1st April price change hacks

PennineAcute

If you ever move, they (should) ask for a final reading (prepay or credit).  With the increase in prices, you will incur a significant debt which they could ask to be repaid.  Sort of defeats the purpose of prepay meters.

superkoopauk

PennineAcute said:

If you ever move, they (should) ask for a final reading (prepay or credit).  With the increase in prices, you will incur a significant debt which they could ask to be repaid.  Sort of defeats the purpose of prepay meters.

This isn't right.  When you leave for another supplier any credit you have on your trad prepay meter will remain and carry through to the new supplier.  The old supplier won't reconcile to a meter reading on prepay (how would they - you have by definition already paid in advance for the energy you have used to that point)

A moot point though given there are no decent PPM deals around.

MWT

superkoopauk said:

PennineAcute said:

If you ever move, they (should) ask for a final reading (prepay or credit).  With the increase in prices, you will incur a significant debt which they could ask to be repaid.  Sort of defeats the purpose of prepay meters.

This isn't right.  When you leave for another supplier any credit you have on your trad prepay meter will remain and carry through to the new supplier.  The old supplier won't reconcile to a meter reading on prepay (how would they - you have by definition already paid in advance for the energy you have used to that point)

A moot point though given there are no decent PPM deals around.

It isn't that straight forward, you are not purchasing in advance your are putting credit onto the meter.

So if you have a smart prepay meter the prices will go up on schedule and no amount of advance credit is going to be of any help, it will be charged at the prevailing rate at the time it is used.

When you leave they can and do reconcile the meter readings to the amounts you have paid and the amounts recorded as used, as a fraud check.

That said, I can't recall the last time I heard of a supplier taking the time to work the numbers backwards to adjust for the rate change dates being out of sync., but there is a theoretical risk I suppose.

superkoopauk

Everything you say about smart prepay is true.  Although in theory the reconciliation would be unnecessary as they have daily data anyway

MWT said:

That said, I can't recall the last time I heard of a supplier taking the time to work the numbers backwards to adjust for the rate change dates being out of sync., but there is a theoretical risk I suppose.

I just can't see this ever happening - effectively the supplier would have send a closing bill to all PPM customers who leave them.

Anyway if you don't switch then there is no risk IMO.  

MWT

superkoopauk said:

I just can't see this ever happening - effectively the supplier would have send a closing bill to all PPM customers who leave them.

I believe that E.ON do exactly that.

We've had quite few problems reported on here from E.ON customers with incorrect final bills after leaving a PrePay account due mostly to issues with E.ON not correctly recording the start meter reading at the point when they issue the new key to the customer.

Even with those though I do not recall anyone ever mentioning an adjustment for price changes.

[Deleted User]

superkoopauk said:

Dolor said:

Bendo said:

Not entirely sure point 1 makes any sense. You will be charged the April cap, it's a variable tariff and it's varied, they can charge you whatever the current cost of that tariff is. It doesn't suddenly become a fixed tariff for 20 days.

It is also technically wrong. Provided that the old supplier is notified via industry data flows that a switch has been initiated no later than the end of a FIXED contract date plus 20 days, then price protection applies until the transfer of supply goes through. It is worth noting though that some suppliers take no industry action during the 14 day ‘cooling off’ period so there is a risk that any price protection may time out. 

I assure you point 1 is correct as per Ofgem standard licence condition 23.6

23.6 The licensee must treat the increase in the Charges for the Supply of Electricity and/or the Disadvantageous Unilateral Variation as ineffective and neither enforce nor take advantage of it where –

(a) no later than 20 Working Days after (but not including) the date on which the increase in the Charges for the Supply of Electricity and/or Disadvantageous Unilateral Variation has effect, the licensee receives Notice under the Retail Energy Code that another Electricity Supplier will begin to supply the Domestic Customer’s Domestic Premises within a reasonable period of time after the date on which that Notice has been given; and

(b) another Electricity Supplier begins to supply the Domestic Customer’s Domestic Premises within a reasonable period of time after the date on which the Notice referred to in sub-paragraph 23.6(a) is given;or

(c) where: (i) the conditions in sub-paragraphs 23.6(a) and (b) are met; and (ii) the Domestic Customer has paid any Outstanding Charges within 30 Working Days after the Domestic Customer receives Notice that the licensee intends to prevent the Domestic Customer’s Proposed Supplier Transfer; or

(d) where the Domestic Customer enters into a new Domestic Supply Contract with the licensee which comes into effect no later than 20 Working Days after (but not including) the date on which the increase in the Charges for the Supply of Electricity and/or Disadvantageous Unilateral Variation has effect

Please read what I posted. It only applies if the losing supplier is notified by an industry data flow that a switch is in progress within the SLC timescale. Not all suppliers are signed up to 17 day switching.

jbuchanangb

I am quite interested in this topic. My gas is on a fixed deal with SSE at 3.11p/kWh which finishes on 31 March. My electricity is on Next Flex with EON.Next. In another thread EON.Next customers have reported success in arranging to switch from Next Flex to Next Online V10 on 1 April. The Next Online V10 works out about £60pa less than the new price cap for me. I am thinking of asking EON.Next to put me on Next Online V10 from 1 April. Am I right in thinking that if I then ask EON.Next to take on my gas supply, less than 20 days after 1 April, SSE will have to keep me on the existing fixed rates until the switch takes place?

superkoopauk

Dolor- I don't disagree that can happen re the switching timeframes (although I believe that scenario applies to a small minority of suppliers).  Looking here shows that even the worst supplier at switching (Affect energy) switch 89.1% of customers within 15 working days.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/compare-domestic-energy-suppliers-customer-service1/

But you said point 1 was technically wrong and said FIXED in your reply when the protection also applies to switching away from variable tariffs (which is what point 1 was referring to).

superkoopauk

jbuchanangb - correct if you apply to switch your gas to EON within 20 working days then SSE would need to hold you on your current fixed rates from 1st April until the switch is completed.

jbuchanangb

Checked this using chat with SSE as follows:

JB: If I arrange to switch supplier on or before 20 April, will I stay on my current rates until switch date?

SSE Energy: Your current tariff ends on 01/04/2022 from this date the Standard tariff will begin

JB: It was my understanding that OFGEM rules require that if you receive a notification that I am switching supplier, you have to hold me on my existing tariff until the switch takes place. Is that correct?

SSE Energy: No thats not correct

SSE Energy: The tariff cannot be extended unfortunately

Any idea where I can obtain evidence to challenge this?