Economy 7 tariff with SP?

ally18

Hi,
I have an econ 7 meter and have had for many years now. In the past, I have always been on a tariff using this but I don't use a lot of elect at night. I've tried to do washing late at night etc but this means staying up.
Last year whilst with npower, I was told by an advisor that as I didn't use sufficient electric during the night, I should really be on a different tariff. This was news to me and I immediately changed over to a cheaper day rate which was great. Npower used readings from both night and day use and added them together.
I have now switched over to SP. When I did the switch, I did the comparison correctly, not using econ 7, then waited for it to go through.
I returned from being away to find the switch complete and checking up on the paperwork, I found I had been put on an econ 7 tariff, which was not what I asked for. I rang SP who said that as I had an econ 7 meter in the house, I could not have a different tariff apart from the econ 7 one. They did not have the facilities to add both numbers up to give me my bill. I just can't believe this answer! Plus I could not leave without paying the fixed rate leaving fees because I was out of the 14 day cooling off period.
I am really annoyed at this. The options I have is to pay to remove the econ 7 meter and a new one put in or pay the leaving fee for my fixed rate tariff but I don't think this is fair.

Is this the rule for all of the utility suppliers? Obviously not npower but I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now for other reasons.

Boxman

This has come up before, fair or not, that's how it is as for whatever reasons SP's systems cannot handle just adding the two readings together.

As it happens although I do not have any electric heating I am on an economy 7 tariff with SP. We run the dishwasher and washing m/c overnight together with any tumble drying (fairly minimal) by using the delayed start facility available on each machine which in practice means that our night usage is about 34% giving an overall annual saving in the region of £42. Can't immdiately find the figures but a few months back I calculated that with our usage profile and tariff the 'break even' figure for night usage was in the region of 25%.

ffghugsf

ally18 wrote: »

Hi,
I have an econ 7 meter and have had for many years now. In the past, I have always been on a tariff using this but I don't use a lot of elect at night. I've tried to do washing late at night etc but this means staying up.
Last year whilst with npower, I was told by an advisor that as I didn't use sufficient electric during the night, I should really be on a different tariff. This was news to me and I immediately changed over to a cheaper day rate which was great. Npower used readings from both night and day use and added them together.
I have now switched over to SP. When I did the switch, I did the comparison correctly, not using econ 7, then waited for it to go through.
I returned from being away to find the switch complete and checking up on the paperwork, I found I had been put on an econ 7 tariff, which was not what I asked for. I rang SP who said that as I had an econ 7 meter in the house, I could not have a different tariff apart from the econ 7 one. They did not have the facilities to add both numbers up to give me my bill. I just can't believe this answer! Plus I could not leave without paying the fixed rate leaving fees because I was out of the 14 day cooling off period.
I am really annoyed at this. The options I have is to pay to remove the econ 7 meter and a new one put in or pay the leaving fee for my fixed rate tariff but I don't think this is fair.

Is this the rule for all of the utility suppliers? Obviously not npower but I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now for other reasons.

Perhaps that is one reason Scottish Power are able to offer cheaper prices than their competitors?
i.e. you're not having to fund all the others who want a free, non-mandatory meter change.

Even so, I'm sure if you are saving as much as you claim having lost 7 hours of half price or less electricity a day, it won't take long to recoup that £45.91

Cardew

Some of the computer programs used by utility companies can cope with adding the totals from the off-peak and daytime meter readings and treating as a single total(BG and Eon are two); others cannot.

The 'break-even' point for off-peak usage varies a huge amount with the various suppliers. Last time I looked it was around 40% for BG and 20% for SP.

It is fairly easy to reach 20% off-peak consumption - especially if you get up early! So you may find it cheaper to stay on an E7 tariff with SP.

rogerblack

Cardew wrote: »

Some of the computer programs used by utility companies can cope with adding the totals from the off-peak and daytime meter readings and treating as a single total(BG and Eon are two); others cannot.

It's kind of barking mad that OFGEN doesn't address this sort of stupid stuff.
Systematic changes of meter for billing reasons because your computer can't add up two numbers should have stopped in about 1960.

Beeleyflyer

This problem is not exclusive to SP as I am having the same problem following switch from Eon to EDF. Not been E7 for years and have had two new meters each time requesting standard meter but told i didny need one. Now i do or have to go on E7 tariff which does not work for me at all.

I have raised this with the Cheap Energy Club as I believe they need to make it clear to people that many suppliers will not give standard tariffs if you have ever been on E7 and not since had a replacement standard meter.

Wywth

rogerblack wrote: »

It's kind of barking mad that OFGEN doesn't address this sort of stupid stuff.
Systematic changes of meter for billing reasons because your computer can't add up two numbers should have stopped in about 1960.

I believe under strict interpreation of supply rules, suppliers should only agree to supply customers on a traiff applicable to their metering arramgements.

Whether Ofgem should address this and stop the current abuse of the rules is another matter

Wywth

Beeleyflyer wrote: »

This problem is not exclusive to SP as I am having the same problem following switch from Eon to EDF. Not been E7 for years and have had two new meters each time requesting standard meter but told i didny need one. Now i do or have to go on E7 tariff which does not work for me at all.

I have raised this with the Cheap Energy Club as I believe they need to make it clear to people that many suppliers will not give standard tariffs if you have ever been on E7 and not since had a replacement standard meter.

Have a word with EDF - they should be able to change your meter for you
(and I don't think they'll charge you for such a change)