Outfox The Market Direct Debit changes

I’m so confused by OTM, the direct debit change email stated the change (hike) would be in effect from the next direct debit, they said ‘we are giving you ten working days notice of a change blah, blah - I pay on the last working day of every month and can see my direct debit to them pending on internet banking for tomorrow...

At the old amount, not the new hiked amount.

Do I assume December’s payment will rise then but they made an error in not changing the DD now? It’s annoying me, it’s not a huge difference - £30 odd a month - but I’ve spent a fair bit of time re-doing my budget to try and factor in that jump and now I don’t know what on Earth is going on.

RS2OOO wrote: »

Definitely had enough now, even British Gas will be cheaper for me from January... Never thought I'd say that!

One question, people have posted copies of this latest email and I notice the new rates are different for everyone. I assume its down to what tariff you are on, but possibly worth checking....

I'm on Zapp medium user, my new rates from January are:

Electric: £0.1324/kWh
Gas: £0.0426/kWh

Are other peoples figures the same?
The 2 posts on the previous page show completely different increased figures.

There are 12 regions and they base their price on the region I joined up thinking I would be paying just 9.XXp per kWh but was shocked to find I would be charged 10.4p perkWh. On checking closer they said Peterborough area.

I think my increase would be 13.59p & 4.24p from 12.06p & 3.75p I don't care I'm off on the 14th December 15 days time and it can't come soon enough

The recent spate of comedy emails from OTC is the sound of five-aitch-one-tee hitting the fan. When enough of the aforementioned stuff accumulates on the fan blades, the weight will cause the fan to break up, and the resulting mess will not be a pretty sight.

I think I've mentioned before but will do so again the fact that most comparison websites including MSE tend to use historical data for rates, and certainly never factor in announced but yet to be implemented price rises. This is important, because it means comparison website listings can be (very) misleading. Just because MSE's (or whoever's) comparison says Outfox The Punter is the cheapest doesn't mean OTP will actually be the cheapest when push comes to shove.

The only way to get an accurate best estimate based on all data is to do your own calculations. A bit tedious, but if you can manage a spreadsheet it is not that difficult to set up one to do the necessary. If you are feeling bold, you can even do things like see what happens if supplier X trebles their standing charge/hikes there rates by 10% every quarter - or whatever.

PS the use of the word punter is deliberate and not a dig - those of us who chase better rates from the smaller fish are taking a gamble, and that makes us punters.

Isn't it strange how OFTM have stopped putting a percentage figure on their frequent emails advising a price hike?


I joined on 28th October (and leave three weeks tomorrow!) and have had three emails advising price increases - plus, of course, the direct debit fiasco.



First increase (advised 4 days after joining) around 7.4%
Second increase (advised 13th Nov) seems to have been cancelled by the next one, but was 8.41% electricity and 7.28% gas.
Third (advised yesterday) from 1/1/2019 electricity up 16.04% and gas up 14.82% plus new fee structure increases that element by 13.33%.

The overall increases for me (if I were to still be with them on 1st Jan) would have been 24.55% on electricity, 23.48% on gas and 21.75% on fees/daily charges.

I don't follow the wholesale energy prices, but suppose we have to assume that OFTM are being truthful when they say they just charge users the wholesale cost (I know I am being naive here!), but there is still a 21.75% hike in their other charges with no explanation as to the reason.


RIP OFTM. They cannot be long for this world!