Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

Pete99

My switch from them completes tomorrow and I'm around £150 in credit so why they've sent an email at 0523 this morning about the increase of my direct debit from £70 to £130 on 28th Dec is a complete mystery, I really don't like the way these companies can access your bank account seemingly with no way to stop them.

Boardyeti

I’m currently trying to get an answer from my bank about cancelling my DD as I am £400 in credit.

shazzablue

I phoned my bank a few weeks ago to cancel my dd,with outfox the market,this was noted,but I was told if its reinstated I could claim it back.just to keep an eye on my account.

fudgly

I joined Outfox 2 months ago and wish I hadn't. I spoke to them via a chat 5 days ago to confirm what my direct debits will be after they informed me of an increase, they confirmed them and then today I got an email stating that my direct debit will be increased by over 50% on what they quoted 5 days ago...is this legal as I have the transcript of the chat?

Pete99

I've sent them an email saying that as my switch completes tomorrow and I'm in credit they don't have my permission to take any more Direct Debits, I've decided not to cancel the DD as I want my credit back ASAP and if they're having to write a cheque to get it to me it just extends the time and aggravation they've caused me, I assume that as I will no longer be a customer on the date they intended to take the money and that if they do take it under the DD guarantee I will be able to get it back from my bank and they will deal with OFTM.

alittleowl

In my ongoing saga with OFtM I have a small victory, but given what's happening to others it's a bit strange. I've still had no reply to my four complaints emails dated 17th to 22nd November, not a peep from them. I started the switching process on 17th and since the 22nd have had no emails telling me my DD is changing again.

My bank (First Direct, who have been brilliant through all this) successfully blocked a third attempt to reinstate the DD (I cancelled it the day I started the switch process on their advice) on 2nd December and emailed me yesterday to warn me that an unauthorised attempt to access my bank account had been made by Foxglove Energy and that they are treating it as attempted fraud and had written to Foxglove to tell them this.

I've been checking my OFtM account daily and the "DD amount", the last of which is due to go 9th December (but not via DD, obviously), which is also the date I'm due to switch, has stayed at the revised-down-from-ridiculous but still 30% up on November figure they seem to have decided on.

This morning I got the difference between my credit and that DD, i.e. £71 paid in to my bank account! Very very strange. I don't know if this is because of FD writing to them or whether they're starting to pay credit back to people who are leaving, or whether someone at OFtM has pressed the wrong button. Fingers crossed for everyone else!

editor1

I'm getting the impression that OFTM wants most of those on Fixed Term Contracts to unilaterally revoke them and walk - I don't mind OFTM revoking said contracts, legally they can do so if compensation is offered and said compensation should match the Exit Fee they charge, namely £100 for duel energy users - if this was offered I must say i'd be off, however, i'm staying the course and will not let them force me out of a Fixed term contract that has been honoured since day one of joining them.

wild666

kapow@outfoxthemarket.co.uk
Above is the email I have for OFTM it has always gone through as up until last month I used to email my meter readings to them.
I leave this shower of 5H1TE on the 14th and don't ever intend to use them again!

P.S.
Today they took a DD out of my account and it wasn't for £109 or £87.50 or even £70 it was for £50

paters

I'm switching supplier in a few days time so I thought I was done with OTM's nonsense, but this morning I got their emails telling me the DD is going up on the 26th. They should have known about the switch for 10 days or more, so there's no reason at all to increase it - just more incompetence.



I haven't previously cancelled my DD but they have also given me a new reference. I guess they've had so many people cancel them, it was easier just to give everyone a new one.

editor1

@paters,

I think the email they have dispatched about your DD increase is an automated one from their CRM system, namely they've failed to update your details correctly, namely you are switching and therefore no longer a customer.

Despite OFTMs draconian T&Cs with regards closing DD accounts, the fact remains what you have done is usual practice, I know it was with First Utility who had no objections to my cancelling of the DD prior to the switch to OFTM, we were in credit and they could invoice for any excess above the credit.

However, OFTM do seem a rule unto themselves and lack nuance when it comes to customer relations, or the application of Contract Law.

Fingers crossed they last until April, at which point they can go to hell in my humble opinion and quite happy to Switch after the winter months have ended.