incorrect info on switching suppliers

steelman99

after several happy years with OVO supplying my gas and electric at a competitive price the yearly renewal came up and I found that OVO had increased their prices . so as well as comparing a duel fuel deal, I also compared prices of each fuel separately.


This showed that the best deal at the time was Daligas for my gas supply and Green Energy UK for my electric - a total saving of £90 per year


The switch over with Daligas has gone smoothly and I can not fault them


However my dealings with Green Energy UK are a right mess , and any advice would be welcomed


Firstly I decided to change to them as they quoted on their website a price of 15.99p per unit inc VAT (unfortunately I didn't print this out) I completed the transfer online and other than a phone call requesting bank details received no other info.
On 12th Dec I was sent a letter welcoming me to Green Energy UK saying my changeover day would be 25th Dec. ( it also gave a unit price of 16.15p per unit, ( No mention of if it included VAT)


On the 22nd Dec I received a letter saying from 1st Feb the unit price was increasing to 16.42p per unit. I looked on Green Energy's website, and noticed that they were offing a price of 16.31p Including VAT to new customers .
Thinking that something was amiss I phoned Green Energy and pointed this out.
I was then told that the website was wrong , and the correct price was 16.42p PLUS Vat making a new price of 17.24p per unit.


As I use around 1550 units a year , what at 15.99p Inc VAT per unit was a competitive deal is not looking so good now - accept its cheaper than a lot of other suppliers still , but I'm a bit annoyed to say the least that I've been mislead
I've decided to dump green energy before they've even taken over my supply - well I've started the move ... but I'm stuck with Green energy for 4 to 6 weeks whilst the transfer go's through

Think my main question is can I demand they supply at 15.99p per unit as per their original web quote ( haven't got it printed out) , or should I go for the 16.31p price on their website on 23rd Dec ( which I have a printed copy of)
whichever way this go's they arnt getting 17.42p per unit


Any advice would be welcome- and before anyone says it , I know its only going to be a couple of quid , but its the principle

G_M

Most energy suppliers I've come across quote unit prices EXCL VAT,so are your sure?

Unless Green Energy acknowledge they did in fact quote the price you claim, or you can prove it, I think you are going to struggle to fight this.

Are you within a cooling off period?

As for the increase - when moving to a variable rate as opposed to a fixed rate, there is always the risk of an increase. We are currently in a period of price rises generally, so switching to a company that has not recently increased its prices makes the risk of an increase very high.

At a time of increases like now, the thing to do is switch to a fixed rate deal with a company that has not yet increased, so as to lock in your deal at the lower, pre-rise, rate.

steelman99

Hi GM


Yes I'm sure that the website said on 23rd Dec said the price was 16.31p Including VAT , which can be proved as I printed it out and the words "Including VAT" are quite clearly there


I'm also sure that when signed up at 15.99p the words "Including VAT" were on the website , but unfortunately didn't print it out , so cant prove it


unfortunately I'm well outside the cooling off period - The supply changed over to Green Energy on 25th Dec , so all I can do is move away again.


When I pointed out the error on the website to green energy , it was amended to a higher price within 10 mins (their website still shows the inc vat price)