Outfox the Market reviews: add your feedback

orangesnaps

aduffell wrote: »

The terms and conditions previously said "Your monthly standard direct debit will be fixed based on the amount of energy we think you'll use each year of your contract divided by 12."

However, on the 25th October, they amended it to add "but may be weighted according to winter/summer seasonality." on the end of the sentence.

Can they just change the terms and conditions like this, without notifying customers, and to the detriment of customers? I've lodged a formal complaint, and will take it to OFGEM if needed. I suggest others do so too.

They also stated on Twitter that they hadn't increased my direct debit for the last two price rises, which makes no sense as I am on a fixed tariff, so have not had any price rises.

OutFox are clearing having cash flow issues, and are using their customers to finance these problems - interest free!

OutFox a.k.a Iresa2.0

I also hope MSE will do an article on this matter.

Where can you send a complaint? They've switched off their chat, I will send them an email though.

shazzablue

I really cant believe the tactics of this company...I received a further email...its went from £69 to £131.27!..currently looking for another supplier.

Ian_875

squibby wrote: »

I'm in the same boat as everyone else, £68.76 hiked to £120.33
Looks like they have turned off webchat on the website too!

They haven't turned it off, you need to click the 'web chat' in the bottom left rather than the button itself.

Be prepared for a wait though, I get the impression each analyst is dealing with multiple web chats at once

Swami_Trinel

Annual estimated usage gone from £475 to £754.
Monthly DD from £39 to £69 in winter and £29 in summer.
Unhappy, and I’ll be looking elsewhere.

Robochick

Dual Fuel tariff with them, on their lowest ZAPP rate. I got a monthly DD increase from £68 to £70.14 a month after switching with them - that was in July or August.

I got an email yesterday saying they were planning on introducing this seasonal DD change , to which I immediately replied this morning saying I was not happy at all. I got a scripted response also.

"I'm writing in regard to your latest plan to change the amount
debited from accounts over summer and winter months. Speaking personally, this is NOT what I want. I want a fixed amount going out of my account each month so I know exactly what to budget for each month. This is what MOST people want when they set up monthly direct debit payments - soit removes any uncertainity.
I'm really not happy with this proposed plan at all."

and their reply:
"Unfortunately we will no longer be offering that option moving forward, however we hope that we can convince you that this will actually be much more beneficial to your budgeting! The difference in DD is not varying every month but only twice a year for a period of 6 months so you still very much know where you are with things plus you have the added benefit that you are not accumulating lots of unnecessary credit with us which you then have to ask to be refunded but instead you are paying for what you use in a more balanced way."

Came home this evening to a email notification

"With the winter fast approaching and following a review of your Direct Debit, we have found that your current payment is not sufficient to cover your expected energy consumption.

In light of this, we are providing 10 working days notice of our intention to introduce a new variable Direct Debit scheme that will change your payments to £122.75. This revised figure will continue throughout the winter.

From April 2019 until September 2019, your consumption will reduce, and this will be reflected in your Direct Debit payments being lowered to suit. Your monthly Direct Debit for this period will be £52.61. Your winter payments will then begin again from October 2019."

For some reason they appear to think that my annual usage which has been pretty consistent for the last three years as I live by myself will suddenly jump to an estimated £1052.10 despite the fact that the unit figures I provided them with gave an estimate of £790.

Not happy at all. :mad: especially as I'm also £220 in credit

Petene61

I see that OFTM are managing to upset quite a few users with their new policy.:T
I'm still in the switchover process and the go live date is Monday 18th November, but I will be switching away immediately.
Like others on here, I got a quote, accepted it and initiated the switch.
Then yesterday, I got the figures below:
Annual Cost £936.78, Current DD £78.06, Oct-Mar £109.29, Apr-Sep £46.84
I did the webchat thing, explained it was not acceptable given that I'd taken up the offer on the basis of the quotation and would like to keep my payment constant as originally agreed, but no joy.
Then, a few minutes later, I got the following revision:
Annual Cost £1153.20, Current DD £76.88, Oct-Mar £134.54, Mar-Sep £57.66:eek:
The "Eagle-Eyed" may spot the different monthly current payment, but whatever, a 23% increase over the original quote is not acceptable over what was agreed in the original contract.:mad:
I haven't bothered getting back in touch as I'll be switching away as soon as I can make arrangements, but the interesting thing is that the house has been unoccupied for over a year and so even if they had received usage data from the previous supplier, it would have been minimal, so can't see where they get the new revised figure from.
I suspect the "new policy" will cost them dear in terms of lost customers as many like to be able to budget a constant amount every month, and this hike during the winter months and over Christmas, an expensive time anyway, isn't doing anyone any favours.:(

dan12345

I’m on the Whack tariff, Ts and Cs say £50 per fuel early exit fee.

My annualised total is staying pretty much exactly the same, but they’re moving me from £128 per month to £179 x 6 and £77 x 6.

Even though I’m not happy about this my main issue is that I’m £300 in credit......that’s the credit I’ve built up to get me through the winter.....the way it’s always been.

They’re getting double bubble!!!! If I can get the £300 credit back I’ll probably stay.

My guess is they’re going bust. I start paying the new higher rate now to cover the increased winter usage and then they’ll go bust and walk away with my £300 credit.

Web chat is not working (as others have said) and the phone is engaged.

saver_sam

aduffell wrote: »

The terms and conditions previously said "Your monthly standard direct debit will be fixed based on the amount of energy we think you'll use each year of your contract divided by 12."

However, on the 25th October, they amended it to add "but may be weighted according to winter/summer seasonality." on the end of the sentence.

Can they just change the terms and conditions like this, without notifying customers, and to the detriment of customers? I've lodged a formal complaint, and will take it to OFGEM if needed. I suggest others do so too.

They also stated on Twitter that they hadn't increased my direct debit for the last two price rises, which makes no sense as I am on a fixed tariff, so have not had any price rises.

OutFox are clearing having cash flow issues, and are using their customers to finance these problems - interest free!

OutFox a.k.a Iresa2.0

I also hope MSE will do an article on this matter.

I'm looking at there t&cs and dont see this addition. I'm looking at condition 7.3 and don't see it there or should I be looking elsewhere? And if they have added this then where is the 30 day notice they should give us as it states in section 14.3 !

hubb

Martin needs to look into this as it was through his energy club I enlisted with these pirates. I don't think any company has the right to take more DD from your bank unless authorised by the payee.

RickyDooDah

I can see OFTM going under very quickly with the number of people switching away, lets hope they don't hold up the switching process in order to extract a few months payments. What's the implication of cancelling a direct debit as I no longer trust them not to increase the amounts further.

Ricky