Outfox the Market reviews: add your feedback

oxters

I was with OTM for a couple of years I had no real problem in that time. I would have been happy enough to pay more in winter but customers didn’t agree with that idea and they quickly ditched the plan, but by that time they’d lost customers and reputation. I’ve been with another supplier for some time so have no recent experience with OTM.

kortez

Nick_C wrote: »

Helens Fox joined the MSE forum in May last year, so if she did so with the sole intention of bigging up OTM then she's waited a long time to do it!

...

What a person's intentions are when they create any MSE forum User ID, and what that account is then subsequently used for to make a first post may be entirely unrelated, especially if in some peoples minds it adds some sort of kudos to that post content months or years later.

Yer know what I mean?

:rotfl:

Gerry1

Nick_C wrote: »

Thanks for highlighting the TrustPilot reviews though. I see they give OTM a 4* rating, with 72% of reviews being four or five star. This is based on over 14000 reviews, 24% of which are poor or bad. Most of the feedback is based on verified customers.

Well, if you believe that, then those related Magic Dust 'storage' heaters are ideal for you ! Spend your life savings on them, you know it makes sense !

Of course, the MSE forumites aren't quite so enthusiastic, nor is the Advertising Standards Authority, but what would they know?

VoucherMan

Nick_C wrote: »

But I do feel OTM are being treated unfairly by MSE. I've just checked with Cheap Energy Club. Once again, OTM are the cheapest supplier by a long chalk,

OTM don't exactly do themselves any favours with their behaviour. I've witnessed a few of them first-hand, and some of their questionable practices still continue. Such is their activity on Trustpilot that I'm more likely to believe a negative review than a positive. You are aware that they have in the past offered people financial incentives to leave reviews? Even now, they ask (invite?) people to leave reviews just for the signing up experience.
I had an issue once with them. I got no response from customer services, but within 24 hours of posting on Trustpilot....:rotfl:


I could go on about them (good & bad), but I'm going to wait & see how they deal with my next upcoming issue first.


As for coming out a lot cheaper. I read somewhere that the figures (unit rate & standing charge) on MSE were mixed up, resulting in massively (£100+) cheaper results for OTM. No idea if it's still wrong, or who was responsible for the 'error'.

thriftytracey

I've been with OTM for 18 months or so. Yes, had the pain of them increasing the direct debit over the winter period and all the hassle over it, and I agree it takes a while to get a partial refund. However, I find the website very easy to use, provide my readings on a monthly basis and they are the cheapest. I'm staying put. I just hope they aren't going to go bust. It is about time they reduced the direct debit though - I hardly use any gas and in permanent credit. May wait until summer over and then get it reduced. Hoping that won't be a hassle.

Nick_C

Just called OTM to change from their "One variable 6.0" tariff to "Fix'D 20 2.0". The change of tariffs will save me about £3 a month (4.3% - down from £72.53 to £69.36).

The call was answered quickly. The customer services agent was friendly and helpful. He confirmed the new tariff rates, confirmed they will be implemented today using the meter readings I have just submitted on line, and offered to reduce the DD (which I declined). The whole process took six minutes and was a freephone call.

I know some people have had bad experiences with OTM, but so far I have no complaints (and I have previously raised formal complaints with Scottish Power, British Gas, and Ovo). They are the cheapest supplier and their monthly bill are accurate and easy to understand.

I just wish they could read my smart meter! I did think about switching back to Ovo, but it would cost me an extra £57.50 a year. Most of that might be covered by £50 from TCB, but of course that is not guaranteed.

Nick_C

Gerry1 wrote: »

Well, if you believe that, then those related Magic Dust 'storage' heaters are ideal for you ! Spend your life savings on them, you know it makes sense !

Of course, the MSE forumites aren't quite so enthusiastic, nor is the Advertising Standards Authority, but what would they know?

I'm not buying a heating system from them. I'm buying Energy.

Your post is a bit like saying you shouldn't use Tesco for your mobile phone service because they used to sell burgers that contained horse meat.

VoucherMan

Nick_C wrote: »

I'm not buying a heating system from them. I'm buying Energy.

You're still buying from a company that continually (yes, they have at least one ruling against them this month) flouts the rules.

Fischer Future Heat UK Ltd said they did not intend to mislead consumers

Forgivable in the first instance, and the second, maybe even the third, but when they get into double figures, many would start to question their trustworthiness.

Nick_C wrote: »

Your post is a bit like saying you shouldn't [STRIKE]use[/STRIKE] trust Tesco for their promises about your mobile phone service because they [STRIKE]used to[/STRIKE] still sell burgers that contain[STRIKE]ed[/STRIKE] horse meat, despite denials.

Looks like a better analogy to me.


I doubt it's deliberate. More likely incompetence or bad management, but it makes me wonder how much I can trust them.



What about all the changes they've made to the T&C without telling people? I listed a few of them. The laughable part of that is that when I called them out on it, they responded with

It is true that for some reason the T&Cs have been amended on our website.

We undertake tight governance on our T&Cs and therefore it has come as a surprise to us as to how this was released on our web portal.

It appears they failed to find how this happened, as there have been further unacknowledged amendments since then. I'll admit that I rarely check their T&C any more. I gave up last November after another communication from them

Firstly, in regards to the Terms and Conditions, and your tariff having an exit fee added, this is not correct. Even though it does state on the Terms and Conditions that the Fix'd tariff has an exit fee of £30 per fuel, your tariff, the Fix'd 19 2.0, does not have an exit fee.
We do have other versions of the Fix'd tariff which had been released throughout 2019, of which, some had an Exit Fee of £30 per fuel.

As far as I'm concerned, they've now told me their listed T&C are worthless. I took a screenshot of them last time I signed up, and if I have any more issues, those are the terms I'll refer to.

Nick_C wrote: »

Most of the feedback is based on verified customers.

I find this more credible

Sadly, in the case of OTM, that comes across as extremely naive. OTM appear to spend a lot of time on Trustpilot, and have been known to be very aggressive toward negative reviews. I know from experience as one of mine was removed for using the word 'fleece'.
I think you'll find they have only been using the 'verified order' system for about 6 months, so there's no way to establish the percentage of genuine feedback. And don't forget that a large part of that feedback is simply the signing up experience, so has little or no bearing on ongoing customer service.

We normally ask new customers to review our website and the sign up process

As for you yearning for a smart meter, you shouldn't have long to wait.

We are looking to roll out smart meters in March 2020. Once this has been rolled out we will make all our customers aware.

I'm curious as to how they plan to install the smart meter without my knowledge. I'll be fully aware when it happens. No need to let me know later.

Peoples_Princess

I have just joined to lend support to what everyone is saying.
This company and all it’s other brands ( Fischer Future Heat + Premier Radiators, etc ) in my opinion are terrible companies with horrific business practice ethics, and should be avoided at all cost.

Personally, I think NICK_C is probably a member of their staff. Lol.

glider3560

I switched to Outfox the Market last month. No problems so far. Needed to contact them twice, both emails responded to quickly with accurate replies.

Yes, they have a 70-30 split on the monthly payments, but you know that upfront when signing up (the 70% winter payment is still cheaper than my old gas and electricity suppliers combined, who were the cheapest when I switched to them last year).

They very quickly agreed the electricity final reading with my previous supplier, just waiting for the gas sorted now.