Consumer organisations have lodged an official complaint over several new “saver” tariffs offered by electricty companies in Spain which actually… end up costing you up to 11% more!
FACUA, in it’s latest edition of its consumer mag “Consumerismo“, has warned that several major utility suppliers are offering these discounts, which can only be taken up by subscribing to new services or products. Once the discount period ends, the new services will substantially increase your monthly bill.
The schemes are mainly being offered to consumers on the “TUR”, the Tarifa de último recurso, which is the tariff you are set to by default if you don’t agree on a personalised utility plan.
For example, Endesa is currently offering TUR customers a 15% discount on the término de potencia (power level contracted), but only if you also take out a servicio de asistencia eléctrica plan (electrical service assistance plan). This ends up, discounting the 15% cut and adding the cost of the SAE, costing you 0,6% more on your bill. And since the discount is only for one year (but the SAE continues), the SAE actually doubles in cost and the average user will end up paying 4,7% more (about 4€ a month) than if they hadn’t signed up to the “discount”.
Bewarned!