Current EDF Fix coming to an end

brewerdave

morrisoscar wrote: »

Others have said they were contacted next day.
I applied to switch three days ago, nothing yet so it could be happening.

...got an email from OVO this morning - 5 days after going via SimplySwitch -as for others, the email had just my house number,no road! Suspect the number of potential customers is gathering pace!!
However, a quick phone call to their 0800 number has got the address put right -and what a pleasure it was, to speak to a polite young Bristolian!!

Topcashback is only showing the switching "bonus" for a single utility not dual supply so I've raised a Cashback dispute with Topcashback - wonder whether that'll ever track correctly?:(

macman

Gratis makes an excellent and provocative point, just as I'd expect. For me, the SP fix does not work out quite so well, though I concede that the extra 3 months is a factor.
With an election due in May '15, I'd expect several providers to hedge their bets by announcing increases about a month prior to the election. These can then be in place before any government freeze, should Labour win. Should Labour not win, they can simply cancel the proposed increase, or revert it if already in place.
Either way, emerging from a fix at either the start of May 2015 (my 12m Ovo fixed tariff does not commence until 28/4), or June 2015 is not going to make a whole lot of difference, given low summer usage. If the future direction of prices is uncertain, I'd sit on Ovo Standard tariff for a couple of months after the election if necessary to see which way the wind is blowing.
I'd only bail out of Ovo before 12m and pay the £60 ETC if there is a fall in pricing that justifies paying the ETC-and I can't see that being very likely, given the uncertainty over future Russian gas supplies.

JJ_Egan

As above same thoughts my decision to Ovo for twelve months .

Yorkie1

Yorkie1 wrote: »

For those of you switching to OVO at the moment, can I ask whether it's a fixed monthly direct debit payment, like you do with most other companies? Or do you always pay for that month's usage?

I've had OVO recommended through my council's residents' switch offer, but I like the reliability of knowing my payments are the same all year round, rather than paying little now and lots over the winter when I have lots of other expenses too.

shineysixpence wrote: »

I switched to OVO in January and I have been incredibly impressed. Particularly by their new website. In direct answer to your question, they do bill by fixed monthly direct debit BUT you have outstanding control over that:
* Change it whatever you want
* Request refunds
* Optional sign-up to a scheme where your bills are not estimated monthly but are entirely based on the readings you give, i.e. you are billed from one reading to the next.

You need to be prepared to give regular readings but they email you monthly to remind you and their website is so impressively clear that this is easy.

Finally, even if you accrue credit, they pay you 3% interest on any balance that they hold.

OK, I'm only 3 months in... but here I am signing praises on a forum!

ih8stress wrote: »

According to the details I read at confused.com it stated about Ovo's fixed until March 2015 tarif:

"To reflect higher energy usage throughout the winter period, direct debits are 25% higher during this time.

Payment by fixed monthly direct debit only. Customers will be required to pay the first months payment in advance"

This, along with the £30 per fuel cancellation fee put me off abit.

Thanks, all. So, would it be right to say that you don't necessarily have to pay variable amounts each month according to usage, but that if you go for the fixed monthly DD option, you will pay two different amounts during the 12 month fix, according to whether you're in the winter months or not? :huh:

madmum33

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Thanks, all. So, would it be right to say that you don't necessarily have to pay variable amounts each month according to usage, but that if you go for the fixed monthly DD option, you will pay two different amounts during the 12 month fix, according to whether you're in the winter months or not? :huh:

Not how I understood it..... if you join during the winter months they will set your DD 25% higher to ensure you don't build up a debt, however winter is over now so you would pay the summer DD all year unless you were under paying..... hope that makes sense.

macman

Or to put it another way, DD'S are 25% lower during the summer months. They don't just divide annual estimated billing by 12 to calculate the monthly DD. That way there's less chance that you'll be in credit during the summer months-which means of course that they'll be paying less interest at 3%. Cunning...

page3

FYI ovo's definition of 'winter' ends 6th February.

macman

I do not understand how they can have a clause inserted that levies an ETC if you move house within minimum term. My understanding was that if you move house, the contract is voided without penalty-and that this applies to all energy contracts?

aylesby

I too have gone from EDF to Ovo for 12 months. See you all next summer.

Yorkie1

madmum33 wrote: »

Not how I understood it..... if you join during the winter months they will set your DD 25% higher to ensure you don't build up a debt, however winter is over now so you would pay the summer DD all year unless you were under paying..... hope that makes sense.

macman wrote: »

Or to put it another way, DD'S are 25% lower during the summer months. They don't just divide annual estimated billing by 12 to calculate the monthly DD. That way there's less chance that you'll be in credit during the summer months-which means of course that they'll be paying less interest at 3%. Cunning...

Thanks both for the reply. I think I'll need to try to find their T&Cs to read for myself as these two replies appear to be contradictory still.