Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CurlyWhirly]

A few weeks ago I had just signed up to British Gas's Websaver 12 online tariff and then shortly afterwards they announced that their gas was going up by 18% and their electricity was going up by 16%

This put me at a disadvantage and I was resigned to having to pay £60 in exit fees (£30 for gas and £30 for the electricity) but after reading this

Escape lock-ins

SSE customers can escape from variable tariffs that appear to lock them in, if they'd benefit from switching.

Many gas and electricity deals come with an exit fee of up to £100 (though typically around £60) for those who leave before the term of the deal ends.

But where a supplier puts prices up, because that results in a contract change that's detrimental, rules from regulator Ofgem mean many consumers don't need to pay that penalty as long as they inform their power firm they wish to switch before the increase.

SSE confirms you must contact it before the price hike on 14 September if you wish to leave and escape a penalty.

The amnesty does not apply to those on a fixed rate deal because the price of their tariff will not rise, due to the nature of the product.

The same principle applies to British Gas and Scottish Power customers, who must inform their provider by 18 August and 1 August, respectively.

After checking out the Websaver 12 terms and conditions I am pleased to learn that I can leave without penalty !

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/energy/our-tariffs/websaver/terms-and-conditions.html

7 Changes to this contract

7.1 We can change the terms of this contract (including price and payment methods) at any time (unless we have agreed otherwise with you) and we will make these available online at www.britishgas.co.uk. We will let you know in writing if we make a change. If you are not happy with the change, you can end this contract as set out in clause 8.1b.

7.2 If we raise your prices or make a change to this contract that puts you at a significant disadvantage, we will let you know in writing within 65 working days of the change. The price rise or change will not affect you as long as you:

    tell us that you want to end this contract within 20 working days of the day you receive notice from us of the price rise or change; and
    arrange for another supplier to supply your gas and electricity and we receive notice of this from your new supplier within 15 working days of the day you gave us notice that you wanted to end your contract.

7.3 We can change the names or property on your account with your permission, for example if you move house and want us to continue to supply you at your new property or if a new person becomes jointly responsible with you under this contract.
8 Ending this contract

8.1 You can end this contract for gas or electricity (or both) as follows.

    If you are moving house and you do not want us to continue to supply gas or electricity at your new property (as described in clause 7.3) you must give us at least two days' notice before you move. If you do this your contract will end on the date you move out from the property (unless you still own the property and no one else has taken over responsibility for it). If you do not do this, this contract will continue until:
        two working days after you tell us; or
    another owner or occupier receives gas or electricity at the property;

whichever happens first.
In all other circumstances (except where clause 7.2 applies), you can end this contract by giving us at least 28 days' notice, or a notice period that we agree to, as long as by the end of the notice period:

    you have paid us all the money you owe us and have started receiving gas or electricity from another supplier; or
    we cut your gas or electricity off because you no longer need it.

I've highlighted the relevant text in bold and I'm only posting this rather long reply to inform other customers that they can sometimes leave online tariffs if the energy companies hike up the prices even after agreeing to a contract.

Always check out the terms and conditions.

[CurlyWhirly]

I forgot to say that I have decided to not go with any of the 6 major energy companies as it seems like a cartel to me 

I've gone with cooperative energy as at least there are no exit fees so if they put up their energy prices by too much then I am free to leave without penalty !

Their prices are competitive too.

[UncleUB]

I was going to say Mike....its out of the frying pan and into the fire.Its like a closed shop.

We are with EDF at present and there is no plan cheaper(at present) for us than the one we are on,but that can change in an instance.

Another little trick is they all pull is dropping various plans and replacing them with dearer ones thinking consumers don't notice,according to the news yesterday there are 400 various energy plans between all the companies,which is ludicrous 

[CurlyWhirly]

Another little trick is they all pull is dropping various plans and replacing them with dearer ones thinking consumers don't notice,according to the news yesterday there are 400 various energy plans between all the companies,which is ludicrous 

Yes it's done on purpose to make it harder for people to compare tariffs as if it was easy to do this then all customers would ditch the expensive tariffs and move to the cheaper ones hitting profits !

Talking of profits - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14321673

British Gas says it has been selling gas at a loss since April due to the rising cost of gas on the wholesale markets.

The company said that without the August price rises, it would have made a loss in the second half of the year, "wiping out" the £270m profit its residential business made in the first six months of the year.

My heart bleeds 

I don't believe that for a minute as it has been pointed out that although the wholesale costs have risen, they are still around 30% cheaper than they were last year and that means that the recent price hikes will be increasing the energy companies profits even more.

We are with EDF at present and there is no plan cheaper(at present) for us than the one we are on,but that can change in an instance.

I used to be with EDF on their standard tariff but I moved to British Gas to save money on it's online tariff but since joining their have been 2 price hikes (this latest hike is much bigger than the hike around 6 months ago) so it's no longer a competitive tariff.

Isn't it a daft policy that if you are an existing customer then you are not allowed to go on to an online tariff at least this is the case with EDF and so I left them.

This must surely be leading to an exodus of customers !?

[CurlyWhirly]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/28/centrica-british-gas-profits

[jazz]

My present contract (Dual Fuel with Scottish Power) ends on 31 August and I have decided to move to Cooperative Energy too.  Nowhere is "cheap" but I like the idea of a single clear tariff, no exit penalties, and the generally honest approach to business which the Co Op offers.  Certainly can't do any harm for me to give them a try (though I know their prices are likely to go up as well on 1 October as they have only promised to hold their current tariff (no pun intended) until 30 September. 

[exo]

I am also with Scottish Power dual fuel and have just switched to their Online Saver 14.
No price increase in August/September and £83 cheaper that the Coop as viewed on the Coop's price comparison with accurate KW annual figures entered.

Had to phone up to change tariff as no option to change to this tariff online.
Maybe worth checking out.

exo

[AdrianH]

Local to us we have a solid fuel stove/boiler maker supplier .......... they can't keep up with demand for wood burning cookers/boilers etc.

You can get free installation on Solar systems and be paid for the power generated.

Solar hot water systems are also now very efficient, my brother has panels on his cottage in Ireland and even in the winter on cloudy days the water is so hot the boiler is turned off.

I think we need to look at insulation and alternative power sources more closely.

[UncleUB]

Just put our annual usage into the Co-ops checker and it came out £108 a year more for dual fuel than we pay with EDF (online s@ver 8 plan)

[CurlyWhirly]

My present contract (Dual Fuel with Scottish Power) ends on 31 August and I have decided to move to Cooperative Energy too.  Nowhere is "cheap" but I like the idea of a single clear tariff, no exit penalties, and the generally honest approach to business which the Co Op offers.  Certainly can't do any harm for me to give them a try (though I know their prices are likely to go up as well on 1 October as they have only promised to hold their current tariff (no pun intended) until 30 September. 

Yes I too like the idea of easy to understand tariffs rather than the complicated sets of tables that the 'big six' energy companies use to try and confuse you.

No exit fees are a bonus not to mention the fact that we will be getting away from the cartel !

It's a pity that you hadn't have signed up a week earlier as there was an offer of having £50 off your first bill if you signed up before 23rd august.

I was lucky as I made the deadline !

[CurlyWhirly]

I am also with Scottish Power dual fuel and have just switched to their Online Saver 14.
No price increase in August/September and £83 cheaper that the Coop as viewed on the Coop's price comparison with accurate KW annual figures entered.

Are you sure as according to this Scottish Power have put up gas by 19% and electricity by 10% from next month.

[CurlyWhirly]

Just put our annual usage into the Co-ops checker and it came out £108 a year more for dual fuel than we pay with EDF (online s@ver 8 plan)

EDF haven't put up their prices yet !

They are bound to - it's a lottery 

[UncleUB]

All the government keeps saying is there are ways to help reduce your energy bills

Double glazing----------Got it

Cavity insulation----------Got it

Mega thick loft insulation----Got it

Turn appliance stand by buttons off......do it

Turn thermostat down......do it.

Got nearly all A+ minimum appliances

So I have got/done all the requested measures,my energy bills are still extortionate...what next?

[scottiesmum]

       

[roseway]

I'm sure Phil will look very fetching in that.