[JoeSoap]

I have just emailed a complaint to Eon Next regarding this issue and will now follow my own advice to be patient whilst awaiting a response.

[JoeSoap]

Just to keep things in one place I have documented my latest musings on the subject in the link below…
https://community.eonnext.com/threads/5486-Standard-Variable-and-Fixed-Tariff-Information-(October-22)?p=19234&viewfull=1#post19234

… and in the post that immediately follows it.

[JoeSoap]

I have linked my complaint to this thread so will add anything I feel will influence things whether it helps or hinders my case.

I have managed to dig up the post that mentions the reply from Eon Next to a request to cancel a switch to Next Online v20 that was due to start on 30 September. This is a close thing, being just a day before the EPG came into effect. Nevertheless, if the customer was switched out of v20 and on to the Next Flex in force on 30 Sep then the costs for that one day would have been reduced. They would then have been straight on to the new Next Flex rates the next day without all the 17p reduction confusion.

The post in question is 👉 here

The reply was...

''Thanks for getting in touch, I hope you're well.
As per announcement made , the advice given at the moment is to stick with the tariff you're on.
There is no need to switch back to the Standard Variable as your current tariff will be re-priced in line with announced cap.
You will not be charged any additional and the re-price will be back dated to the date you selected your new tariff. We will communicate this with you as soon as this has been done with a new unit price and standing charge.
I hope this information helps. Have a lovely day.''

If the reduction of the v20 rates to Next Flex on 30th September was honoured, then a precedence has been set and if the reduction can be backdated one day then it can be backdated for any amount of time. If it was not honoured, then the above reply from Eon Next was incorrect.

I would like to ask @GSilv83 if they would be kind enough to post here whether everything went as per the assurance in the reply above. Were your rates on 30th September in line with the Next Flex rates in place on that day and are your rates from 1st October at least in line with the current Next Flex rates. Thank you in advance if you are able to help.

If anyone has any comments as to whether I'm reading this right or not then please comment on this thread. Thank you.

[meldrewreborn]

@JoeSoap

The key factor for me is that customers were consistently advised that they didn’t need to exit their recent high price fix price deals because E.On Next would ensure they didn’t lose out.
It appears that customers in that situation are being treated correctly in line with that assurance from 1 October. But not from the point after the EPG announcement (8 September) when their fix rates were above the then current next flex variable rate tariffs, and they could have exited their fix without penalty but we’re actively discouraged from doing so by the companies assurances and advice to do nothing. So while it can be argued that customers chose to stay on those exiting fix contracts, they did so relying on assurances freely given by the company, who were perhaps seeking to avoid thousands of customers contacting customer services.
The current outcome is clearly to the benefit of the company and to the financial disadvantage of the customers. I doubt that an independent review would rule in favour of the company.

[JoeSoap]

@meldrewreborn

Thanks for your response. It gives me hope.

[JoeSoap]

Well, what can I say? I heard the news about the EPG only being good until April whilst I was on holiday. Seems like it's not over yet and we still don't know the winners and losers. It might be too complicated to work out in the end. I'm on the verge of giving up thinking about it 😵

[JoeSoap]

Latest update...

I have had a response to my complaint and they have offered to revert my fixed tariff to Next Flex right back to 6th August, the date I started the fix. This is as much as I could have hoped for.

Now, in light of the latest announcement that the EPG is not guaranteed beyond the end of March, I have to decide what is the best course of action. I have asked for confirmation that the Next Flex rates will be applied at the rate they then were up to the end of September and at the current rates from 1st October onwards.

We have just heard that Rishi Sunak will be prime minister so who knows what will be announced next. My inclination is to accept the offer of reverting to Next Flex from the start of my expensive fix on the grounds that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[retrotecchie]

One in the hand is indeed worth two in the bush, and I'd be inclined to go for the flex. Come April, who knows, but you shouldn't be any worse off than the rest of us on Flex/EPG.

He says, optimistically...

And if you end up paying less and can afford it, tuck the difference away somewhere as a bit of a buffer, just in case everything does go norks northwards.

[JoeSoap]

@retrotecchie

Thanks for that input. I was reluctant to ask for thoughts and advice but was hoping to get some response.

I’ve bought myself a bit of time with my request for some clarification, I just hope my latest email isn’t at the bottom of the pile again.

[meldrewreborn]

@JoeSoap

Well done - you have the desired reply - our arguments were indeed sound. Can you post the rates of your fix so that we can consider them against forecasts of prices from April onwards? One of the frustrations here is not being able to go to fix V!9 and see the prices for each region, standing charge and unit prices, in any way.

It makes offering any sensible comment very difficult. Sorry if you've posted this stuff elsewhere.