Changes To StayWarm

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi JanCee

Is it possible for you to call us with your mum present?

If so, all it needs is a quick word with your mum authorising you to act on her behalf. We can then note the account with her consent for you to act for her.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi apowain

That's right, we stopped offering Staywarm to new customers on 27 September 12.

Also, existing customers coming off Staywarm, won't be able to return to the product once they've made the switch.

Before this date, we continued to offer the product to eligible customers.

Malc

emf

Dear Malc,

We may have to start using slightly more gas - because we are now becoming old and frail - and need to keep warm in order to survive a bit longer.

We have been on Staywarm for a very long time - about ten years or so - and in that time the prices have changed in puzzling ways.

One year there was no price increase.
The following year the cost went up by 23%.
The next year there was no price increase.

Our usage was the same for those years - and so we were very surprised - and wondered what was going on - but hadn't time to investigate because of deaths in the family etc.

We would be grateful if you would tell us how exactly the renewal price is calculated.

Is it still based on three usage bands of low, medium, high?
Or is it calculated individually, based on the exact usage last year?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi emf

Staywarm renewals are based on individual circumstances. We do, though, still look at usage in terms of whether you're a standard, medium or high user.

The costs of the energy at the time of renewal are also taken into consideration.

It very much depends on the circumstances at the time of renewal as to the offer made.

Our Staywarm team will be happy to let you know how they've calculated your particular renewal price. There'll also be info on your account about past renewals.

Hope this is of interest emf. Let me know if I can help further as happy to do so.

Malc

Snapelover

My parents have been with Staywarm for a number of years now and are charged for a three bedroomed house. They questioned the third bedroom as it is a box room but were told that because it has a window in it is classed as a bedroom.

Section 326 of The Housing Act 1985 states that if a room is less than 70sq ft it is a box room and not a bedroom.

In their case, it IS a box room so have Staywarm been taking too much money off them, knowingly, for all these years? If so, can my parents claim back the amount that they have been paying for the third bedroom?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi Snapelover

Staywarm was specifically designed for our more vulnerable customers. It allows them to use as much energy as they like for the same agreed monthly amount over a 12 month period.

To help us include our most vulnerable customers, we limited it to those over 60 whose property had no more than 3 bedrooms and no more than 4 occupants. We also excluded properties with things like Jacuzzis and swimming pools.

When setting the monthly amount, the main factors are usage and the cost of the energy at the time.

Although Staywarm customers can use as much energy as they like for the same price, usage is still important. We keep a record of this and look at the usage in terms of standard, medium and high. These bands help us determine the offers made.

Where we don't have details of usage then we may use other things like property type and size to help determine the monthly amount.

As your parents have been on Staywarm for a number of years, I suspect their charges have been based on past usage and the cost of the energy rather than the number of bedrooms.

The number of bedrooms is more of a qualifying factor in determining whether or not we offer the product rather than in setting the actual cost.

Hope this helps explain how we set payment levels on Staywarm. Let me know if you need any more info as happy to help.

Malc

Snapelover

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

To help us include our most vulnerable customers, we limited it to those over 60 whose property had no more than 3 bedrooms and no more than 4 occupants. We also excluded properties with things like Jacuzzis and swimming pools.

Why was it such a big deal to decided whether the boxroom was in fact a bedroom or not then if up to three bedrooms are allowed anyway?

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

As your parents have been on Staywarm for a number of years, I suspect their charges have been based on past usage and the cost of the energy rather than the number of bedrooms.

The number of bedrooms is more of a qualifying factor in determining whether or not we offer the product rather than in setting the actual cost.

Why were they asked about how many bedrooms they had then?

Can you tell me how much a couple will pay per month living in a two bedroomed house as opposed to a couple living in a three bedroomed house please.

molley

Perhaps EVERY Energy company should be forced to offer a similar type of scheme instead of just one company but we'll see pigs fly before that happens I suspect .

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Snapelover wrote: »

Why was it such a big deal to decided whether the boxroom was in fact a bedroom or not then if up to three bedrooms are allowed anyway?

Why were they asked about how many bedrooms they had then?

Hi Snapelover

The number of bedrooms is one of the qualifying factors for Staywarm and, at the time, we'll have needed to be sure your parent's house qualified for the scheme.

The main focus in setting the price is usage and the cost of the energy. However, if we didn't have details of the usage when your parents first joined the scheme, we'll have used other things like property type and size. Number of bedrooms would have played a part in this.

This would've only been for the first 12 months though. After this, we would've had ongoing usage details to work with.

Previously, we needed to identify customers using large amounts of energy as this may have compromised the future of the product. Households were judged as high, medium or standard users. To help with this, property type came into play.

This enabled us to identify high users and work with them to help reduce their consumption. This didn't necessarily affect the price charged but would've affected whether or not we continued to offer them Staywarm.

Can you tell me how much a couple will pay per month living in a two bedroomed house as opposed to a couple living in a three bedroomed house please.

Each Staywarm application was judged on an individual basis. Here, usage plays a central part and differs between properties.

For instance, a 2 bedroom property with no insulation, an old boiler and few energy saving devices will probably use a lot more energy than a large 3 bedroom house with a modern heating system, lots of insulation and energy saving devices.

It all depends on the individual circumstances so not possible, I'm afraid, to answer this question with any degree of accuracy.

Hope this gives a bit more insight. Let me know if not clear or if you need more info. Will do my best to help.

Malc

Wolf3

Hi Malc

Or any Eon rep, can you confirm Staywarm is dead, or that its closing for good after the end of this years contract. Friend told me his contract hadn't been renewed this year due to Ofgem's RMR