Question about switching when already fixed Jan 14 re: Martin Lewis on This Morning

sarah1773

Hi all
Just been watching Martin Lewis on This Morning and he sort of answered a question I have but I would like it clarified if anyone can help.
I'm on Scottish Power price fix January 2014 which ends 31st December. Someone on the same price fix called into This Morning and asked Martin if they should switch now or wait until January. His answer was to wait and switch in mid-December otherwise will be charged exit fees and hopefully not all companies would have raised their prices by then. However I have checked and there are no exit fees so I still don't know whether to wait or switch now??
Thanks

macman

Depends how lucky you feel. For safety, switch now, and you'll pay a higher rate for about 6 weeks. Or wait until 1/12 and hope that the new fix you've got your eye on isn't canned before then. There's usually a couple of days warning of popular tariffs being pulled, so have your choice made and be ready to sign up fast.

DragonQ

I'm trying to decide when to switch too. My current fix runs out on 01/01/2014 so I should probably switch mid-November. I hope the tariff I have my eye on is still around then - it probably depends on when the other companies announce price rises.

matelodave

As you've got a seven day cooling off period, they don't even start the switching process until your seven days are up, it then takes from 3-6 weeks to get it sorted out, longer if you owe money

DragonQ

Is the tariff you choose "locked" as soon as you start the switching process, or only when the cooling off period ends?

macman

DragonQ wrote: »

Is the tariff you choose "locked" as soon as you start the switching process, or only when the cooling off period ends?

Once you receive confirmation from the supplier of your application.

Pincher

Lots of people are on

Scottish Power Online Fixed Price Energy January 2014,

which ends on 31st December 2013.

The logical switch is

Scottish Power Online Fixed Price Energy March 2015,

which ends 31st March 2015.

It came out today on the Scottish Power website, touted as "Our Cheapest".

I have already called them, dreaming of a post dated switch on 1st January 2014. They have crushed my sweet dream by insisting on immediate switch, so I lose two and half months of my lovely January 2014 fix, which is of course cheaper while it lasts.

The gamble now is to wait till December and pray that the March 2015 fix is still around. Or, the next Online Fixed is even cheaper: Fat Chance.

It's a game of chicken, do you feel lucky, punk?

AMO

I don't think that Scottish Power March 2015 is going to be there for long. Scottish Power made a mistake in some ways by making it cheaper than December 2014. Now that Pioneer have raised their prices today, the only other cheap supplier is First Utility which don't have a great rep. For those using less energy, other providers may come out cheaper, but higher usage customers will be flocking to this deal now.