Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

Doubleshotdamo

I've just got off the phone to them. I'm £112 in credit, usually pay £62 per month, new winter payment is £87. I asked for their bank details so that I can set up a standing order once I've cancelled my direct debit. They said I couldn't pay by standing order! Anyway, I argued that I'm in credit yet they want to take even more money. Then the good bit, "you can use your balance and spread it over the next four months to reduce your payments." So, basically £112 /4= £28 per month. £87 less the £28 = £59. That's less than my original direct debit!

JS2006

I’m in the process of switching supplier after yet another email saying they are increasing their prices as well as almost doubling our direct debit. My question is- if I cancel my direct debit, what will they do? We are over £100 in credit. Just worried they will cut our supply as we have a young baby.

editor1

@TheHeatin,

Like you, thus far I've not had great cause for concern with OFTM due to the fact I signed up for a Fixed Contract, which I expect honoured.

For others reading this, with a Credit of less than £240, said Credit would approach close to Zero at the end of OFTM 4 month higher DD billing cycle and then goes to a low of £51 a month until the end of our contract, so, no great concern, that and the fact OFTM are clear you can reclaim anything above 2 months payments, our excess is equal to two months payments - so on this analysis, best to stay the course.

However, as far as OFTM is concerned costs, memberships and standing charges seem to change continually or be imposed - the latest news that OFTM is abolishing the membership fee structure and imposing Standing Charges is the last straw for this user, last straw due to the fact that if anything changes the actual annual cost I'm contracted to pay that makes a mockery of any Fixed term contract, it also represent a Breach of Contract and clear instance of Miss-Selling, again an issue that will Null & Void any Contract you have.

Having run my figures through the Cheap Energy Club tool again i note the cheapest Fixed Term duel energy deal available is offered by Avro and this is £16 a month more than we are presently paying or about £192 a year more, with the companies £100 Exit fees, that constitutes nearly a £300 loss if i switch, which is not acceptable.

So, as of today, 30/12/2018 I'm waiting for an email from OFTM instructing me they are abandoning their membership fee, if this happens its a clear Legal matter, one I'll probably pursue based on advise from Barrister peers.

paters

editor1 wrote: »

Having run my figures through the Cheap Energy Club tool again i note the cheapest Fixed Term duel energy deal available is offered by Avro and this is £16 a month more than we are presently paying or about £192 a year more, with the companies £100 Exit fees, that constitutes nearly a £300 loss if i switch, which is not acceptable.
So, as of today, 30/12/2018 I'm waiting for an email from OFTM instructing me they are abandoning their membership fee, if this happens its a clear Legal matter, one I'll probably pursue based on advise from Barrister peers.

The MSE article says there would be no exit fees if fixed rate customers decided to leave. Also, you would only be paying an extra £192 if you voluntarily switch to Avro. So your actual loss would only be the difference between the membership fee and the new standing charge, which would be a maximum of about £10 per month (compared to the lowest membership fee) until your fixed tariff ends.


So how much extra will you be paying if you stay to the end of your fix? Is the difference worth the hassle of legal fees / court costs?


EDIT: Thinking about it, I doubt you would even have a case for the additional standing charge fees, as now they have removed the exit penalty you are free to change supplier...


Also, that's just what MSE are saying about the standing charge and exit fee. Have OTM said anything about the fixed rate tariffs yet?


EDIT: MSE are now saying OTM aren't increasing the fixed tariff standing charge, so you've nothing to worry about.

Doubleshotdamo

It's ironic that it was MSE that pushed this company!

JamJar

Switch to them from AVRO went through less then 2 weeks ago. Final straw for me was there recent HUGE hike in introducing a standing charge.

Instigated a switch to Octupus last night and already seeing a better outcome. My switch to them will be on 17 Dec. Phew ��

C.C.

How many of you have checked your HeroHub account to see if the figure against your DD details matches the lower, revised figure that you were sent for your winter uplift payment? If it shows the higher amount, then you can bet your bottom dollar that is what will go out of your account!

Mine is still showing the higher figure (due out of my bank account next week), and I think some customers have just discovered that OFTM has just taken the higher amount from them already.

geoffplus

OFTM cancelled my direct debit. I did not ask them to. I contacted them on 29 Nov and they said they would reinstate it.

This morning (04:02) got 3 emails saying new direct debits being set up. I now have 2 direct debits. One has the original reference of the one they cancelled, the other has my Account number as a reference. Both say they will be taking £71.75 on 20 Dec, which is the original figure given on 20 Nov when I joined them, and has supposedly been increased to £101 as explained in many emails.

I can't get through to them, so have emailed for an explanation. Hopefully they are not intending to take money from both direct debits, and hopefully this won't affect the switch away from them I have started.

Not sure things are running smoothly at OFTM at the moment

C.C.

geoffplus wrote: »

OFTM cancelled my direct debit. I did not ask them to. I contacted them on 29 Nov and they said they would reinstate it.

This morning (04:02) got 3 emails saying new direct debits being set up. I now have 2 direct debits. One has the original reference of the one they cancelled, the other has my Account number as a reference. Both say they will be taking £71.75 on 20 Dec, which is the original figure given on 20 Nov when I joined them, and has supposedly been increased to £101 as explained in many emails.

I can't get through to them, so have emailed for an explanation. Hopefully they are not intending to take money from both direct debits, and hopefully this won't affect the switch away from them I have started.
Y
Not sure things are running smoothly at OFTM at the moment

If you haven't already done it, I suggest you cancel one of those DDs yourself, as soon as possible. Otherwise, given their utter incompetence of the last few weeks, I would not be the least bit surprised if they take your money twice. Oh, and keep checking your account between now and the due payment date to make sure they haven't reinstated it.

TheHeatingEngineer

JS2006 wrote: »

I’m in the process of switching supplier ... My question is- if I cancel my direct debit, what will they do? We are over £100 in credit. Just worried they will cut our supply as we have a young baby.

This is a prime example of needing to take heed of all the professional consumer advice that's around these days. But FWIW I suggest the following-:
1) Keep paying because then they don't have cause to cut your supplies. I'm not sure but I expect that the current laws would ensure a protracted disconnection anyway - but best don't go there; and ...
2) You may affect your credit rating if that's important to you. Stopping paying a contract is not to be done without plenty of consideration of the wider affects; and ...
3) If you are switching then surely you will have an estimated switch date which can't be too far away? - so be patient. Just wait until that date and then ask your bank to stop the DD; and ...
4) Take meter readings on the switch date and enter them online, by phone, send a carrier pigeon... or whatever it takes; and ...
5) Calculate the final payment / refund amount. It may take some study to work out how but energy calculations are not rocket science. Your bills show the method. If you struggle then ask. You can even ask your old supplier to send you a detailed calculation.

HTH

PS. Don't worry about baby getting cold, it's dad who has the problem! Mum and baby usually keep each other warm whereas dad is left all on his own...:(