Ebico / SSE partnership has ended!

Patr100

Patr100 wrote: »

Still get the same problem on another computer both using chrome.
But tried firefox on another PC and it loads.

The log in page loads eg using Edge browser, but when I try to log in using my assigned code from the letter and my password I still get

Server Error in '/' Application.

Runtime Error
Description: An exception occurred while processing your request. Additionally, another exception occurred while executing the custom error page for the first exception. The request has been terminated.

footyguy

Michaelw wrote: »

Ebico now look much more favorably on their credit meter customers then the prepayment users also now offering a 5% discount for direct debit not everone can afford to pay like that and prepayment customers are now last instead of equal.Shortly after I switched to Toto energy a letter arrived from Ebico to sign over to Robin Hood PrePay.It claims its new and affordable it didnt state that I would have been worse off by £78 a year then under Equipower/gas only to check to see if its cheaper but not how I only found out at ....

The discount for paying by Direct Debit under the new Ebico Zero tariff is only 1%.

Most people, particularly those in financial hardship, will find paying the same amount monthly easier to manage than the traditional method of paying on receipt of bill whwere one would often get a huge bill during the winter months (usually around Christmas time when many people have other financial pressures too)
However, if you really do prefer to pay for what you have used the traditional quarterly method, then you can still benefit from the Direct Debit discount by electing to pay quarterly by Direct Debit.

I agree, it is unfortunate that Ebico can no longer assist those on pre-payment meters as they did before, by using the savings they achieved from those who paid by Direct Debit to subidise those on pre-payment meters, so that everyone paid the same tariff no matter how they paid, but you can thank Ofgem for that situation coming to an end.

Ebico announced the launch of their Prepay tariff (from RHE) on 26-Jan-2017
https://ebico.org.uk/ebico-news/cross-party-support-for-ebico-and-robin-hood-energy-partnership-to-fight-fuel-poverty-in-the-uk/

It says it was 8.5% less than Ebico’s existing prepay tariff, with the price guaranteed until at least December 2017. (Average savings in comparison to Dual Fuel customers on Equigas and EquiPower, and based on ofgem’s Typical Domestic Consumption Values (TDCVs) for medium user of 3,100 kWh for electricity and 12,500 kWh for gas.)

Since then, SSE have announced price changes to the former Ebico tariffs.

As I mentioned in a thread on the launch of this new Ebico prepay tariff (post#6), "consult a comparison site to find the best deal for you"
I am sorry to learn that you did that and found toto the cheapest supplier for you, but were unhappy with their customer service.
The MSE CEC does indicated there is no feedback on this supplier yet, and there was no feedback in the MSE toto feedback thread until 25-Feb-2017
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5595825

The Ebico prepay tariff introduced a daily standing charge for the first time to any Ebico tariff. This was an indirect result of an Ofgem ruling.
Therefore, very low, or non users, of a particular fuel would be adversely affected by this tariff.
So yes, you should have consulted a comparsion site and/or Ebico before ditching them.

SSE stopped accepting new applicants onto the Equipower & Equigas tariffs on just before 25-Feb-2017 which is when I started this thread

Good luck!

Michaelw

I've got a saved Ebico page saying the direct debit saving was 5.5% so they nust have changed it.Here is the extract.

Ebico Zero, available to our credit customers, is offered alongside our new
Ebico PrePay energy plan. Ebico PrePay, with a standing charge of 25p per
day per fuel, is 8.5% cheaper than EquiGas / EquiPower for a customer with an
average2 level of household energy use, is also price-guaranteed until
December 2017, and is exclusive to pay-as-you-go customers.
We are confident that our new energy supply partnership with Robin Hood
Energy gives us a strong base from which to advance our campaign to tackle
fuel poverty.
1 5.5% cheaper for those paying by Direct Debit
2 Average savings in comparison to Dual Fuel customers on Equigas and
EquiPower, and based on ofgem’s Typical Domestic Consumption Values
(TDCVs) for medium user of 3,100 kWh for electricity and 12,500 kWh for gas.

Now they just say a reduction regarding Direct Debit.

Joining Ebico on prepayment is no cheaper then joining Robin Hood direct or a number of other supplers.That was a great tie in between SSE and Ebico and its startling all of a sudden reading these now published comments by Ebico.British gas told me their database mentioned SSE only not Ebico for the supply.For £40 a year saving it wasnt worth the switch to Toto and has now cost more switching to British Gas.Ebico is no longer viable alternative.The advertising gives the impression its a fair non profit deal/tackling fuel poverty message when thats notnecessarily the case price wise.

Googling Toto energy review shows there appeares to be a number of problems dealing with customers.They have come in with rock bottom prices and cannot cope with the demand.

Ilona

I've just had my welcome pack from Ebico/RHE, all looks in order so I'm going to go ahead with this. I have been with Ebico for three years and never had any problems. As a low user I like the nil standing charge policy, no penalties for quarterly payments, and no exit fee. My personal projection for a year is £289 for both, (£116 gas £173 electric). Three bed semi, single occupant.

One of the FAQ's made me smile. How do I use less energy? Answer, One of the best ways to spend less on your energy is to use less. Exactly, good old common sense.

I do not have direct debit, I will not pay for my gas and electric before I use it, I pay quarterly on a bill. Simple. I'll stick with this for the time being and see how it goes.

Ilona

Cardew

Ilona wrote: »

I do not have direct debit, I will not pay for my gas and electric before I use it,

Ilona

How is direct debit paying for gas and electric before you use it?

With house/car insurance you pay in advance. Similarly with Council Tax, and RV based water charges, you pay in advance.

Ditto holidays, plane/train tickets etc etc

Cardew

I too have had my welcome pack from Ebico(Robin Hood)

I am in credit with Ebico(SSE). As SSE handle the accounts I wonder if that credit will be refunded, or transferred to Ebico(Robin hood)

footyguy

Cardew wrote: »

I too have had my welcome pack from Ebico(Robin Hood)

I am in credit with Ebico(SSE). As SSE handle the accounts I wonder if that credit will be refunded, or transferred to Ebico(Robin hood)

My understanding is this is being treated as a change of supplier (from SSE to RHE)

My understanding is that, as is common in all changes of siupplier, you will receive a final bill from the old supplier and the balance will need to be settled accordingly. You will start afresh with the new supplier

footyguy

Cardew wrote: »

How is direct debit paying for gas and electric before you use it?

...

If you pay monthly, it is because the monthly figure is fixed (being 1/12th of the anticipated annual cost)
In summer, many people (particularly those who use Ebico) use little or no energy, and so you will pay in advance at this time of year ... and it will be used to pay what you use in the winter.

Of course, with Ebico zero, you can also pay quarterly by DD. That way you get to benefit from the DD discount, but only pay for wha you have used

Mind you, the DD discount is very low at just 1%, so for a low user that spends say £300 on energy per year, that would only be a saving of £3.
Not enough to get worked up about - rather than that saving, I would rather pay an agreed bill by cash or cheque then possibly get hit with a huge bill that had been estimated (and gets then taken by DD)

e.g. I've just had an electric bill from SSE/Ebico.
Even based on their own figures, this period last year we used 2kWh of electricity. This period, in their infinite wisdom, they estimated we would have used 131 kWh of electicity!!! :eek:
Yet on the same bill they "estimate your Personal Projection of costs for the next 12 months will be £0.51"
Go figure :huh:

Ilona

I don't get any huge bills that are estimated. I budget for the whole year, and any money that isn't spent, (summer) I save and use it when it's needed (winter). I send in meter readings and they use those, if on the rare occasion that are estimated it is only out by a few £'s. I have always got money in my bank account, I know that the discrepancy will be rectified at the next bill/reading.

Yes, there are a lot of things you pay upfront for, that's how it's always been, buy a rail ticket, car insurance etc, but years ago utilities were all on quarterly bills or meter. I would rather keep it that way. I don't have to chase them up for refunds, if they have over estimated. I would rather my money stays in my account, not theirs.

Horses for courses, each to their own.

Ilona

dawny10

Those that have been switched to RH, did you actively select doing this or just leave it as the letter suggested and it would be done automatically?


I would rather go with RH but not really clear what is happening now with the contradictory letter from SSE