Iberswitch

Hi everyone

Has anyone experience of this company? They were advertised on TKO as guaranteeing to get anyone cheaper electricity than they currently pay for.

If anyone has good/bad stories, please can we hear about it?

Thanks

Irene

Hi Irene

We currently have an agent of Iberswitch working with owners in our community to get them moved over to this company.

I haven't heard that they guarantee that you will pay less for electricity. What I have heard is that for a one off fee of €30 they will check evry month that you are on the cheapest tariff available. If they save you money by swithing you between companies, they take 30% commission & pass the remaining saving on to you.

I am not sure how the payment side of it works & would have a concern that a different supplier would be claiming payments from my bank account. I have had conflicting answers to that question & I am awaiting clarification.

To be honest, I think it is early days yet for any real feedback to be available, although I do know that a number of our owners have chosen to go with Iberswitch, so I will update as soon as I hear anything good or bad about them.

Regards

Noreen

Hi Noreen

I believe that the bills are paid through Iberswitch and they pass it on to the supplier - that´s the info I gleaned from their website.

I´d be very interested in any updates.

Irene

I'd be very careful...

Run a whois check on iberswitch.com... (http://www.networksolutions.com/whois-search/iberswitch.com)

The domain is registered to

Amanda Judson of

A & R  Construction and Landscaping based at the Mazarron Country Club in Murcia.

If you are on a contract of 10KW or less with your current supplier, the price you pay for electricity is fixed by National Government; its highly probable that this is the situation faced by at least 80% of Spanish consumers; it is therefore highly unlikely that you will get a lower quote...

Seems like a good little earner for A & R Construction though....

fb

Thanks. Very interesting. As usual, EOS members are a mine of information.

Irene

I agree with you Foxbat, I have also looked into Iberswitch, who wouldn't with the cost of electricity on the increase.

As you say the price of electric is fixed by the government for 10 kWatt supply and less, so it is very unlikely that these guy's based in Quesada for this area, can get you a cheaper supply.

Iberswitch are using scare tactic advertising on TKO, they couldn't get away with it in the UK

Looking at the T&C's on the web site, they don't state any percentages or any othe reductions they will get for you. The only positive statement is that they will charge you for the privilage to pay your bill for you.

As Foxbat has stated, be very carefull. To pay your bill they will have to use their accounts, when they go bust, the first you will know is when your light go out and you don't have a meter in your meter box because your supplier has taken it away. You will then have all the hassle to get the electric back on and have to pay all the money they should have paid for you.

Dear Posters ...

I am the Authorised Agent for Almeria and would like to clarify a few misconceptions in this thread:

• NFM2862 - We can guarantee that a cheaper rate than the one you are currently on can be obtained from one of the 18 suppliers within Spain.  In respect of the payment side, this question has been raised by one of my clients and the answer to this is that the payments from your bank account are done on a 'rolling basis' which means each month the bank would be informed of which supplier needs to be paid and organise the payment for you.
• IRENE&ALAN - The bills are not paid through Iberswitch with the monies being passed on.  You would still pay the supplier for your electric as you do now, as stated on the website under  'More Faqs'
• FOXBAT - Unfortunately the information and opinion is incorrect.  As of July 2011 the Free Market for Residential Customer comes into effect.  From this date electric will become De-regulated in Spain.  Free Market Prices are already available to those who would like to switch to the free market and are atleast 15% cheaper than those currently being paid.  Also for those customers that do not enter the Free Market the Government are looking to provide an incentive for the move, by increasing the consumo rate by 5% each quarter upto a maximum of 30% so if someone doesnt move before Jan 2013 and their neighbour does then the person who did nothing will be paying a minimum of 30% more for their electric than the person who did move.
• MR KEVIN - Again please be mindful of the deadline for Residential Consumers,  The deadlines for Commercial Consumers was July last year.  We do not use our accounts to pay for clients electric, as the electric is paid from the clients account by direct debit / standing order as clients do now.  it will not be a case of when a light goes out as the contact for the electric is between the client and supplier.  Iberswitch only manage the account so if any problems are encountered there is the additional back up to enable NO downtime occurs.

Should people want further correct information, then please PM me and I will contact you with all the relevant information including the percentages we aim to achieve for our clients.

Hello there, you have raised my interest. After reading your post I have tried googling and looking at Iberdrola website to find a reference to any changes due in 2011. I can find one for 2009. I wonder if you can point me to the government website that discusses this change?

Many thanks in advance

I have read the posts in this thread and also on other forums but have yet to find anyone that is actual receiving their electricity as a result of signing up with Iberswitch, I therefore will relate my experience which may be of help to anyone thinking of signing up.

I was contacted by an Iberswitch rep back in Nov 2010 and after meeting with her I decide to sign up for their service on Nov 15th, having been told that it would take 45 days to switch suppliers and I would save 20% on my electricity bill.  On December 7th they took 30€ + IVA, a one off admin fee, from my bank as agreed.  On Dec 14th they emailed me an authorization form which they said was needed in order for Iberdrola to release me as a customer  - something I would have thought they should have known when signing me up.  So far, one month wasted and 35€ down. I have 'phoned them every month since to find out when i will be switched and have been told variously that Iberdrola are dragging there feet; I will receive a welcome pack shortly; and most recently that Iberdrola will do the final reading of my meter and I will be switched by April 15th.  So far I am still waiting and have been for nearly 5 months, not the 45 days I was told.

On the issue of savings, I received an email from Iberswitch last month outlining various things one of which stated that i could expect to save 5% with my new supplier, not the stated 20%.  This came as a complete shock to me as even today they boast on their website that clients see savings of 20 - 45% off their bill.  At 5% it will take me well over a year just to recover the 35€ admin fee before i see any savings.  Not sure I would have bothered ahd I know that and it begs the question 'Do iberswitch know what they are doing, or are they just another fly-by-night outfit?'

I hope this is of some help to others trying to decide what to do about the rising cost of electricity and if there is anyone out that has actually switched I would be interested to know.

Authorised Iberswitch Agent

Gcarton - you can find information concerning the Free Market / Mercado Libre on the following website:

http://www.consum.cat/recomanacions/llum/index_es.html

I  have also included some information:

Jackiebroon - I cover the Almeria area, however I can clarify the position with regards to the new pricing structure as Iberswitch are continuously looking at ways of saving their clients money:

The new scheme promotes greater savings may providing a ceiling limit on the rate you pay; namely the present TUR = 0.140069 less 5% discount which means the rate you would pay for daytime standard electric is in fact = 0.133065.  Plus you then have the benefit that each time the TUR increases your discount will also decrease by the same percentage i.e. when the increase in April / May goes up 10% then your savings becomes 15%.  Iberswitch have also been advised there will be another increase in July of a possible 4% / 5% which would then make the clients savings 19% / 20%, and with an additional increase in November of approximately 5%.  With all of these increases by the end of the year you would be receiving a minimum of a 25% reduction in your rate and therefore you would only be paying 0.105051 per unit by the end of the year which is very useful in the winter months.

The current 0.140069 less 5% is the maximum rate you would ever pay, very useful in rising price times.

This would then make your total savings 55% +

redjoemw;

your link to consum.cat refers to the free market change of 2009. No mention is made of 2011.

and the additional information you refer to is aimed at consumers using or contracted to 10Kw supplies or greater...

Most residences are on 9.2Kw or less, so why the scare tactics?

redjoemw:

All very interesting, but as foxbat says, not relevant.  Also you have not addressed my question as to whether or not there is anybody out there who has actually been switched by Iberswitch never mind saving money.  The agent that I spoke to stated catergorically that I would make any immediate saving of 20% off the unit price when I switched, NOT sometime in the future.  It all sounds a bit to airy-fairy with one agent saying one thing, you saying another and your MD saying something and nothing.

I will ask once more; has anyone managed to switch and are they making any worthwhile savings?

 Hi

We switched to Iberswitch about a month ago. Our last electric bill is still with Iberswitch and doesn't show any savings as yet. I will keep everyone posted as to any further progress.

 IBERSWITCH....they are a bunch of con artists, check out there website...they say they can get upto 40% off your electric by signing up with them...they took our money, and have done NOTHING!!! since.....it is now 8 months down the line. My arguement is, if they say all what is on there website, and there words "its a easy as  1 2 3"   then why is it after  8 months they still have done nothing!!!

Bloomsy,

Iberswitch have recently told me that I have been switched after waiting six months.  This was after I told them I wanted to cancel, but they said it was to late to cancel as the switch had been made.  I checked with the new company (C.E.S.E.L.) and they confirm that I was now a customer of their's.  However I have received no written confirmation of this and Iberswitch have told me tha that CESEL did send out a letter but it was returned.  I 'phoned CESEL, asked the person who answered if he spoke English and he said 'yes'.  I explained what I wanted and he then said that he didn't understand and asked me to repeat it, which I did.  He then hung up on me without any warning  - very professional!  As regard to the savings they promise you can take that with a pinch of salt.  When I signed up I was told I would save 20% but some months down the line I was told by email that it would be just 5% - hardly worth the trouble.  In fact at that rate, by the time they take their management fee I wont be saving anything and that is not allowing for thier signing up fee.  I also complained to them about the savings claim that they make on their website, which at the time was 20 - 45%, I now see that they have changed that to 10 - 30% - still a gross exaggeration.

The change to CESEL could have been done easily enough via their website  without the need to involve Iberswitch.  All they are doing is taking money under false pretences  and false advertising.  My own opinion for what it is worth is to avoid them like the plague and I intend to end my association with them as soon as pracitable possible.

 We have decided to cancel our contract with Iberswitch as there seems to be nothing but negativity with them. There's enough hassle without inviting it on to you.

 Jackiebroon

Well I have sat on this PC for several hours, and googled anything to do with this company, and it seems they are not what they say they are, as both yourself and I have found out......but what was interesting, I found someone put a link to network solutions, a web domain name site, and an Amanda Judson of A&R construction and landscaping, bought the domain name for Iberswitch on the 3rd of August 2010, and the address is  Mazarron Country Club...everything about this company sounds suspect....I have just rang them, and told them I want to cancel any contract I have with them, as they have not done what they have said they would, she just said email them to cancel...to which I am going to do now!!....I recommended them to a neighbour, and he is going to do the same....well lets face it, you dont come to Spain without being conned by someone...but it is always the british that cons us Brits...said really

Bloomsy

This company have been turning heads with their claims of savings as energy costs rise inexorably, however now I read the last post if the name of the owner of the website is real and they have an address of Mazarron Country Club I can tell you categorically they do not live at Mazarron Country Club having abandoned their house keys top the bank.

My advice.... beware!!

@ Fighter2 you are closer than most. Iberswitch have been tempting people in verbal promises and hints of 10 - 45% savings when in actual fact you'll be lucky if you make a 5% saving with any alternative to Iberdrola!  Aah Greed - makes men do stupid things.

There are no guarantees with iberswitch (as can be seen if you look closely at their website) the only guarantee is that you will pay them an admin fee to start and then a monthly - what savings are left after that ? virtually nothing if at all.

There is a government set rate or TUR/Last resort rate and all this can be found on iberdrola's website BUT talk to a few neighbours compare your bills and you will find that there are many different rates applied to your domestic neighbours by iberdrola with no rhyme or reason. So just because you are with iberdrola does NOT mean that you are on the Govt set rate.

Currently the TUR is 0.142319 -if you are on this then good for you. There are cheaper rates out there and you do not need iberswitch to find them.  Importantly you also do not need to pay any admin fee at all to change to a cheaper provider.

My experience is that electricity transfers take time at least 3 months - this is a newly de-regulated market and Iberdrola have no incentive to get rid of clients quickly so for any company to say they will swap you to the cheapest rate ... err no - i don't think so. The transfer mechanism simply doesn't work that quickly and if it does - please can iberswitch explain EXACTLY how.

For anyone who has signed up to iberswitch - read the small print - you may have just signed over to them the right to change your line rental, calls and internet providers !!   Download their application form from their website and you'll see what I mean.

** EDITED - Against forum rules **

This message was last edited by Lady Grey on 30/11/2011.

I have just cancelled my agreement with Iberswitch after been with them for 8 months.  During that time my electricity charges were 2.75% less than they were with Iberdrola.  After they had taken their 'managment fee' I have actually paid more than I would have done with Iberdrola and that doesn't include their 30€ + IVA initial sign-up fee.  Their reaction to this was to tell me that they would switch me back to Iberdrola.  I emailed them to say that I did not require them to do that and they ignored me.  So after taking 63€ off of me in 8 months they are now trying to make life difficult for me - totally unprofessional.  Upon contacting the actual electricity provider they told me that Iberswitch could not do that without my express permission and have sorted things out with Iberswitch  The company I am with (Compania Escandinava)  is actually cheaper at 0.13841 cents kWh and they have said that their prices are frozen for 24 months, according to Iberswitch, but I can't seem to find this on their website.  As Iberswitch have told me so many lies in the past I remain sceptical of this.

Iberswitch's line seems to be that they will save you mony in the future - more commonly know as 'jam tomorrow'.  One of their news letters earlier this year states projected Iberdrola increases to be 7% for April 2011, 5% for July and 5% for October.  Iberdrola actually had one increase of 1.6% during that period.  Another claim in the same letter was 'we know for sure the cost of electricity will rise over the year at the very least, by 22.5% and probable more , as the increase is benn amortised over a year'  Again, not true.  This is just scare tactics and if you just take a minute to think about these claims you will see them for what they are. So, to sum up; if it looks too good to be true it usually is.  Iberswitch claim to be an intermediary between the customer and the electricity companies and this may be the one claim that is true, so if Iberswitch wish to advertised their services as an intermediary only and people are willing to pay for their sevice on that basis alone, then they should advertise as such and nor make wildly extravagant claims regarding savings.  So come on Iberswitch, no more lies and scare tactics, just the truth and see how much longer you last.  Personally I don't they will last much longer anyway and the sooner they're gone the better.