Changes To StayWarm

backfoot

My elderly mother (77) has just received her new contract.She has been with StayWarm for many years.

The monthly amounts were:

2007 £57.75
2008 £79.98
2009 £77.44
2010 £77.44

2011 £128.98

A 66% increase.:eek:

Her consumption level of gas has dropped by 5,524 Kwh.p.a.
Her consumption of electricity has risen by 1,673 Kwh.p.a.

She previously used six times more gas KWh than electricity but had tried to economise by watching her telly in one room and heating that room with an electric oil heater and reducing the gas central heating.

Perhaps Eon would throw some light on this .:(

marlynda

I have been with staywarm a long time. When I received my new pricing one it said I might not be on the best tariff for my usage. Rang them am now on their warm assist account, I am on pension credit, which was one of the criteria for going onto this account. But I saw where Malc said warm assist was for heavy users, so am wondering if I have done the right thing? I was considered a moderate user or so I thought! The Staywarm price was about £88 per month, Warm assist £60. I know if I use a lot more this will go up. But can i be assured I have done the right thing? :eek:

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

backfoot wrote: »

My elderly mother (77) has just received her new contract.She has been with StayWarm for many years.

The monthly amounts were:

2007 £57.75
2008 £79.98
2009 £77.44
2010 £77.44

2011 £128.98

A 66% increase.:eek:

Her consumption level of gas has dropped by 5,524 Kwh.p.a.
Her consumption of electricity has risen by 1,673 Kwh.p.a.

She previously used six times more gas KWh than electricity but had tried to economise by watching her telly in one room and heating that room with an electric oil heater and reducing the gas central heating.

Perhaps Eon would throw some light on this .:(

Hi backfoot

I'm sorry to hear your mother's been hit with an increased renewal quote for her Staywarm product.

These quotes are worked out on an individual basis and are tailored around each customer's specific circumstances.

We've a dedicated Staywarm team who calculate these individual monthly payments. They'll also be able to explain how they've arrived at the quoted figure.

I would suggest talking to this team (contact details will be on your mother's docs). They'll be happy to advise how they've calculated the renewal and what factors they've used within the calculations.

Hope this points you in the right direction Backfoot. Give me a shout if you need any more info as happy to help.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

marlynda wrote: »

I have been with staywarm a long time. When I received my new pricing one it said I might not be on the best tariff for my usage. Rang them am now on their warm assist account, I am on pension credit, which was one of the criteria for going onto this account. But I saw where Malc said warm assist was for heavy users, so am wondering if I have done the right thing? I was considered a moderate user or so I thought! The Staywarm price was about £88 per month, Warm assist £60. I know if I use a lot more this will go up. But can i be assured I have done the right thing? :eek:

Hi marlynda

Usage is always important regardless of what tariff you're on.

With Staywarm, customers can use as much energy as they like for the agreed monthly payments throughout the 12 month term of the agreement. However, usage will be a factor when the renewal quote is calculated at the end of the contract.

Warm Assist charges, though, are based on the ongoing usage and billed according to how many kWh have been used.

The Warm Assist tariff is not particularly for heavy users and I'm sorry if I've given you that impression. Basically, as with most of our other tariffs, the more you use the more it will cost.

Hope this makes things a little clearer marlynda. Let me know if you're still unsure or need any more details as will be happy to help.

Malc

marlynda

Thanks Malc for quick reply. have spoken to a helpful lady (Rabena) re taking your boiler service out, and subject to a check on my boiler will be taking the cover out from January. Also was told I could lower my payments on my warm assist account, but have asked to keep them the same.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

No problem at all marlynda; glad to help. Give me a shout if you need any more help/advice.

Malc

backfoot

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi backfoot

I'm sorry to hear your mother's been hit with an increased renewal quote for her Staywarm product.

These quotes are worked out on an individual basis and are tailored around each customer's specific circumstances.

We've a dedicated Staywarm team who calculate these individual monthly payments. They'll also be able to explain how they've arrived at the quoted figure.

I would suggest talking to this team (contact details will be on your mother's docs). They'll be happy to advise how they've calculated the renewal and what factors they've used within the calculations.

Hope this points you in the right direction Backfoot. Give me a shout if you need any more info as happy to help.

Malc

Yes I spoke to the Staywarm team. She breached the parameter on electricity as a low user by a marginal amount while reducing her gas consumption.

No credit is given for the gas reduction. No flexibiilty given even though she is a long term customer with a previous consistent consumption pattern.

She has switched now saving £500, which illustrates the nonsense of the Staywarm increase.

Her contract is to 1/12/11. Switch notified to new Supplier. How does the transition of payments work if the switch does not quite coincide?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi backfoot

If your mother's switch completes after her Staywarm contract ends, she'll be charged a daily rate for each day she remains our customer afterwards. This will be based on the Direct Debit offered for renewal.

Based on the info provided, for every day your mother remains our customer after the contract end date, she'll be charged £4.24 for usage until the switch completes.

This will be weighted proportionately should one fuel transfer on a different date to the other.

Hope this answers your question backfoot. Give me a shout if you need any more details as happy to help.

Malc

backfoot

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi backfoot

If your mother's switch completes after her Staywarm contract ends, she'll be charged a daily rate for each day she remains our customer afterwards. This will be based on the Direct Debit offered for renewal.

Based on the info provided, for every day your mother remains our customer after the contract end date, she'll be charged £4.24 for usage until the switch completes.

This will be weighted proportionately should one fuel transfer on a different date to the other.

Hope this answers your question backfoot. Give me a shout if you need any more details as happy to help.

Malc

Presumably,following the price increase and her notifying of the intention to switch, Eon are bound by the rules governing holding pre increase prices until the switch is completed? (SLC24).

I can't see that there is any difference with Staywarm.

I make it £2.55 per day not the £4.24 per day advised.

Notwithstanding the Regulatory position, I am disappointed but not surprised, that Eon, would as a policy decision, choose to levy the hugely inflated price during this interim switchover period. Is this the way you now treat the most vulnerable in our society?

Susan1942

I have 2 issues with Staywarm I joined the Staywarm when I reached 60. At that time I paid £36.40 per month if my memory is correct.
The price rose until over a very few years until about 4-5 years ago I was asked to pay £80 previous year £62 per month. As we know Staywarm did not tell customers cost of units were or in fact the units used on their billing. I am backtracking here and all the facts may not be absolutely OH now recall I didn't have a computer until 2004
The lady from Staywarm said to me oh this is way too much and yes you should leave and find another provider. This was on a telephone call to S/W
I left Staywarm and went to Atlantic who set my bill for that year at £60 per month.
I stayed with Atlantic until last year when they wanted to put my payments to £100
This time because everything was crystal clear in that I could put in the no of units on Economy 7 and the day rate. Looking at this I called Atlantic and when I said I had to leave they immediately told me of GO Direct 5. I did so and I knew checking out the price per unit the bill would drop. I am able to be with Go Direct as I could manage my account on line. I at this time owed Atlantic £156 I registered with them and they told me that I should pay £80 per month based on the fact that I had this debit. I have now been with Go Direct for 11 months I have continued to pay the £80 per month and I have written off the £156 plus I am overpaid by £187
I live in a 3 bedroom apartment and have 3 large heaters 2 medium and one small one.
This takes me to where I am at. A friend of mine who is between 70-80 She does not disclose her age. She is currently with Staywarm She has 2 bedrooms a lounge and a small kitchen and very small bathroom.She has 1 large heater plus one very small one in her lounge. Medium in her hall and 1 small one in her bathroom. I cannot recall exactly how long she has been with Staywarm maybe 2 years. She I think previously had been with Staywarm but I would need to check her exact details. She was paying £79.40 per month. She is so scared by electricity and had a problem with a previous supplier who sent her a bill of around £2200 After 5 months she was no further forward and kept saying they would call her back. On the Internet I looked for a telephone no and got through to a very helpful individual. I then got the name of the Customer Complaints Manager fired off an email to him Sunday and Tuesday she had a phone call telling her she was on the wrong tariffe and they reduced her bill immediately to bill and she would have been paying paid her an amount Her bill for the year became around £700-800 annually
Because she was so scared of having huge bills again she went back to Staywarm and they set her payment at £79.40 per month. She is now being asked to pay £100.60 per month. This woman is so scared she reads her meter every day!!
When she called Staywarm they told her they could not tell her how much the units were day or night were she simply needed to pay this amount.
I am not very well currently and have not been able to make some enquiries on her behalf. She has given me her bill but it would appear to only have one cost no split between day and night. I have yet to speak to anyone at Staywarm and to examine her bill in detail which she gave me yesterday. I was discharged from Hospital on Friday but I thought I would make a start with this Forum.
I think they told her to go on EON but she is so scared that she is frightened to do anything. Her contract with Staywarm is until the 28th November. When I left Staywarm it was nearing the date for the contract to roll over. Atlantic advised me to go on a standard tariffe with Staywarm which I did and the account the transfer was complete 5 days later.
What advice could you give me as a starting point in taking this forward. I can do a comparison on line BUT staywarm refuse to give her the night/day costs the total used per that year no of units for this/next year
I can also can try to speak to Staywarm on her behalf with her consent.
Can I insist that they do disclose the cost day and night unit rate Is this correct?? I need to make a true comparison ie day units cost per unit night unit rate and then put in the actual no of units used and then compare!
This letter is so disjointed and please excuse me in that currently I am still ill and forgive me for the rambling and backtracking etc. I just want to start the ball rolling. I would appreciate your advice. She is so frightened and I am trying to say we can sort this out!

Many thanks

Sue