Outfox the Market reviews: add your feedback

errante

Lured in by the promise of cheap energy, instead, I got a more expensive bill than with my previous supplier so I changed back.
The whole business of charging more in winter and less in summer does not take into account that most people receive regular wages, which are not seasonal, so it causes a cashflow problem in the winter. I assume they expect people to save during the summer to be able to be able to afford the bills in the winter.
Customer service is appalling, waited for over 40min on the phone only to be greeted by the most rude individual who did not have the most basic training.
Bills were more than trebled in 2 months.
Not worth it.

yattaclam

If you value your money and sanity AVOID!

I joined Outfox the Market due to their (at the time) low unit prices and (for me) a low cost "membership" fee, rather than usual daily standing charge(s).

Things were absolutely fine until the 2nd week of November 2018, when it became clear that OFTM were experiencing serious cash-flow issues, and they needed additional funds from their customers to continue stay afloat, something they alluded to in their 28th of November email:

"The energy market continues to face challenges, this week two independent suppliers have been forced to cease trading, joining five other companies who have folded since the start of the year."

To quickly raise additional funds, OFTM introduced a so-called "Winter Uplift", where their customers direct debits would be increased in Autumn/Winter and decreased in Spring/Summer (by which time they'll almost certainly have ceased trading) by a (claimed) 70/30 ratio.

In the past 3 weeks, **ALL** OFTM customers have been bombarded with numerous conflicting and wildly inaccurate emails regarding the implementation of the "Winter Uplift", multiple unit price increases, and the introduction of unwelcome daily standing charges of £0.28 per fuel, completely negating the only benefits of their "service".

The most recent email (apparently received by all OFTM customers over the weekend of the 1st/2nd of December), informed us unfortunate customers (regardless of our existing credit surpluses) that OFTM are increasing our direct debits (by apparently) an average of 80%+, and many people's by well in-excess of 100%!

This is absolutely and completely unacceptable, OFTM's "customer service" staff are completely overwhelmed by the backlash, and if you are willing to wait an hour+, in a 50~ person telephone queue, you'll eventually get to speak to one of them, who'll be completely incapable of offering assistance (let alone resolving the issue), and who'll no-longer seem to care at-all.

What's now painfully hilarious is that OFTM are desperately trying to censor their customers by the wholesale deletion of recent negative comments on their Facebook page, and the flagging of Trustpilot reviews.

Yesterday OFGEM (on twitter) started to refer OFTM customers to the Energy Ombudsman, Citizens Advice and its own Consumer Affairs department for investigation of OFTM's practices.

If you're a OFTM customer switch away as fast as you can, your credit balances are protected by the OFGEM "safety net", and you'll (eventually) get a credit refund.

If you're considering switching to OFTM, unless you enjoy mental anguish and have money you don't want or need, avoid them like the plague.

ogwellian

Switching from OFTM to EDF. Got this from EDF just now.

Unfortunately your current supplier isn't allowing you to switch to us.

They should write to explain their reason for not switching you over, but if you've not heard anything then it's worth giving them a call. We'll get in touch with them in the next 14 days to try and switch you over to us again.

jono1975

Does anyone know if the December price rise is still valid now the January one has been announced. I went onto their chat, nobody chatted and it disconnected me, I'm not wasting time on the phone.

That'll be for one day for me as my new supplier takes over on 2nd Jan, and also my OFM billing date. I wonder if they'll still take the £95 DD in the email I had at six this morning. Then drag their heels over my final bill and refund. Of course they will, it's only the public's money they're taking.

Trust pilot is interesting last few days, getting quite heated on there with them removing reviews and users reposted again.

stphnstevey

Doubling DD for winter and same as is now DD for summer

Just a way to increase the cash on account really and effectively make you pay up front. For smaller companies cash flow is king, so they dont get lots of customers in debit over winter, even small amounts can add up for small company

For me I did the following switches as appeared to be the best rates and deals at the time

- Gas - Zog Energy - 2yr fix
- Electricity - Toto - 1yr Fix

Fixed as can only see the prices going up, longest fixes could reasonably get without paying a lot more

Probably gone from fat to the fire! But we all wouldn't be here if we werent willing to try out these small suppliers

lynchnigel

I've moved energy supplier with putting them bills up 3 times and changing the DD was enough for me!

BUT before leaving they sent me an email to say they was putting the DD up (despite them knowing I was leaving) and then continues to take the DD the day after the bill - before the DD I was 141 in credit and then they took the DD which was 58! so now im 78 in credit ! which in the week running up I said please don't take the amount this month as im 141 in credit, but did they listen? No acknowledgement or anything!

So I'm now battling to get that back, which I wont get back until the new supplier has confirmed the readings to them which was the same as I had given OFTM! but they wont take it from me!

C.C.

If you want to find out more about what is happening, I suggest you go onto Facebook and look for Outfox The Market Discussion. Some really interesting posts on there!

lynchnigel

jono1975 wrote: »

Does anyone know if the December price rise is still valid now the January one has been announced. I went onto their chat, nobody chatted and it disconnected me, I'm not wasting time on the phone.

That'll be for one day for me as my new supplier takes over on 2nd Jan, and also my OFM billing date. I wonder if they'll still take the £95 DD in the email I had at six this morning. Then drag their heels over my final bill and refund. Of course they will, it's only the public's money they're taking.

Trust pilot is interesting last few days, getting quite heated on there with them removing reviews and users reposted again.

You can't phone them from what I can see - you can only web chat or email them

libf

Do you need to keep the direct debit active to get a refund on credit after you've switched? I don't trust them not to take my January direct debit, but I do want the £40 that they owe me...

Pete99

Libf, someone else mentioned before about this and it's obvious if you think about it, I didn't either before I read it, it's a direct DEBIT, it's one way, so if you've got enough credit with them to pay the final bill, you can cancel the DD and any refund will be to your bank account via Bacs or whatever, it does seem that you have to keep checking though that they haven't reinstated it.