Is SSE taking advantage of OAP without internet connection

gerard1789

Today, I have reviewed my mother in law energy deal. She is currently on a standard tariff with SSE and has been for at least 2 years now on that tariff. On a recent telephone conversation with her supplier SSE, she was told that she was on their cheapest available tariff. On SSE paper bill that she receives at her residence, the following notes are mentioned on both gas and electricity invoice.

Our cheapest similar tariff
Good news! you're already on our cheapest Evergreen tariff. We'll let you know at least once a year if this changes

Our cheapest overall tariff
By switching to to SSE 3 year Fixed price (subjest to eligibility criteria and limited availability), paying by Direct debit and choosing paperless billing, you could save £15.03 a year (electricity). £37.78 a year (gas)

So a grand £52.81 a year saving which is offered by SSE on their 9th of February invoices.

1. I assume that SSE has 2 or 3 Evergreen Tariffs ( all standard+) and that she is indeed on the cheapest Standard Evergreen. Please note that after a search, I cannot find the Evergreen Tariffs on SSE website.

2. I did a quick comparison search which resulted in a £ 583.00 a year saving compared to her current contract. That is 11 times more than their offered tariff switch. A monthly direct debit of £ 73.00 instead of the £ 120.00 she is currently paying to SSE.:(

This enrages me, reason why I am starting a thread here about this obvious misinformation on the part of SSE, verbally and in writing. I am sure they are in the legality, but this is utterly wrong morally.

Energy suppliers should have the responsibility and moral duty to better inform their "vulnerable" customers, instead, I conclude that SSE on this occasion, is taking advantage of a "vulnerable" customer.

Your feedback will be appreciated.

Gerard

stirling-gorilla

It bugs me too all this get it cheaper if you switch to online billing. Its fine for me as I do online all the time but its my parents they are stuck on the old way as they aren't too tech savy to go online with this sort of thing. They can do most online things but my dads limit is using facebook.

[Deleted User]

Cheapest available tariff will mean its cheapest for your MIL who prefers to pay quarterly on the bill and wont go on a fixed direct debit deal. Don t get enraged at SSE, or any other supplier, get enraged at her for not accepting direct debits. Standard/variable tariffs just means its their dearest tariff most of the time. Big reductions on a one or two year fix with prices lowering all the time. You dont need to be online to get the best rates but its advised to switch online and grab some cashback. I ve personally switched quite a few confirmed standard tariff payers on my PC when I could show them the big differences in price.

gerard1789

Apart from receiving a paper bill, she does indeed pay monthly by direct debit. So, I am still enraged by SSE actions or in that case, inactions, for not directing her to a cheaper tariff and insisting that she was indeed on their cheapest (standard) tariff.

Gerard

Norman_Castle

This enrages me, reason why I am starting a thread here about this obvious misinformation on the part of SSE, verbally and in writing. I am sure they are in the legality, but this is utterly wrong morally.

Energy suppliers should have the responsibility and moral duty to better inform their "vulnerable" customers, instead, I conclude that SSE on this occasion, is taking advantage of a "vulnerable" customer.

They've offered her their cheapest tariff. Should they be responsible for checking other suppliers?. Aren't the comparison sites also available by phone.
It would be nice if everyone was with the cheapest supplier but blaming an individual supplier for not finding the best overall deal for her is wrong.

gerard1789

I have also checked SSE for a cheaper tariff and their best available on internet was £ 480.00 cheaper than what she is currently paying. Hence my rage that they could make her feel secure by telling her she is on their cheapest Standard tariff, while they could have proposed a 1year fixed tariff SSE v5 to enable her to save £ 480.00 a year.

Gerard

backfoot

I think your example demonstrates how the change to 'so called competition' has been so badly managed.

The massive differentiation in prices for customers for the supply of the same essential product shows the failure of Government, its Regulator and the 'so called market' to provide either effective price controls or competitive customer service.

This should form the basis of a case study from which a better system should be created.:)

boliston

The government should be doing more to encourage pensioners to get online - my parents are both in their late 80's and were very "anti-tech" till a couple of years ago when i persuaded them to get an old imac "all-in-one" pc (the basic 2011 21.5" one so quite cheap second hand and very simple to use) - now they always seem to be online on facebook, twitter etc and pretty much do everything online without too much fuss.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Fact ..... and the problem

can not will not read meter
or
can not will not pay by direct debit
or
can not will not use e-pay

Costs money, it costs the supplier, or they hide the cost by charging me [and others] for your mothers can not will not. In addition your mother loses £480.00 per annum [and another 60% of the nation] every single year by being unable to choose a considerably cheaper tariff.

Fact ..... and the solution

(1) Your mother pays you and you open and manage an e-pay account for your mother. (2) You / your mother has a smartphone, set up an app and monitor and pay it that way. (3) If you found a£480.00 per annum advantage with SSE it will be even grater elsewhere - shop around

An embarrassingly large chunk of the population don't change, quite often they are fuel-poor and because of age heat-needy. Fortunately for the rest of us that keeps our bills relatively lower. Do something about it - best of luck.

r2015

Do what others do for those who don't have internet.


Do it for them.

System

There is an issue here that MSE is aware of and that is the constant rolling out of a changed tariff but with the same tariff name. Recently, I referred an energy company to Ofgem because this 'policy' allowed them to sate on my bill that I was only their cheapest tariff. In truth, their latest version was £57 per year cheaper and the energy company was trying to argue that I would be £3 per year worse off by switching (£60 exit fee). I pointed out to Ofgem that this would be my choice and it was misleading of the supplier to make statements that, imho, were simply wrong. Ofgem has added my comments to their file.

I would urge others to report their concerns about tariff names etc to consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk.