Is GlowPower trying to Rip-off?

muahahahaha

GlowPower will increase the prices again in August, as they emailed me a few days ago. And now, they are trying to underestimate my reading again, although I submitted the reading every month (and also for this month July/2021).

I had this experience with them in March/2021 when they intended to increase the price in April/2021. They also significantly underestimated my reading. I did not check the re-issued bill for March until April as I believed them. But, it was too late, and I had to pay all actual units that I used in March with increased price in April as they count all of them with increased price.

Now, they are doing the same again for me this month (July/2021) when they are intending to increase their prices in August.

I have contract with them until November 2021 and I can’t wait to leave.

whiterebel

All prices are going up in August. Not much you can do about it.

maurice1

Just moved onto a new tariff with Glowpower 3 weeks ago

25/6/21 Present tariff 0.1373/Kwh €94.29 Standing charge ExVAT

20/7/21 New tariff 0.1829/Kwh 172.28 Standing charge ExVAT

Kwh price increase = 33%

Standing charge increase = 83%

Green Tax increase from May = 28%

No other supplier has gone up that much this year

Therefore you are correct they are ripping people off.

Plan to leave just before rate change. will save money allowing for the €50 fee for 3 weeks

wush06

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117638566#Comment_117638566

Got the same email and might just leave them on principle. Do you know what supplier you will be picking?

swampy353

The CRU (www.cru.ie) is the regulator for the industry from what you are saying Glow under charging before the unit rate increase comes in for the missed units to be charged at a higher rate would strike me as fraudulent. If it was me, I would build up your evidence, screen shot your meter reading submission etc and see if you can find similar evidence for the last increase. The only thing that may be an issue is that you would have to let the overcharge happen before you can make the complaint.

maurice1

@Swampy

I am still on the rate I posted above until 20/8/21. They then sent me the email telling me the new rates. So I don't see it as fraudulent, as the choice is mine to stay or leave. However the €50 fee would seem excessive, but I was aware of it.

@ wush06 This was valid 3 weeks ago, but I will wait until mid August, so all providers have raised their prices, to renew and make up my mind.

It really depends how many units you use per annum. I use 4200Kwh which is what that spreadsheet above is based on Urban24.

I have a smart meter but the smart tariff works out dearer. Even though it was installed 16 months ago I still have to send in a reading!

Are there any suppliers I am missing?

wush06

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117643109#Comment_117643109

Brilliant thanks so much for the info much appreciated yes I will wait till mid August and see what all the prices are.

stronglikebull

Surely if they're changing the price, this ends your contract immediately? They should have outlined this when they told you of the price increase. You agree a contract for 12 months based on a certain price, when they change that price then you are no longer obliged to remain in the contract, and don't have to pay the termination fee.

edit: I see that some providers are saying their contract is based on a variable rate tariff, meaning they can up the price without letting you out of the contract. That's quite sneaky, and not something I'd spotted before. How is the utterly useless regulator allowing that? I guess it won't be long before the broadband and mobile operators are on to that one too.

Having a look around (I'm on GlowPower too) their rates are still marginally better than anyone else? I had a rate of 0.12xx with them which is going up to 0.1829 - a 50% increase. I can't find anyone with a rate better than 0.1829 on bonkers.

Actually - flogas have smoe 200 cashback deal - may be worth a look

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117643109#Comment_117643109

Ah ha! Glad to see it's not just me! I got on the Excel-bandwagon with these price comparisons a while back.

OP, I've had the same problem as you about over/underestimations, but not with Glow Power. Had it with Energia a few years back. Know that you can leave early - you pay a €50 early exit fee only.

I'm currently a Glow Power customer and the prices increase is huge.

I've been shopping around, there are fewer cheap tariffs out there now than before.

I switched to another provider via Bonkers and it noted with an * that the new price increase with them had been accounted for. I emailed Bonkers to confirm this, worrying too much probably, and they said yes it's accounted for. I switched and the last few days got a bunch of documents, with different prices and one said yes you will be paying more than this tariff!

After a few days of browsing and Excel work, I'm going to give Bright Energy a shot. There's so much volatility, and I read on Bonkers that if you have a variable rate tariff, when a price rise happens, you are not given your usual 30 day shopparound. So with Bright, no contract, no break fees. The Kwh unit rate and standing charge are amongst the cheapest in the market atm, then did a price rise in June '21 so I might be safe for a while.

AndrewJRenko

Bonkers and Switcher are both telling me that Flogas is the best dual fuel deal on the market for me at present;

https://www.bonkers.ie/compare-gas-electricity-prices/flogas/YJPCLM/green-team-2020-dual-fuel/

Are Flogas OK for customer service on this stuff? Any reason not to go with them?

All views welcome

maurice1

Electricity charges

Excluding VAT

• 17.02 cent per kWh

@Andrew that seems a little expensive compared to Bord Gais @ €0.1386 / Kwh. that would be about €32+VAT / 1000 Kwh

Really depends how much Elec & Gas you use.

Glowpower whacked up the rate from 22/August/21 so I will leave them if there is a better rate. However my gas with Iberdrola has gone up in line with other suppliers so i will leave it with them.

If you go for dual fuel can you leave the supplier easily eg move electricity supplier, but leave the gas with flogas

If it works out well for you to leave before the end of contract do you have to pay a €50 fine for both utilities or each eg.€100

Darc19

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117645369#Comment_117645369

The clue is in the name "variable" and it is very clearly stated in their terms and conditions.

And if it wasn't allowed, then all customer would not have benefitted from the price reductions last year. (average 6.1% according to seai). Customers also have the option to fix with many suppliers. The choice is theirs to make.

Gas prices on world markets have increased almost 50% in the last 12 months are are currently at 7 year highs - though prices seem to be levelling off a little now and falling back slightly. Most electricity is still generated by Gas

The PSO levy is reducing from October - that will take about €5 off all bills (€30/year)

Here are multi year charts for prices https://www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/key-statistics/prices/

2014 when gas prices were at current levels also saw electricity prices at current prices

maurice1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117638843#Comment_117638843

Did this this morning based on 24 Hour Urban using 4200kWh/annum

@Wush, I think Electric Ireland is cheapest, so I will move tomorrow. If you tell me your annual kWh I can bang it into spreadsheet and let you know.

N.B. Flogas and SSE have new rates in the next couple of weeks shown below, you would want to burn a lot of electricity in the next few weeks to make either of them worth while

really annoys me that Glowpower are offering better rates to new customers yet whacking our rate up so much after only a couple of weeks

Is there anyone I am missing except http://waterpower.ie

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117701440#Comment_117701440

Well, Flogas increase prices again https://www.bonkers.ie/blog/gas-electricity/flogas-to-increase-cost-of-energy-for-third-time-in-2021/. I went with the supplier with lowest standing charge which was El Supersaver at €120/pa. Another option is Bright, which has no exit fee (normally €50)

muahahahaha

So, finally, I switched to another supplier, and Glowpower charged me a final bill for 120 EUR/30 days in comparison with that of last month for 70 EUR. I would expect they would charge me with a high bill but would not expect that high number for the final month when I say goodbye to them with a crazy price.

Darc19

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118239374#Comment_118239374

Most likely under estimated last month and now caught up.

As far as I know it is ESB networks that create estimated readings, but customers can update themselves.

Also one post above says you should be able to move without penalty if there's a price increase. This is not correct unless you are on a "Fixed Rate" contract - very few people take fixed rate as the discounted variable unit rates are usually cheaper.

Btw, in the UK some suppliers are charging 48p per unit and 14 companies have gone bust.

muahahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118241522#Comment_118241522

The bad thing is that Glowpower never did the reading and I had to send them every month and if I forgot, they would estimate a significant high reading. Because I knew that they would do like this so I sent every month for the reading.

Also, in previous months they usually sent me the bill but for this final month with double cost, they would not send me the final bill for me to check the details although I sent them a request for this final bill.