Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

albalina65

At my wits end I month after signing up to outfox at £142 pm they email to say they are increasing to £258 pm !! which would put me into overdraft . How are they even allowed to do this ??

[Deleted User]

Merlin139 wrote: »

Copy of a web chat from this morning:

Me 9:58 AM
Personally I am not interested why your company has brought this in.
I did not sign up to this policy and do not want it forced on me.
If it is going to be forced on me then as your company is changing the T&C's that I signed up to I wish to leave OFTM at no penalty to myself

Fiona 10:00 AM
We are not forcing you sir. As this policy will be implemented, you are not forced in switching away from us, without an exit fee

Me 10:01 AM
So I can leave without exit fees?

Fiona 10:03 AM
Yes you can

Me 10:04 AM
Off to another company I will go and thanks for all the fish!

This came from the Email showing the transcript of the Webchat so its in black and white as far as I am concerned.

To those of you who are on fixed contracts with OFTM, I just noticed this message...wish I had seen it before...My apologies....



It is worth trying...you never know until you ask...And if they say no, then quote them the above conversation....if Merlin139 has no objections...
ATB
Dougie.

Pekie

I have just done the maths and my 'winter increase' added to my 'summer decrease' works out the same as I'm paying now. I've done various comparisons and OFTM still seem the cheapest. I noticed they followed their initial email of intention to change DD format to 70/30 with another the following day saying, 'We're reviewing our initial statement'... They must've had a deluge of angry customers. I contacted them this morning and it would seem that they are still going ahead with it. This smacks of cash flow problems.. Webchat is still off.

nameloc2080

I emailed meter photographs on Saturday and asked for my annual usage to be recalculated and for my £100 credit to be factored into the winter direct debit amount. They replied early this morning changing my next direct debit from £78 to £62 (original £44) but I don't know if this is just for winter.

MadMat

Apparently I'm wrong and almost doubling my direct debit actually helps me budget!

What a crock of . . . . . . .


response@outfoxthemarket.co.uk
11:27 (13 minutes ago)
to me

Hi,



Thank you for your email and apologies in the delay getting back to you. Unfortunately we will no longer be offering the old DD system 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.

[Deleted User]

Dear Mad Mat,
It is a very nice letter, carefully constructed...and so positive too...you must admit...and its only money...


Reminds me of the time I hitch hiked down from Scotland to London, where, as me mum used to say...."the streets are paved wi' gold" I saw a £50 note in the gutter, but didn't bother to pick it up saying to meself..."I'll start tomorrow"...:-))
ATB Dougie.

[Deleted User]

Why not ask them? Then you will know...:-))



Some things you can't find out; but you will never know you can't by guessing and supposing: no, you have to be patient and go on experimenting until you find out that you can't find out.
Mark Twain
ATB
Dougie.

ben501

A reply from Ofgem this morning. I'm surprised I got one, and that it was so quick. It looks like a fairly generic response, but maybe it will help others.

The part that stands out to me is the 30 days notice, which contradicts the 10 days that Outfox claim they need to give. Still little comfort to those strapped for cash.

Thank you for contacting Ofgem.

We are aware that Outfox the Market have recently announced that they will be increasing their tariffs for winter months.

For customers on a standard variable tariff, a supplier can do this provided that they give notice (usually 30 days). Suppliers cannot generally increase rates on fixed-term tariffs. There are no Ofgem regulations about when a supplier can increase their tariffs, and by how much, but our regulations do cover the way in which a supplier goes about it, such as how much notice a supplier must give their customers.

If you disagree with the amount Outfox the Market is increasing your payments, then you should raise this as a formal complaint. Outfox the Market is not a licensee, but Foxglove Energy Supply Ltd is the licensee that operates the Outfox brand. Therefore, you should raise a formal complaint with Foxglove Energy by following their internal complaints procedure. If your complaint is not resolved within eight weeks, or sooner if your supplier says it can do no more, you can ask the Ombudsman to investigate your complaint.

The Ombudsman has a range of remedies at its disposal including the award of compensation; its decisions are binding on the company but not on the customer.

Should you require advice, you may wish to contact Citizens Advice consumer service. The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. For further information please visit their website www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506.

Scatty

orangesnaps wrote: »

I have sent an email with photos of the meter readings, I have developed the habit of taking photos of my meter readings whenever I take it just so I have proof in case they start something but I haven't had any reply from them yet and no reply to my initial email complaint and no reply from their accounts department about the refund of the credit in my account.

That's my next job - inform them of leaving and asking if I can have my credit back pretty sharpish.......then it is going straight onto the new provider.

MadMat

I've been looking through my old bills with OFM, I went 3 months without sending a meter reading in, and the estimate they came up with was so high that on the 4th month when I did remember to get the reading in on time I actually used a negative amount of gas . . . . . . . . .