Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

orangesnaps
orangesnaps Posts: 69
Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
Forumite
edited 17 December 2018 at 2:02PM in Energy
MoneySavingExpert.com Insert December 2018:

You might like to read our latest news story:

Outfox the Market customers vent fury over energy bill hikes

Back to the original post...

We switched from Eon to OTM on late May of this year. Our monthly debit is £100.21, we are currently £370+ in credit. Our monthly bill is £50-70 & that's with the meter reading (no estimates). I've just got an email that they are hiking our DD to £140.29 without any way to decline it. I don't agree with it. Once the bill for this month comes which will be about the same usage from last month, we will be in credit for £400+. How much more do they want?

We can't switch without avoiding the exit fee as we are in a fixed tariff with them.
From our experience with Eon, they gave the customer the option to lower the direct debit to a certain point.
«134567133

Comments

  • Merlin139
    Merlin139 Posts: 6,829
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    We can't switch without avoiding the exit fee as we are in a fixed tariff with them.
    From our experience with Eon, they gave customer the option to lower the direct debit to a certain point.

    Copy of a web chat from this morning:

    Me 9:58 AM
    Personally I am not interested why your company has brought this in.
    I did not sign up to this policy and do not want it forced on me.
    If it is going to be forced on me then as your company is changing the T&C's that I signed up to I wish to leave OFTM at no penalty to myself

    Fiona 10:00 AM
    We are not forcing you sir. As this policy will be implemented, you are not forced in switching away from us, without an exit fee

    Me 10:01 AM
    So I can leave without exit fees?

    Fiona 10:03 AM
    Yes you can

    Me 10:04 AM
    Off to another company I will go and thanks for all the fish!

    This came from the Email showing the transcript of the Webchat so its in black and white as far as I am concerned.
    3.795 kWp Solar PV System. Capital of the Wolds

  • I have found myself in the exact same predicament.We currently pay £140 per month and are £123 in credit and they want to increase our DD by £106 per month to £246. In spite of their recent price hike, is unlikely we will go into a negative position with them as our energy usage (whilst high) is pretty stable. I have just had a very heated online chat with them and they are referring me to their credit department. From a family budgeting point of view I would prefer to pay the same amount per month through the year.
    Money Saving Experts, Any advice on how we stand on this would be much appreciated.
  • nswan
    nswan Posts: 14
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    edited 15 November 2018 at 5:02PM
    Had an email almost doubling my direct debit from October 2019to March. Not impressed at all. I have not had any “bill shock” ��
  • I signed up a couple of months ago. Used my actual yearly usage from my yearly British Gas statement and then added a bit to cover myself. SIgned up at £155 a month. Total for the year £1860. Great. Now they want £271.29 a month from October to March and £116.27 a month April to September, totalling £2325.30!! British Gas was cheaper and that's saying something!
  • Thank you for that. I tried to access their web chat but they have switched it off. I will try them again tomorrow. In the meantime, I will look for other providers.
  • Hi, just got an email from Eco 7 energy to say that my DD will be £94 in the summer and £220 from October to March, are they having a laugh. I thought the point of DD was to allow people to budget, otherwise go back to quarterly billing? This can't be right? If I don't get a satisfactory response then I will be leaving regardless as I don't get paid more in the winter than the summer!
  • I wonder if there is something fishy going on here. My supply only began this week. The original direct debit was a flat rate of £75.71 which x 12 = £908.52. They have changed to a higher rate for the 6 winter months, followed by lower charges in the summer months but their calculation gives a 12 month total charge of £1135.65 which is completely out of line with MSE's current estimates for them. I tried phoning but they are engaged and their web chat is turned off.
  • I switched to outfox the market last month - wish I hadn’t now! Was originally paying £125 and they’ve increased it to £211pm. Have just looked at my first bill and noticed they have charged £18.25 membership fee when I was told it would be £13.99. I don’t recall receiving an email with this price hike?
  • nswan wrote: »
    Had an email almost doubling my direct debit from October 2019to March. Not impressed at all. I have not had any “bill shock” ��

    well, they are certainly giving us quite the shock with this change.
  • Tiff0807 wrote: »
    I switched to outfox the market last month - wish I hadn’t now! Was originally paying £125 and they’ve increased it to £211pm. Have just looked at my first bill and noticed they have charged £18.25 membership fee when I was told it would be £13.99. I don’t recall receiving an email with this price hike?

    I think it's in their t&c's where they can change it if they think it won't match your usage. I wish we never went with them. This is so frustrating and annoying, not what people would like to deal with in the run up to Christmas/holidays.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards