Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

Alfons

I'm mid-switch - got the bad news just after the cooling off period ended - Currently trying to get switch cancelled as an "erroneous transfer" due to mis-selling. I was going to cancel when I realised it's the same group of Companies behind Fischer Future Heat, and wish I had.

System

Alfons wrote: »

I'm mid-switch - got the bad news just after the cooling off period ended - Currently trying to get switch cancelled as an "erroneous transfer" due to mis-selling. I was going to cancel when I realised it's the same group of Companies behind Fischer Future Heat, and wish I had.

Welcome to the forum. Do you have any firm evidence of mis-selling? I think that you are going to struggle to get the supplier to agree that your switch was an erroneous transfer.

OFTM's terms and conditions state:

We reserve the right to change your contract at any time and will provide the relevant advance notice where applicable according to our licence conditions.
14.2

Please be aware that none of following constitutes a disadvantageous change however this list is not exhaustive and is merely illustrative:

Changing your payment method.

Increasing additional charges.

Moving you automatically onto a variable tariff.

Changing or withdrawing any benefits in accordance with this contract.
Increasing the VAT you pay.

Making changes to the contract if we are required by Ofgem’s rules to make them.

Making any change which we are permitted to and which is within our remit to decide to make.

Tallulahhogbrown

I have only just joined after being quoted £59 per month and am now told it will be £104 for 6 months and £45 for the other 6 months of the year. Do they not understand that the reason people pay monthly is so that there are no spikes in monthly payments.

I have cancelled my direct debit and unless I receive some sort of agreement from them that I can pay one standard monthly fee I will be leaving them.

I'm very new to this forum and I see lots of posts but there doesn't seem to be any answers!!!!!!

MadMat

I'm also affected by this. my direct debit has gone up from £138 to £194. not impressed at all.

and the only reason i'm in Debt is because last time they changed the DD they skipped a months payment!

MadMat

The webchat is offline and no reply to an email sent yesterday. I'm tempted to start a switch and see if they bother to contact me then!

Alfons

Thanks for the welcome. I'm not an expert in consumer law, but I think the information I was given to help me choose, including what the direct debit would be and how calculated trumps the small print. The new calculation both costs more for the next few months, and more over the course of a year since payments go up in winter by far more than they go down in summer.

Megalodon

I'm with Fischer Energy, which appears to operate from the same premises as OTM. My DD is also rising by around £50 per month over winter. Tried calling but "all lines are busy". No reply from emails yet. Previous energy suppliers have not worried about building up a surplus.
Wonder if my bank can refuse the rise if I ask them?

Smartiedriver

Hi everyone.
My concern is that this will become industry practice. A few people have mentioned other companies that have gone to seasonal direct debits. If we switch to another company will we find ourselves in the same position again in a few months time?
Surely we should be given the option to decide whether we want a seasonal DD or a fixed DD.
Do the banks still do standing orders? This would give us control back.

The latest email I’ve had from them says they want to ensure “every customer pays for their actual annual energy consumption”. Surely that’s the point of paying monthly in the first place.

Next they will be charging us for what we use each month, like they do for our phones. But that would mean that they don’t have our large credit surpluses to sit on all through the summer. Hmmm:think:

[Deleted User]

I switched to outfoxthemarket a month or so ago. They have now written to me saying that I have to move over to a new direct debit regime, which entails me increasing my payments to £135 a month from £78 from now until next April, and then dropping it to approx £55 a month for a few months. As a senior citizen on a fixed pension, I can't afford it, so I have written to them complaining. They sent out another email, saying anyone who wished to complain had to submit a photo of their meter readings, and then they would assess the credit. I have since written another complaint saying that my electricity meter is too high up for me to reach and I would need a step ladder and use both hands. I am a bit disabled and am very unstable on my legs. I could submit a meter reading using a torch and writing it down. I am awaiting their reply. I am very worried about this because it seems to me that the company is getting desperate for money, and is not taking into consideration the needs and requirements of its customers. I have asked them for their advice on what I should do...
Jennie Rankine

Frustation

First post so may get lost...
I like others on this thread have also received an email stating an increase of 40% to my DD for winter so I've emailed them back stating that I find this un-exceptable because
1 I was quoted a fixed monthly rate not a variable rate DD (New quotes now 2 separate rates )
2 I am £250+ in credit (built up since May 2018) and want to remain in credit so I don't suffer from 'Winter shock' which is what this is about
3 Energy prices have risen but not by 40% (Price rise notice appears to have been removed from website)
I have requested that I stay on my current rate and not to refund me,
No answer yet but will keep you posted as and when.
If this doesn't work I do (hopefully) have other ammunition to try but will keep them in reserve for the moment