Ebico / SSE partnership has ended!

trickytree1963

The letter from Ebico quoted in OP says

"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."

So its hardly true that you weren't made aware of the SC for PAYG customers?

Checker

Sorry trickytree, OP?

trickytree1963

Original Post...the one that's at the top of every page of thread

Michaelw

Ilona wrote: »

In over three years as an Ebico customer, I have been emailing my meter readings to SSE, the bills have come from SSE, the meter reader has come to check the readings from SSE, I have paid SSE. I have never had any communication with Ebico from signing up until now. I sent them my start readings. Ebico was only the middle man between the supplier, (SSE), and the customer, me.

I've just had my final electric bill from SSE, nil. The gas bill will be here soon. The next quarterly bills will come from the supplier, whoever that might be.

Ilona

British Gas told me that on the database I was SSE too.There was never any contact with Ebicio after signing up only occasionally to inform of price changes.Ebico were fully dependent on SSE and a warm home discount was handled by SSE also.

If past experience is to go by you will be dealing with Robin Hood for customer service.

I was speaking to a an EON meter reader,he mentioned a doorstep complaint about Robin Hood hiking a pensioners direct debit by £20 a month after switching.

Michaelw

Checker wrote: »

Nightmare ! Have been with Ebico since they came onto to the market. Was advised about the change over to Robin Hood energy, but nothing about the fact that they would be charging a standing charge for both my pre payment meters. Called RHE several times ( after waiting to be connected for 20 + mins at a time )and was advised that the standing charge was unavoidable as Ofgem had applied the charge not them! Was offered smart meters but only after having been with them for 6 months. Cannot go back to SSE on Equipower rates. Now had to transfer to another energy company to avoid the standing charge. Just got my phone bill and been charged for all the time was on phone waiting to speak to someone at RHE. Have advised lots of people to transfer to Ebico, but feel so guilty now as they are on pre payment meters and may not have noticed!

I was told by Ebico that the prepayment cap imposed by Ofgen caused the standing charge.They did as I beleve some time ago specify a standing charge because to simplify the understanding of usage, however this standing charge could still be set at zero as was Ebico/SSE all payment methods including prepayment.

Robin Hood are no cheaper then British Gas on prepayment.

As can be seen at the Ebico site there in no mention of a standing charge until the sign up process is entered.

https://ebico.org.uk/energy-plans/

EachPenny

Michaelw wrote: »

I was speaking to a an EON meter reader,he mentioned a doorstep complaint about Robin Hood hiking a pensioners direct debit by £20 a month after switching.

Seriously Michael, we get it that you hate Ebico and RHE because of the PP standing charge issue, but you have to accept that it is part of life that external influences change what companies can and cannot do. Ebico didn't introduce standing charges just to annoy you.

Did the EON meter reader also tell you about all the other cases of pensioners, and many others, having their bills increased at various times for various reasons? It happens all the time. Unless the 'pensioner' was locked in to a long-term deal (which would suggest a price rise was unlikely) then they were free to switch again to a different provider if they could find one cheaper.

Your third party anecdote may be true, you may believe that by mentioning it here you are doing harm to Ebico/RHE's reputation and putting potential customers off, but hopefully most people will read it and think even if it is true then the same, and perhaps worse, has been said about all the other energy companies.

EachPenny

Michaelw wrote: »

As can be seen at the Ebico site there in no mention of a standing charge until the sign up process is entered.

And have you done a full comparison of all the other energy companies to see which ones mention standing charges and when in the process it is detailed? Is Ebico significantly different to the others?

Michaelw

If I recall he was paying £90 a month direct debit and it increased £20 on top.I can only go on what I was told.It was only mentioned in conversation because of previously been an Ebico customer and shouldn't have left I only found about about Robin Hood and the charge after tryng to switch back because of poor service from another supplier shortly after.It came as a shock given Ebico's previous stance.It shows they are heavily infuenced by their supply partner.

Its not one person damaging anyones reputation unfortunatly there is controversy here and it would be advisable to price comparison prior to signing up for not for profit ethical supplier.

[Deleted User]

Is my gas still on SSE Ebico or is it now on RHE Ebico, or just plain old SSE? Who knows...

EachPenny

Michaelw wrote: »

If I recall he was paying £90 a month direct debit and it increased £20 on top.I can only go on what I was told.

It is still an anecdote and doesn't mean very much. With those figures you are talking about an increase of about 22%. Very few customers on SVT will not have experienced increases of around that size in the last 12 months. Ebico have reduced their non-PPM SVT and frozen the price until 1 December 2017.

Michaelw wrote: »

previously been an Ebico customer and shouldn't have left I only found about about Robin Hood and the charge after tryng to switch back because of poor service from another supplier shortly after.

You've said several times that Ebico are as expensive if not more expensive than other suppliers such as BG. You've also stated your views on Ebico and RHE which are anything but positive. In the circumstances how on earth can you say you shouldn't have left Ebico?

Michaelw wrote: »

It came as a shock given Ebico's previous stance.It shows they are heavily infuenced by their supply partner.

All whitelabel companies will be influenced by their supply partner, it is a contractural relationship and in some cases a very small company operating with a much larger (i.e. influential) partner. We don't know the full facts but it is reasonable to speculate that the influence of Ebico's previous supply partner has something to do with the changes we have seen since the New Year. It's life.

Michaelw wrote: »

Its not one person damaging anyones reputation unfortunatly there is controversy here and it would be advisable to price comparison prior to signing up for not for profit ethical supplier.

Everybody would be well advised to look at multiple price comparisons before signing up with any supplier. 'Not for profit' and 'Ethical' do not mean cheapest. It is a way of doing business, for which some people are willing to pay a premium, and some will find offers them the cheapest deal overall.