Locked into Scottish Power business contract - Is this fair?

caveman

I have recently tried to switch from my Scottish Power business tarrif to Ecotricity. On reading the small print and talking to their customer services it seems I can only terminate my agreement by writing to them 45 days prior to the 30th June and transferring to a new supplier in the 30days prior to the 30th June.
I have failed to do this so am "locked in" until June 2009 again.
This seems very unfair and their customer services were downright arrogant in refusing to negotiate.
Can anyone advise?

Plushchris

Dont think there is much you can do about it, it would have been on the contract you signed, however small the print it would have been down to you to check this sort of thing when signing up. Annoying I know but thats the nature of being in a contract, most business tariffs operate this way as far as I'm aware.

Plushchris

Gary, seriously your experience is far from identical, you were on a capped rate tariff and the OP was on a business tariff.

You got hit by the price rises at the end of your capped rate tariff (a fact of life)

SP suggested that by leaving your credit on the account rather than returning it to you would help cushion the future consumption/prices. (seems fair enough to me, your direct debits may have been too high on the capped rate making you in credit but when you come off the capped rate the prices obviously go up and your direct debits may not cover the rise in prices)

I agree this may not have been explained to you correctly by SP but I really fail to see why you have such a problem with them (and it appears energywatch and Enso dont really see it as a valid complaint either) SP may have restricted your online access while the account was in dispute, however this is hardly hiding any payments you made to them as you would have a history of DD payments from your bank if you needed them.

I dont think a petition will make the slightest difference.