Outfox the Market reviews: add your feedback

Slickric21

Can anybody advise the best way to go about leaving this shambles of a Company for someone who is in credit of around £200 ?

My year with them is about to come up end of March and I just need to get away but I’m worried about losing my credit.
(Been on their fixed Whack Jan tariff)

Can I just freeze/cancel my direct debit with them so they use up my Credit?
I don’t want them to charge me the £25 though for failed Direct debits and also don’t want an unpaid bill to go on my credit file.
Really unsure what to do and feel a bit trapped by them after reading all the horror stories people have getting refunds off them

Consumerist

Slickric21 wrote: »

Can anybody advise the best way to go about leaving this shambles of a Company for someone who is in credit of around £200 ? . . .
My year with them is about to come up end of March and I just need to get away but I’m worried about losing my credit.Really unsure what to do and feel a bit trapped by them after reading all the horror stories people have getting refunds off them.

You're within the 49-day switching window - you should have been advised by Outfox that your tariff is ending - so you can switch to another supplier without paying any early-termination fees. You could have done this about a month ago.

Use a comparison site to find another supplier who meets your needs and apply to them to switch you from Outfox. If you switch using MSE's Cheap Energy Club, you might get some cashback (after three months) depending on which supplier you switch to.

Don't cancel your DD with Outfox until your new supplier has confirmed that the switch is completed.

Most suppliers take their time to refund credit balances - allow at least 8 weeks from the switch date but no longer than 10 working days after your final bill is produced.

Don't forget that some of the smaller, cheaper suppliers tend to take their first DD in advance of the switch date so prepare for an extra DD in the first month.

Cornucopia

My OFTM account has been frozen for a while now. Last DD was 2 months ago, and the last invoice that hasn't been withdrawn was 3 months ago.

I have meter readings, though, so should be okay if/when they decide I owe them shed-loads.

Consumerist

Cornucopia wrote: »

My OFTM account has been frozen for a while now. Last DD was 2 months ago, and the last invoice that hasn't been withdrawn was 3 months ago.
I have meter readings, though, so should be okay if/when they decide I owe them shed-loads.

What a performance from Outfox !

Luckily this winter has been relatively mild (so far, anyway) so that shed shouldn't be too big. Hopefully you've saved the DDs that haven't been called so not too much to worry about anyway.

Cornucopia

Consumerist wrote: »

What a performance from Outfox !

Luckily this winter has been relatively mild (so far, anyway) so that shed shouldn't be too big. Hopefully you've saved the DDs that haven't been called so not too much to worry about.

I think the smart money is on them never sorting it, and it eventually getting written-off. (I had this before with another supplier).

Billy_the_fish

So i took my complaint to the Ombudsman early January after spending hours on end trying to contact them and get a valid response to my concerns.

They blocked me from social media.
They wouldnt answer the phones.
They wouldnt respond to emails.
They failed in giving me a breakdown of costs associated with my account.
No 30 day notice of changes to account (Am on Fixed Whack tarrif!)

In total there was 5 major points of complaint.
The Ombudsman found 4 in favour of me by way of Outfox failing in their duties as a supplier.

The 'goodwill' gesture of £50 was offered, which i accepted.
After all, its only been stress and no actual financial losses from my side. So thought the £50 was sufficient to cover the agro caused by them.

After all the changes they were seeking to adopt, i cancelled my direct debit and didnt pay any bill for December, January & February, asking them to take the bill payments from my £170+ credit.

After 3 months of not paying them anything im currently £30 in debit!!
Fairly sure i can cover that amount as a final bill.

However, once again, they are coming back as my cheapest supplier and am actually considering staying with them.
Do i cut off my nose and change supplier or stay with them?
I see them as easy to deal with in a sense, as if they repeat with more mistakes a simple contact to them should solve it or give me thumbs up to leave it for Ombudsman to deal with.

I think my next best supplier is Utility Point.

Choices choices :rotfl:

Consumerist

Billy_the_fish wrote: »

. . . im currently £30 in debit!!
Fairly sure i can cover that amount as a final bill. . .

One problem which you may have is that they object to any switch because your account is in debit. They should not do that - it isn't a debt - but there have been reports of switch objections for that reason.

If you can work with them and their shortcomings then why not do your best to save as much money as you can if they are cheapest for you.

jk0

jk0 wrote: »

Email just arrived notifying me of refund. They say I should get it in my account by 20th.


So... took over three months.

Finally have the refund, and new supplier have correct readings. What a relief!

markharding557

Consumerist wrote: »

One problem which you may have is that they object to any switch because your account is in debit. They should not do that - it isn't a debt - but there have been reports of switch objections for that reason.

If you can work with them and their shortcomings then why not do your best to save as much money as you can if they are cheapest for you.

I would not advise staying with OFM, they are absolutely:eek::eek:

Originally Posted by Billy the fish
. . . im currently £30 in debit!!
Fairly sure i can cover that amount as a final bill. . .

That can be paid by card on the phone 0116 296 5839.
I was sent this in my final bill email.

jono1975

I've finally got my refund off them, like everything with them no directo comminication only noitced when checking my bank account. My father left them before me and is still waiting, I did moan more at them though.

I'm releaved to be rid of them, I'll of course be checking my account on a regular basis for any direct debits that may pop back up, I really do not trust them, it's either incompetence or dishonesty from them so far after all.

I am miffed that now they think old customers backs are turned a load of five star reviews, mostly one liners, are appeating on Trustpilot. Now, call me cynical but I really think they've paid for most of them or got their dogs and cats signing up to post.

They are now also inviting customers to write reviews on sign up (and I have read posts that they are offering credit to do so, can't verifiy that though). So if anyone's reading be very sceptical of any review that says "Verified Order" as that means they were invited to write them.

It annoys me how these companies think they can get away with all this.

Good luck leaving to those "new" customers.