Beware of E4B contract

lordie

Maz wrote: »

I have to say a great big THANKS to all the people on this thread for bringing this issue up. :T

My friend who signed up for E4B is now fully aware of the tactics they employ. Not that I expect that will make any difference when his contract end date comes though if they are allowed to continue on the same lines.

Anyway, thanks very much everybody, on his behalf. And good luck! Please keep us posted.

Thanks for your kind comments Maz,

I know this thread has ruffled a few feathers but the reason I started it was to try and make sure that other existing, and more importantly potential customers of E4B were aware of the possible implications regarding contract rollover and being locked in at much greater costs for a further 2 years.
Judging from the amount of feedback I have received both via the thread and privately my goal has to a certain degree been achieved. That said I am very disappoined that E4B have not tried to defend themselves in any way. In my eyes that is a clear admission that they themselves realise the implications of their T & C`s and are ready to carry on trapping people into expensive extended contracts.
Hopefully, Energywatch or OFGEM will soon be prepared to act on the hundreds of complaints they have received about E4B rollover contracts. If they do not act, what really is the point of Energywatch?

businessminded

Ok,

let me start by saying that i too have a small business which i have been running for just over 3 years now and i have been supplied electricity by E4B in the past. Furthermore, i have worked for British Gas and Npower in the filed before and i have also worked very temporarily for EDF. These go back abt 5-6 years ago when i did not own a business.

Now, it seems that most of you guys here have had a baad experience with E4B but i must say that when i transferred from E4B to EDF abt 18 months ago, i had no problem whatsoever as EDF applied in due time to not miss the 7 day window. From what i have read so far, you guys should be blaming the supplier you applied to change over to coz though E4B T&C do make it harder for US, should the supplier we apply to change to follow the procedures step by step and in time which they should do if they want our business, then none of you guys should have been paying the high rates.

Having worked for some elctricity suppliers, i know many worse things from different supplier. For example, 2-3 yrsago (don't know if it is still the same) when you sign a FIXED PRICE contract with Npower, there was still a clause in their T&C where it states that if wholesales price of electric was to rise, they reserve the right to increase the prices every year in April/May while you are still on the FIXED PRICE contract. NOW, is that not WORSE.

I might be lucky that i did not get stuck like some of you but i strongly believe you should be making the case against the supplier you applied top switched to. furthermore, from my experience, i do know a way you can get out of the rollover contract and its very efficient but i don't know if i should and can discuss it here openly!!!!!!!!

Ash

businessminded

Ok,

let me start by saying that i too have a small business which i have been running for just over 3 years now and i have been supplied electricity by E4B in the past. Furthermore, i have worked for British Gas and Npower in the filed before and i have also worked very temporarily for EDF. These go back abt 5-6 years ago when i did not own a business.

Now, it seems that most of you guys here have had a baad experience with E4B but i must say that when i transferred from E4B to EDF abt 18 months ago, i had no problem whatsoever as EDF applied in due time to not miss the 7 day window. From what i have read so far, you guys should be blaming the supplier you applied to change over to coz though E4B T&C do make it harder for US, should the supplier we apply to change to follow the procedures step by step and in time which they should do if they want our business, then none of you guys should have been paying the high rates.

Having worked for some elctricity suppliers, i know many worse things from different supplier. For example, 2-3 yrsago (don't know if it is still the same) when you sign a FIXED PRICE contract with Npower, there was still a clause in their T&C where it states that if wholesales price of electric was to rise, they reserve the right to increase the prices every year in April/May while you are still on the FIXED PRICE contract. NOW, is that not WORSE.

I might be lucky that i did not get stuck like some of you but i strongly believe you should be making the case against the supplier you applied top switched to. furthermore, from my experience, i do know a way you can get out of the rollover contract and its very efficient but i don't know if i should and can discuss it here openly!!!!!!!!

Ash

lordie

businessminded wrote: »

Ok,

let me start by saying that i too have a small business which i have been running for just over 3 years now and i have been supplied electricity by E4B in the past. Furthermore, i have worked for British Gas and Npower in the filed before and i have also worked very temporarily for EDF. These go back abt 5-6 years ago when i did not own a business.

Now, it seems that most of you guys here have had a baad experience with E4B but i must say that when i transferred from E4B to EDF abt 18 months ago, i had no problem whatsoever as EDF applied in due time to not miss the 7 day window. From what i have read so far, you guys should be blaming the supplier you applied to change over to coz though E4B T&C do make it harder for US, should the supplier we apply to change to follow the procedures step by step and in time which they should do if they want our business, then none of you guys should have been paying the high rates.

Having worked for some elctricity suppliers, i know many worse things from different supplier. For example, 2-3 yrsago (don't know if it is still the same) when you sign a FIXED PRICE contract with Npower, there was still a clause in their T&C where it states that if wholesales price of electric was to rise, they reserve the right to increase the prices every year in April/May while you are still on the FIXED PRICE contract. NOW, is that not WORSE.

I might be lucky that i did not get stuck like some of you but i strongly believe you should be making the case against the supplier you applied top switched to. furthermore, from my experience, i do know a way you can get out of the rollover contract and its very efficient but i don't know if i should and can discuss it here openly!!!!!!!!

Ash

First of all. As clearly stated in alot of my posts, my beef is not only with E4B, but also Scotish Power for taking so long to transfer the supply, and for not informing me at the earliest possible opportunity that they were not going to be able to do the transfer in time.
The reason we are so agravated about E4B is their inflexability regarding this 7 day window. Miss it and you are stuck paying exorbitant prices for a further 2 years. Every other supplier would just put you on a higher tariff until you arranged your transfer. Many people I have had contact with regarding this have said that they were sent their renewal letter disguised as something looking like a circular, or even worse, were not in receipt of a renewal at all. When they told E4B of this, they answered that they had DEFINATALY been sent out. Myself and many others regard this as delaying tactics with the sole purpose of making their customers miss this critical 7 day deadline.

Lastly, there are literally dozens of E4B customers who feel they have been duped and are tearing their hair out trying to find a way of not having to pay what is in some cases £1000`s more for their electricity. If you think you know of a way that these people can escape from these unfair rollover contracts, then share it with us instead of taunting people with what you think might be a way out. After all, sharing information about ways to save money is what MSE forums is all about isn`t it ?

Waterwalker

I sat in front of the sale's man with two witnesses, stated that I only sign 12 month contracts, he filled in the form for 12 months, I asked is there any problems changing, he replied NO as long as give sufficent notice. He didi not explaid about the VERY IMPORTANT 7 day clause which was pertinant about the contract. This is called MIS-REPRESENTATION it is illegal. E4B is trying to roll this contract over for two years, also against the contract, which takes away MY CHOICE. E4B are trying to DICTATE what you have to pay and whome you have to pay it to. They will not get another penny out of me and it will cost them very dearly.:mad:

businessminded

Hi All,

Anyway, maybe you guys are right that E4B plays around to try and prevent people from changing supplier but i still believe that the suppliers you guys applied to changed to are to be blame more. furthermore, other suppliers puts you on emergency rates till you find another supplier only when you give sufficient notice, your contract has finished and you still have not found a supplier yet,, otherwise, they do the same.

Anyway, am not writing regarding all the above. The only way to get out of any contract is if you do a COT (Change Of Tenancy). Now you could do this in a legal way and some people do it illegally which is why i was not too sure whether to write aboput this or not. Just to confirm, that i mean it all in the LEGAL way wher you would have to do a lease agreement stating that you renting the property to someone (partner, wife, brother,..... etc) which implies that you are no mopre running the business and therfore means that you are no more bound by the current contract and the new owner will have the choice of changing supplier. This method will cost you much cheaper than a sollicitor to fight your case and above all, it saves you the hassle and time to fight where i think in most cases you will still be stuck for 2 yrs with these rollover prices.

If you need more details, i'll be happy to assist or i can even get someone to get in touch with you and sort it out since i still have some contacts with people in the enrgy market having worked for electricity companies myself previously (as mentioned previously)

Ash

lordie

businessminded wrote: »

Hi All,

Anyway, maybe you guys are right that E4B plays around to try and prevent people from changing supplier but i still believe that the suppliers you guys applied to changed to are to be blame more. furthermore, other suppliers puts you on emergency rates till you find another supplier only when you give sufficient notice, your contract has finished and you still have not found a supplier yet,, otherwise, they do the same.

Anyway, am not writing regarding all the above. The only way to get out of any contract is if you do a COT (Change Of Tenancy). Now you could do this in a legal way and some people do it illegally which is why i was not too sure whether to write aboput this or not. Just to confirm, that i mean it all in the LEGAL way wher you would have to do a lease agreement stating that you renting the property to someone (partner, wife, brother,..... etc) which implies that you are no mopre running the business and therfore means that you are no more bound by the current contract and the new owner will have the choice of changing supplier. This method will cost you much cheaper than a sollicitor to fight your case and above all, it saves you the hassle and time to fight where i think in most cases you will still be stuck for 2 yrs with these rollover prices.

If you need more details, i'll be happy to assist or i can even get someone to get in touch with you and sort it out since i still have some contacts with people in the enrgy market having worked for electricity companies myself previously (as mentioned previously)

Ash

I have already enquired about this. In my case sub-letting is not an option due to the terms of my lease. Other E4B customers I have spoken to have told me that although it is possible to do in some cases, the costs of a COT are far higher than the cost of buying themselves out of their E4B contract.
Regarding your point about emergency rates. I do not know of any company whose emergency rates only last for 7 days!!! All the ones I spoke to would allow at least enough time for you to be able to transfer supply to another company, albeit whilst paying at a much higher tariff.

Waterwalker

Hello Lordie,
Bringing you up-to-date on E4B thieves I have not had any more letters from them, only a £ 25.00 bill for not having a live Direct Debit (which would allow them to steal more money ).

They have totally ignored my last letter of resolvement, so I am now going to take it a stage farther and offer 'Mediation' If they have any reason to refuse I think this would be taken in my favor if they / when they start proceedings against me.

I am also replying to your post to keep other SME's aware of E4B unethical practices and in my view illegal terms.

Waterwalker

Hope all you SME's businesses out there are taking note !
Due to the sudden hike in fuel prices E4B sales have just emailed almost every small business in the country with the ploy of CHEAP ELECTRICITY but do not inform you of the web they have caught you in for the next three years.
Do not be tempted by the first lower cost year, as they easily make this up in the next two years by rolling the contract.

they have even started offering the brokers more money as an incentive to push customers their way.

My broker does not touch them with a barge pole now as he knows he gets less custom for the next few years. Many times cheapest is not the best !!

bigcolin

Hello there

with regards to E4B - have you noticed that there is one thing that has been skipped over.

If you look through how another company was run ( Eectricity Direct ) and the way E4B is run.

2 Directors of different companies

Simon Paul MD - Eectricity Direct
Graham Paul Sales and marketing director - E4B

both are only interested in making money and not for the way small companies are run.

In fact Graham Paul has also started and closed down over 10 other companies through lack of customer focus.

This is all available on the internet if your wishing to look.

Simon Paul is also now director of the offshore sales department based in India.