Outfox Energy

Brie

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

luci

BubbleResident said:

luci said:

BubbleResident said:

Quite possibly; but when I've signed up for deals like this before, the headline figure (eg, £70 or whatever a month) is what I've ended up paying for the duration of the deal.

How much were you paying with your previous supplier?

I was with Octopus, who had just said they wanted to raise my rate from about £120 to £170 a month. Hence the move.

Octopus didn't say they were raising your "rate". They said they were raising your direct debit. 

You said that Outfox wanted to raise your "rate" (read "direct debit") to £185. You also said Octopus wanted to raise it to £170 and that's why you left them. As both those figures are broadly similar, it seems that your usage is much higher than you used when you got the quote of £70.

Your direct debit is based on your actual usage x your unit rate + SC.

Have you done another comparison with the correct usage for the past 12 months?

luci

BubbleResident said:

tim_p said:

Looks like both Octopus and Outfox had a reasonable idea of your usage. That £250 would be far better spent paying for your actual usage. 

My worry is that Outfox are just going to keep asking for more money.

They will if you keep using more energy than the DD covers.

TheMilkmansDad

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

Without knowing what hey should actually be paying it's hard to say "Tosh" as they could be correct in asking for it.

We need to know actual usage KwH and the tariff they are on rather than £ as it seems the OP is misunderstanding who the system works.

debitcardmayhem

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

Do you really think that OFTM  could charge 840 for a years usage when Octopus and indeed OTFM think north of £150/mth is closer to the mark. The OP thinks fixed means fixed all in. She/he needs to work with us and tell us their usage, and do not switch causing 250 exit

luci

Swipe said:

Have you had your final bill from Octopus yet? It should give you an annual estimated usage figure. Use that to work out what you should really be paying as a monthly direct debit monthly based on Outfox's rates and standing charges.

The OP doesn't need to wait for the final bill. Octopus states your estimated cost on every monthly statement and says

Your estimated annual cost

£xxx.xx a year for electricity

£xxx.xx a year for gas

This is an estimate based on your expected

annual energy usage, and your current tariff

rates, charges and discounts, including VAT.

Actual billings will vary depending on your

usage and tariff selection. More information

about your current tariff can be found

overleaf.

@BubbleResident What is "Your estimated annual cost" from your most recent statement from Octopus?

luci

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

The MSE Energy comparison tool will calculate that for you. You don't need to do it manually if that's what you mean.

You can opt to pay a variable DD, which will only bill you for your actual usage that month, rather than spread it over 12 months.

luci

TheMilkmansDad said:

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

Without knowing what hey should actually be paying it's hard to say "Tosh" as they could be correct in asking for it.

We need to know actual usage KwH and the tariff they are on rather than £ as it seems the OP is misunderstanding who the system works.

I agree with you.

Swipe

luci said:

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

The MSE Energy comparison tool will calculate that for you. You don't need to do it manually if that's what you mean.

You can opt to pay a variable DD, which will only bill you for your actual usage that month, rather than spread it over 12 months.

Not sure variable DD is the best solution in this instance if the OP is failing to grasp how their usage affects their bills

luci

Swipe said:

luci said:

Brie said:

I had to calculate my years expected payment based on last year's use of gas and electric and using this year's rates.  I've had to do this with most suppliers when they suggest a ridiculous increase.  I even had to do it recently with my water bill.  Every time I do this the customer service person (Outfox, Eon, water co, etc) agree that the amount for the DD is too high for the amount I use in a year but usually come out with something like "having it this high will keep your account safe".  Which is tosh as far as I'm concerned.  I can pay for what I use but I won't pay for them to hold my money when it could be in my bank account getting me interest.  

I say challenge them and tell them no you won't pay that much.  

The MSE Energy comparison tool will calculate that for you. You don't need to do it manually if that's what you mean.

You can opt to pay a variable DD, which will only bill you for your actual usage that month, rather than spread it over 12 months.

Not sure variable DD is the best solution in this instance if the OP is failing to grasp how their usage affects their bills

That reply was to @Brie , not the OP