Npower Energy Online January 2014 tariff

fresian_cow

Hi all, we switched to this tariff at the end of last year and I was under the impression it was a price fix tariff so we would continue to pay the same rate until January 2014. Today I received a letter in the post saying the prices are going to increase. I'm very confused about it and have searched my emails but cannot find anything about the tariff in detail and the npower site is down. Can anyone help?

I've tried to contact npower directly but bother their site and phonelines are apparently down.

Nada666

No, it is a variable rate tariff - it is guaranteed to be 3% cheaper than their standard but it is not a fixed price tariff.

fresian_cow

Do you know if it has an exit fee?

chanz4

It does I believe

Wywth

fresian_cow wrote: »

Do you know if it has an exit fee?

There's normally an early exit fee of £30 per fuel, but the letter may explain how you can avoid these.

If you do switch supplier now, what you won't get, however, is any part of the annual discount for paying monthly by DD that would have been included in the price that tempted you to the tariff originally - about £100 for a dual fuel.

dogshome

This n'power tariff was something of a Smoke & Mirrors offer - As already posted, it's 'Fix' is not a fix at all, but a promise that it would remain X% below the standard tariff - Standard rate goes up - So does Online Jan 2014

However all is not lost - This price rise gives you a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card, but to use it you must follow the rules - WRITE to n'power before the End Date of your present deal, saying that you reject the increased tariff prices and are going to Switch.
With this letter n'power have to maintain your present prices, even if your actual Switch takes place a few days after your present deal expires

ingy63

could you explain a bit more the get out of jail free card. I too was under the impression that this was a fixed price deal until jan 2014 otherwise I wouldn't have switched in the first place.
If I do switch now I will have to pay an exit fee and lose the direct debit deal. what do I do now ?

many thanks

Wywth

ingy63 wrote: »

could you explain a bit more the get out of jail free card. I too was under the impression that this was a fixed price deal until jan 2014 otherwise I wouldn't have switched in the first place.
If I do switch now I will have to pay an exit fee and lose the direct debit deal. what do I do now ?

many thanks

You are under the wrong impression. As already stated it is not a fix butl, but a promise that it would remain X% below the standard tariff.

I suggest you look at the reverse of your letter, second from last paragraph regarding the 'get out of jail free card'

npower pay a discount if you pay for 12 consecutive months by DD. If you switch supplier before then, then what do you think the chances of getting that discount are?

DawnW

Well, I was under the impression it was a fixed tariff as well, and was surprised to receive the same letter. I have just phoned them to ask whether there was an exit fee, and mentioned that I was under the impression it was fixed - the agent's immediate reaction was to log a complaint (I got the distinct impression that she had been doing this a lot... so not just me being daft then). Like the previous poster, I would not have bothered to sign up had I not been fairly certain it was a fixed tariff.

The agent explained about the exit fee, and offered to check if there was a cheaper tariff that would suit my needs (apparently the exit fee doesn't apply if you switch within npower). There is, called Online Price Fix August 2014. Despite a sense of deja vu, I signed up to this, with the verbal assurance that it is fixed, and the understanding that there will be an exit fee if I leave before August 2014.

The agent was very helpful, but I can't help smelling a rat here.

bestmil

Hi I too took the Jan14 tariff, and although I did know if was a variable, I felt that all the energy suppliers had done the price uplifts, so was fairly safe. Wrong! Having checked via MSE boards, it comes down to Swalec variable to Aug 14, or Flow, which is a fixed tariff to Oct 14. Trying to calculate savings against cost of leaving Npower, I calculate 120 pa savings on either tariff - I am a low user. I understood that Npower apply a fee even to switch to another of their tariffs, so this switch should still save £60 pa. Anyone had any experience of Flow? I have also calculated that the npower Aug 14 will cost approximately the same as the newly increased prices, so if you do end up paying a transfer fee, it will have cost you.

Not new to switching, but new to forums, so please forgive any oops!

Parafira

I was also caught on this trick by Npower, when they call a traiff "January 2014" or "August 2014" to give you an impression that it is fixed, dirty trick I must say. I cannot wait when January 2014 will come so I could switch from Npower to a supplier who respects their customers.

I guess they are increasing the prices to pay the TAX WHICH THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING FOR THREE YEARS !!!

Of all energy suppliers I have been with, NPOWER IS THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER