nPower Raising Prices 10.4% - when will fixes disappear?

SnowMan

DragonQ wrote: »

The thing about discounts only being applied after whole years...Ofgem stopped that recently and this is a pretty new tariff so surely it doesn't work like that any more?

I heard OFGEM talking about it but hadn't realised that had come in. But thanks you are right see here

For customers joining npower on our standard tariff and existing customers switching to standard on or after 22 July 2013
If you pay by Direct Debit you'll pay the same unit rate for energy used as receipt of bill customers, but will benefit from a reduced standing charge. Your daily standing charge will be discounted so that over a year you'll receive a discount of £40 on your electricity charges and £50 on your gas charges for paying by Direct Debit. If you choose not, or are no longer able, to pay in that way, you will no longer be eligible for the discounted standing charge and you'll move on to the non-discounted version of our Standard tariff. If this happens, we'll give you at least 30 days notice that your standing charge will increase.

Subject to change.

But does that apply to fixed rates also? It says here in relation to the April 2015 fix.

You'll benefit from a £90 discount each year if you choose both electricity and gas with npower and pay for both by Direct Debit throughout the year. This amount will be spread over the year, so you’ll get a daily discount which will be taken off your standing charge.

So I think the scam no longer applies as you say. I've amended my earlier post.

DragonQ

Hmm might be worth giving them a call then. I'd rather join EDF for an extra £1/month if it meant I could leave at any time without losing a huge discount.

pooch

DragonQ wrote: »

I've earmarked a fixed nPower tariff to switch to but would prefer to wait a few weeks before switching. They've just announced their prices will go up by 10.4% on 1st December. Is it likely their current fixes will disappear soon??

Yes, if they have not been withdrawn already. But I am sure they will be replaced by newer, more expensive options.

Act quickly if they are still available.

thistledome

Forgive me if I'm posting this on the wrong thread, but we applied to switch online over the weekend to one of the big 6 who hasn't yet announced a rise in prices. (It's a fixed rate until March 2015 with Scottish Power.)

Supposing they announce a rise in the near future, are they obligated to stand by the prices they offered us at the time of our application or can they raise the price any time until we actually sign a contract?

Hope this isn't a daft question, we haven't switched before.

pooch

thistledome wrote: »

Forgive me if I'm posting this on the wrong thread, but we applied to switch online over the weekend to one of the big 6 who hasn't yet announced a rise in prices. (It's a fixed rate until March 2015 with Scottish Power.)

Supposing they announce a rise in the near future, are they obligated to stand by the prices they offered us at the time of our application or can they raise the price any time until we actually sign a contract?

Hope this isn't a daft question, we haven't switched before.

You "signed a contract" when you applied to switch (but you will have a statutory cooling off period to pull out if you wish)

As you have already applied for a fixed deal, the prices you agreed to will be honoured, (assuming you don't cancel during the cooling off process) even if the switch hasn't actually taken place yet.

NeverInDebt

Scottish Power are extremely busy.I jumped ship to them a few days ago.MIL has tried for 3 hours to get through to them she is coming round later to do it on pc as she doesn't have one.

SnowMan

DragonQ wrote: »

Hmm might be worth giving them a call then. I'd rather join EDF for an extra £1/month if it meant I could leave at any time without losing a huge discount.

I'm confused now. I thought you had corrected me that there was no loss of discount through leaving Npower because the direct debit discount (£40 for electricity only) is now applied daily and not on the direct debit/joining anniversary? I think you are right and I was wrong.

So there isn't much to choose between the Npower and EDF fixes, although you might get some cashback on the Npower but probably not on the EDF (?)

Nada666

2014 fix already gone. Only three tariffs currently available. (That is - three times three tariffs (you have to consider each fuel separately on their tariffs due to their insanely varying standing charges - never look at dual fuel only with npower.))

SnowMan

Nada666 wrote: »

2014 fix already gone

Do you mean 2014?

I think the discussion is about switching to Npower April 2015 fix or the EDF March 2015 fix, which both seem to be still available (?)

DragonQ

SnowMan wrote: »

I'm confused now. I thought you had corrected me that there was no loss of discount through leaving Npower because the direct debit discount (£40 for electricity only) is now applied daily and not on the direct debit/joining anniversary? I think you are right and I was wrong.

So there isn't much to choose between the Npower and EDF fixes, although you might get some cashback on the Npower but probably not on the EDF (?)

I think I'm right too but there's nothing in the tariff T&Cs explaining it. Like you said, the general explanation only mentions the Standard tariff. One of the comparison website does say in the "details" that the discount is added to each bill, but I'd like to hear it from nPower if possible.

Neither company offers special cashback right now so it'll be £15 for either via standard comparison sites.