New tariff warning emails

briansterbrook

Hi, I was sent an email from Scottish Power on 27th October warning me that my tariff ends on 31 Dec, 2020 and I should select a new tariff or I will be switched to the standard variable tariff.  I went online and selected a new tariff and thought it would follow on from the existing tariff when the current tariff ended, but no, they actioned it immediately and I later discovered that they had done the switch straight away and not on 31 Dec. so my bills went up immediately.  They have now agreed to put my tariff back on the original tariff until 31 Dec when the new, dearer tariff, will be actioned.  Is this happening to lots of people?

[Deleted User]

Yes. As you are staying with your present supplier then, by applying for a new tariff, you and your supplier are agreeing to what is termed a mutual variation of contract which is covered by Standard Licence Condition 23. As there is no ‘cooling off’ period, all suppliers will action a tariff change immediately unless you negotiate an agreed change date. Look at it through the other end of the telescope, what you think if your new tariff was, say, a £100 a year cheaper and the supplier insisted no change until the end of your present tariff. There is nothing sinister going on here.

briansterbrook

Thank you Dolor, however, I think they should make it VERY clear that it will be actioned immediately, I bet a lot of people fall for this mistake.

Hasbeen

briansterbrook said:

Thank you Dolor, however, I think they should make it VERY clear that it will be actioned immediately, I bet a lot of people fall for this mistake.

Bet they dont? 
The only time to push the button to change 2 months early would be if it is a cheaper tariff. but that will not happen.

So people change on the last day possible or get better deal with other suppliers.

Did you even try and compare your usage / tariff on any comparison sites?

briansterbrook

Hasbeen, I was responding to an email from them telling me that I need to consider a new tariff because mine would be ending in two months, it would be easy for them to link the email warning to customers to their computer systems not to action tariff changes once that email has been sent out.  I bet a lot of people fall for this.