaving' letter or (b) ask nPower to process an erroneous transfer if you had left it too long?
(It's always better to ask the losing supplier to do this as they have something to lose by not acting on your request)

Why do you want to leave them anyway? They seem really cheap, whether that is £222 or just £17. Maybe they have done you a favour and saved you a few quid? :beer:

bebewoo

Can I ask how they obtained your mobile number to text you on if, as you suggest, you never asked them to supply you in the first place? Er they asked for it when I rang them up to ask what was going on.

Why didn't you (a) stop the transfer when nPower sent you a 'sorry you are leaving' letter or (b) ask nPower to process an erroneous transfer if you had left it too long?
(It's always better to ask the losing supplier to do this as they have something to lose by not acting on your request) I did and Spark refused npower's erroneous transfer request.

I bet that this cheap deal is the same as Spark's other cheap deal which was only for the first few applicants. Read the reviews about Spark. Or carry on as you are thinking you are getting a great deal, you won't be so happy when the random bills and direct debits start.

Wywth

bebewoo wrote: »

Er they asked for it when I rang them up to ask what was going on.

And you gave it them? :eek:

bebewoo wrote: »

I did and Spark refused npower's erroneous transfer request.

So presumably you escalated your complaint you had made with nPower to the Ombudsman service?