Changing tariff to avoid exit fees then switching provider

linz

Hi,

I've just switched from EDF to Scottish Power as EDF wanted to put up my bills quite significantly. However, I feel like Scottish Power haven't been entirely upfront with some of the things they have said on the phone/in their correspondence and i'm starting to wish i'd switched to someone else to be honest. I was 1 day outside the cooling off period when I tried to challenge them. I'm on a fixed tariff for 1 year with exit fees (£30 x 2).

Has anyone had any experience of changing tariffs to one with the same supplier which is slightly more per month yet has no exit fees, and then, say, a month later switching providers completely or might I get into trouble for doing this?

Apologies for the ignorance, i'd normally suck it up and wait til the fix ends then switch providers but I just thought I'd ask do people do this?

Thanks in advance!

PennineAcute

When I was with EON (8 months into a 12 month tariff , with an exit and then the cheapest of the companies that offered Warm Home Discount) and Utility Point came in with their hard hitting £160 cheaper than EON, I moved my EON tariff to their standard tariff. This had no exit fees and got charged no exit fees when I left. I then reaped the benefits of Utility Point.

Be careful though, some companies charge an exit fee, even if you swap to another of their tariffs.

Robin9

Please don't get hung up with DD's, £'s and £ saving.

What is important is the unit ,( kwh) and standing charge (p/day) and what you actually consume.

What was your actual consumption with Edf (in kwh not £) and what tariff are you on with SP ?

linz

Robin9 wrote: »

Please don't get hung up with DD's, £'s and £ saving.

What is important is the unit ,( kwh) and standing charge (p/day) and what you actually consume.

What was your actual consumption with Edf (in kwh not £) and what tariff are you on with SP ?

Thanks for your replies. Consumption was 1187 kwh (elec) and 4087 kwh (gas) with EDF. I'm now on the Online Exclusive Fixed August 2020 tariff with Scottish Power.

When I called them on 4 Sept to check the cooling off period they said it ended 14 days after the contract started which according to them was 21 August, with 21 August being day 1. I was apparently 1 day too late.

According to my online browsing history I applied with them on 22 August so should have still been in the cooling off period.

More recently I noticed it specifically states on their website that the cooling off period begins 14 days from the day you receive the welcome letter. I received mine on 3 September so I should still be in it even though the switch happened today?

I again queried when my cooling off period was with online chat just now. I was told it ended on 5 September, so I should have still been in date when I called them last week, and if their website is correct, I'l still in it now !

To be honest, it's not about the money as the monthly costs, standing & daily charges are much of a muchness, I'm just not happy with being told different things by different people and feeling like they're treating me like i'm stupid and wanting to fob me off. But I'm guessing the other big companies would probably act the same!?

The guy on online chat has raised a complaint. I don't know if it'll make any difference or they'll just come out with something to justify all the different information they've given me. Is it worth taking it further or just accept they're all the same and just want your money??

PennineAcute

There is a way out of it, if you feel you do not want to give them your custom. Was there something in your mind (ie cheaper elsewhere) when you contacted them to query the cooling off period?

linz

PennineAcute wrote: »

There is a way out of it, if you feel you do not want to give them your custom. Was there something in your mind (ie cheaper elsewhere) when you contacted them to query the cooling off period?

Kind of..

when my welcome letter came it said they would work out to be £24 dearer per year (not much in the grand scheme of things, I was more keen to get away from EDF who were wanting to almost double my monthly payments).

I rang up to query this as the price comparison I had done did not say SP would be more expensive. The guy on the phone was quick to come out with reasons, quickly told me the cooling off period had ended and tbh pretty much baffled me with jargon. He also said once the switch had gone through I should switch to the 'Supersaver September' tariff which I can't even see as an option in my account.

Now having been told different things in online chat, and from what I have found on their website it's just left a bad taste in my mouth with the inconsistencies and i'm starting to think the grass isn't greener. I don't know whether to bother seeing if this complaint has any legs, suck it up and stick with them until i can leave with no fees, or take the hit and switch again to one of the others.

PennineAcute

Well, as I said, you can leave without fees, by moving to a SP tariff that has no standing charge. As said, I did it with EON and am now back with EON, so it did not upset them.

However, bear in mind that DD values do not mean a lot by themselves. Most of the time, an increase or decrease in DD value means they have calculated that you are using more or less energy than your initial estimate.