So Energy exit fees dispute

Dina

I recently changed supplier from So Energy and they have charged me exit fees; £95.24 in total. I had been wanting to switch but I waited until I saw a banner on my account saying that it was now time to switch tariffs. I didn't get an email though. I switched but So Energy said it was 4 days before the switching window when you can avoid the fees. I'm disputing this with them.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can strengthen my case or if there's anything else I can do? They've already looked into it once and said that the fees still apply. It's annoying that I didn't get the final bill from them until my new supplier had set up and I was out of the cooling off period with them, otherwise I would have cancelled the switch.

Thanks in advance.

Woodstok2000

What did your contract say about when switching fees would no longer apply? How many days before the end of your contract did you switch?

QrizB

I had been wanting to switch but I waited until I saw a banner on my account saying that it was now time to switch tariffs.

Presumably the banner was So Energy telling you that it was time that you could sign up to a new So Energy tariff, not that it was time for you to change supplier?

They're different windows.

I switched but So Energy said it was 4 days before the switching window when you can avoid the fees. I'm disputing this with them.

Whether it was four days early or not should be easy enough to establish. What do you calculate it to have been?

Dina

The fees do not apply 49 days before the end and I switched 53 days before. I'm sure I saw a message saying that I could switch though, although I can't prove it as it was just a banner on my account. I wouldn't have switched otherwise.

Dina

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061069#Comment_82061069

I thought they were the same thing. I was definitely 4 days out. So, there's nothing I can do? It's very frustrating as I only switched to try to save money!

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061070#Comment_82061070

You can switch at any time, to be fair.

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061088#Comment_82061088

I can't see that you have anything you can do unfortunately.

Your current supplier can decide to let you switch tariffs whenever they want, so unless you have proof that they said you could switch supplier without penalty you seem to be stuck with the exit fee…

Swipe

Always do the 49 day calculation before switching and then delay it by one day for good measure.

Dina

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82061108#Comment_82061108

Thank you. I will have to be more careful in the future.

bristolleedsfan

So Energy seemingly charge exit fees for change of SO Energy tariff as well as change of supplier, if there was a banner on account saying "that it was now time to switch tariffs" misleading, O/P says he/she has no proof.

EssexHebridean

You could make an appeal to them on the basis that the banner mislead you into believing that you were in the switching window, and that you would not have switched had you known that you were not inside that period. they may refund as a goodwill gesture, and you've little to lose by trying.