Beware of E4B contract

Waterwalker

Hello Maz,
In December 2006 they gave me £ 0.072 per Kwh with £ 0.17p per day standard charge, this was a good deal so I signed up. (for 12 months).
I gave notice of termination on the 11th November 2007, My renewal date was 3rd Jan 2008 I was £ 1,353.00 in credit as I was paying a DD of £1,200.00 per month and the final reading was not that high. I had planned this as the previous year I was with Electricty Direct, Prior to that Bizz energy. No one likes to loose a DD of this amount and I have had problems every year to change suppliers.
All suppliers like car insurance have a cut rate initial start discount, the best way is to change every year to gain the best price. But the suppliers purposely make it hard work to change. Your new supplier can 'apply' to take over supply but if you are in arreas or have not followed the terms & conditions your old supplier does not release the supply. The tactics these people use are varied, Electricity Direct in the last three months of thier contact just billed me less than £300.00 per month so at the end of contract I would have actually owed around £2,100.00 (in arrear's) but I spotted this and ignored the amount on the bill and paid slightly over my normal average payment, so I was in credit at the final read by a few hundred pounds. They still made it hard work. So last year I paid by DD well over the odds.
E4B have the hardest contract to get out of (7 day window) and all the other suppliers know this. I now have a disconnection notice on me, these people need learning a lesson .. so they can come and disconnect, today I bought a £12k gas powered generator, now lets see how they handle this one.
I found today on this site OFGEM is calling for evidence of bad trading etc, I am sending my file. My advice is stick to the people who are in OFGEM (the big 5) certainly not E4B, they know EXCACTLY what they are doing, they have targeted SME's and smaller consumers as they know we have not got either the time , funds or staff to fight them and rely on threatning disconection to get another higher rate longer contract from us. Spread the word, this is NOT a good supplier.

Maz

Waterwalker wrote: »

Hello Maz,
In December 2006 they gave me £ 0.072 per Kwh with £ 0.17p per day standard charge, this was a good deal so I signed up. (for 12 months).
I gave notice of termination on the 11th November 2007, My renewal date was 3rd Jan 2008 I was £ 1,353.00 in credit as I was paying a DD of £1,200.00 per month and the final reading was not that high. I had planned this as the previous year I was with Electricty Direct, Prior to that Bizz energy. No one likes to loose a DD of this amount and I have had problems every year to change suppliers.
All suppliers like car insurance have a cut rate initial start discount, the best way is to change every year to gain the best price. But the suppliers purposely make it hard work to change. Your new supplier can 'apply' to take over supply but if you are in arreas or have not followed the terms & conditions your old supplier does not release the supply. The tactics these people use are varied, Electricity Direct in the last three months of thier contact just billed me less than £300.00 per month so at the end of contract I would have actually owed around £2,100.00 (in arrear's) but I spotted this and ignored the amount on the bill and paid slightly over my normal average payment, so I was in credit at the final read by a few hundred pounds. They still made it hard work. So last year I paid by DD well over the odds.
E4B have the hardest contract to get out of (7 day window) and all the other suppliers know this. I now have a disconnection notice on me, these people need learning a lesson .. so they can come and disconnect, today I bought a £12k gas powered generator, now lets see how they handle this one.
I found today on this site OFGEM is calling for evidence of bad trading etc, I am sending my file. My advice is stick to the people who are in OFGEM (the big 5) certainly not E4B, they know EXCACTLY what they are doing, they have targeted SME's and smaller consumers as they know we have not got either the time , funds or staff to fight them and rely on threatning disconection to get another higher rate longer contract from us. Spread the word, this is NOT a good supplier.

Oh dear, sounds like you've got a battle on your hands there, good luck with it. Thankfully, the pavilion is run on a voluntary basis, will be a small user and won't be looking at amounts like this if anything goes wrong! My mate just looked at the price and thought he was getting a good deal, I'll make him aware of this, at least then he's forewarned.

One more thing that's a bit of a concern is, are the prices they quote for DD payment only? I know my mate pays all the bills from the pavilion by cheque (and not usually on time either!) Would there be any extra charges for cheque payment do you know?

Sorry I'm bombarding you with questions but you seem to be a bit of an expert!

lordie

Maz wrote: »

Oh dear, sounds like you've got a battle on your hands there, good luck with it. Thankfully, the pavilion is run on a voluntary basis, will be a small user and won't be looking at amounts like this if anything goes wrong! My mate just looked at the price and thought he was getting a good deal, I'll make him aware of this, at least then he's forewarned.

One more thing that's a bit of a concern is, are the prices they quote for DD payment only? I know my mate pays all the bills from the pavilion by cheque (and not usually on time either!) Would there be any extra charges for cheque payment do you know?

Sorry I'm bombarding you with questions but you seem to be a bit of an expert!

Maz, Im in same position as Waterwalker. Tried to transfer from E4B but between my broker Energyadviceline.org, my new supplier Scottish Power and E4b, the transfer got cocked up. Steer clear of E4B, they are nasty people. Go for Scottish Power as I think they are the cheapest. I was quoted 6.98p/unit and 26p/day standing charge.

Waterwalker

Hello Lordie, Maz.
Thanks for getting in contact.
These people are THIEVES by the way they have written thier terms and conditions. There is an ANTI COMPETITION law and they may not know it yet but they can be fined 10% of thier turn-over.
I am compileing a folder with lots of info on and will post it once finished.
Please Keep this thread going as it will warn a lot of other unsuspecting customers.
Anyone else who has problems with E4B ...Join the crusade.
E4B READS THESE THREADS
SO E4B Trade fairly or be prepared to be SHUT DOWN.:p

lordie

Waterwalker wrote: »

Hello Lordie, Maz.
Thanks for getting in contact.
These people are THIEVES by the way they have written thier terms and conditions. There is an ANTI COMPETITION law and they may not know it yet but they can be fined 10% of thier turn-over.
I am compileing a folder with lots of info on and will post it once finished.
Please Keep this thread going as it will warn a lot of other unsuspecting customers.
Anyone else who has problems with E4B ...Join the crusade.
E4B READS THESE THREADS
SO E4B Trade fairly or be prepared to be SHUT DOWN.:p

Forgot to mention when we spoke that when I was threatened by E4B with all sorts of penalty payments and legal action I did decide to reinstate the direct Debit with them on the understanding that they would reimburse me with the overpayment for electricity from the previous year. They told me to expect a repayment within ten days. Surprise, surprise, three weeks later and still no refund.

Waterwalker

So ... thats twice they are out of contract, you have a mandate now to cancel the direct debit.
Try a phone call to a Mr Graham Paul 0800 3160518
that is what Graham did.

lordie

Waterwalker wrote: »

So ... thats twice they are out of contract, you have a mandate now to cancel the direct debit.
Try a phone call to a Mr Graham Paul 0800 3160518
that is what Graham did.

Not quite with you on this one? Who are the 2 Grahams you mention? Why do I have a mandate to cancel the DD ?

Cheers in advance.

gollame

Hi, i have just been reading this thread after typing in google "E4B RIPP OFF"
and found my way here, looks as if i'm not the only one...! no suprise there, Ok to keep it short i sighned up with E4-RIPP-OFF-B a year ago and got them down to .071p a kw and the salesman assured me there would be no significant change so DD set up and payed £115 a month for a year. very happy up until a year later i noticed a £45 DD had come out and £165 a week later, i imediatly phoned them up and asked whats going on, the £45 was what i went over in the year, fair enough but what shocked me and disgusted me was i was now in a new 2 year contract at the new rate 10.5 a kw, they told me i should have recieved a letter, and thow i hadn't and they admited a minority don't i'm tyed in for 2 more years at this rate because it i signed to say so in the first contract and suprise suprise its in the small print...! disgusting and sick to the stomach, i argued my case and theres nothing they can do, rubbish, if i was a new customer i would get it at the .71 rate to get my custom, The contract stinks and from a rise of £45 over the year its now that a month....! I'm seithing and can't believe its happened and will join or help any one who can take these ripp off merchants to the cleaners. Treating people like this will only loose them customers, they must only see the short term and not long term implications cause in 2 years i'm off even if they offer elecricity for free...!
Regards
gollame AKA Calvin

Waterwalker wrote: »

Hello Lordie, Maz.
Thanks for getting in contact.
These people are THIEVES by the way they have written thier terms and conditions. There is an ANTI COMPETITION law and they may not know it yet but they can be fined 10% of thier turn-over.
I am compileing a folder with lots of info on and will post it once finished.
Please Keep this thread going as it will warn a lot of other unsuspecting customers.
Anyone else who has problems with E4B ...Join the crusade.
E4B READS THESE THREADS
SO E4B Trade fairly or be prepared to be SHUT DOWN.:p

lordie

gollame wrote: »

Hi, i have just been reading this thread after typing in google "E4B RIPP OFF"
and found my way here, looks as if i'm not the only one...! no suprise there, Ok to keep it short i sighned up with E4-RIPP-OFF-B a year ago and got them down to .071p a kw and the salesman assured me there would be no significant change so DD set up and payed £115 a month for a year. very happy up until a year later i noticed a £45 DD had come out and £165 a week later, i imediatly phoned them up and asked whats going on, the £45 was what i went over in the year, fair enough but what shocked me and disgusted me was i was now in a new 2 year contract at the new rate 10.5 a kw, they told me i should have recieved a letter, and thow i hadn't and they admited a minority don't i'm tyed in for 2 more years at this rate because it i signed to say so in the first contract and suprise suprise its in the small print...! disgusting and sick to the stomach, i argued my case and theres nothing they can do, rubbish, if i was a new customer i would get it at the .71 rate to get my custom, The contract stinks and from a rise of £45 over the year its now that a month....! I'm seithing and can't believe its happened and will join or help any one who can take these ripp off merchants to the cleaners. Treating people like this will only loose them customers, they must only see the short term and not long term implications cause in 2 years i'm off even if they offer elecricity for free...!
Regards
gollame AKA Calvin

Calvin,
I was in a similar position to you with Npower who said that they had sent a new contract out with their new rates and that I should have received it. I argued that I had not received it and with something as important as a contract renewal they should either have sent by recorded delivery or at least have given me a ring to see if I had received it and was happy to pay the new rates. They kept arguing that they had definately sent it out which may well be true but cannot be proved with any concrete proof such as a signed recorded delivery docket. As we all know, from time to time post does get lost. In the end I refused point blank to agree to be supplied by them at their new rates and after alot of toing and froing they in the end backed down and allowed me to transfer supply to E4B. Talk about out of the frying pan.....
So, to conclude I would contact them and say you want documented proof that they firstly sent the new contract out and secondly and more importantly that you were actually in receipt of them.

lordie

Forgot to mention in earlier posts but this is important for all unfortunate enough to be in dispute with E4B. They will charge you 50p/minute to call their Business Services department on 09074003434. If you get put on hold for half an hour like I was yesterday that equates to £15.00 !!!

You need to use this not-well publicised freephone number...08000272424

They probably make as much out of this scam as they do by ripping customers off with their over priced rollover contracts.