Sir, – Jim O'Sullivan (January 17th) makes a very good point regarding switching energy suppliers to obtain discounts. I would suggest it is an entirely pointless exercise designed to fool us into believing that there is actually a competitive market with each supplier fiercely fighting for market share. Nothing could be further from the truth.
When you switch you are not told, as you should be, that the contract is for one year and that at the end of which you revert to the then full price. The current supplier will make no effort to keep you as customer and will not countenance a renewal of contract on the same terms. If you wish to at least retain the same level of discount, you have no choice but to switch. This of, course, presupposes that you have copped on to the fact that it is a one-year contract in the first place.
It is quite an extraordinary coincidence that just before your contract is due to expire a competitor’s representative suddenly appears on your doorstep offering precisely the same terms that you signed up for a year previously and so the merry-go-round continues.– Yours, etc,
DEREK MacHUGH,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.