[rogerxp]

I’ve been with British Gas for years (for both gas & electricity) and have just finished paying them back a large underpayment due to an oversight at their end which leaves me free to move around. Also, my discounted plan (click energy 3) expires at the end of this month, so seems stupid not to shop around.

The best around, using Money Supermarket, is npower (3 stars for service), then edf energy (3 stars), Sainsburys (3 stars) then e-on (5 stars).

Just wondering who you’re with (I appreciate where you live probably makes a difference). I’m most anxious about -:
a) what happens in year two (i.e. when the headline rate to draw you in is changed) switch again I suppose
b) the upheaval of switching
c) is it worth paying a bit extra to use e-on because of their 5 stars

Any advice or comments welcomed...


edit 1 - I've just been given, by a friend, two non-commission taking comparision sites who may give different results - theenergyshop.com and moneysavingexpert.com - apparently they use M&S purely because they get food vouchers!!!

edit 2 - Strangely theenergyshop.com is more expensive than moneysupermarket

[mistry]

I'm with Scottish power but that's only because they were cheapest a couple of years ago, and have locked my prices. have a look at uswitch.com. It really is very easy to switch suppliers, not difficult at all, the company winning your business take care of it all.

[creepy coupe]

Just watch some of the providers on price comparison sites, some get to the top by showing the lowest unit cost, but have a monthly standing charge.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Just watch some of the providers on price comparison sites, some get to the top by showing the lowest unit cost, but have a monthly standing charge.

That's the sort of thing that puts me off. I've heard loads of people moaning about the second year the prices soar but I suppose you just keep switching. They make it all so complicated it's virtually impossible to compare. It's a bit of a stab in the dark.

It's not as if you feel that loyalty to a certain company over a few years is rewarded in any way

[M3-FAST]

I switched to Eon and a few months ago they lowered my dual-fuel bill by £15 a month, and I am still currently £42 in credit. I did a comparison at the start of this year and they were still virtually the best price for my useage.

The swap-over went seamlessly and I got 2500 Tesco points when I swapped over (or was it 25,000? - whatever £25 equates to in points anyway, lol) as the guy that nabbed me was in Tesco at the time.

I swapped due to very poor customer service by Scotish Power who had supplied the house with gas and leccy from new but on 2 seperate accounts. When I moved in a few years ago I rang to ask why I had no dual-fuel discount. They promised to sort it and it would show on the next 1/4 bill. After ringing every 1/4 as the discount never occured, I got fed up and switched.

[creepy coupe]

I switched to Scottish Power in my previous house, never again, the changeover was a right PITA.

I’ve just come off a three year fixed rate with Brit Gas, I think I’m in for a right royal pants down, bend over, come the next bill.

[E902717]

I haven't got dual fuel but I've just changed to Scottish power for the leccy and they have been brilliant plus they were the cheapest on uswitch by a mile!

[Oli]

Utility warehouse for me. Cheapest by far. Been with them years

[mistry]

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...e-made-clearer

[peterg1965]

Use U-Switch. I changed last year to e-on and got a free case of wine by going through a u-switch link from moneysavingexpert.com. I think that offer is still going.

[jwbmw]

Else it is as boring as I fear!

[chris330D]

I work for a utility company so I am biased. Most comparison sites taka a fee to pass on your details but I think it is flat for all providers. The devil is in the detail you supply as depending on the deal you may be better off with a low standing charge and higher per unit charge or the opposite. Also most suppliers charge a higher rate for your first x units then a lower rate. It is best to get hold of your old bills and work out what your demand was over a good period e.g. 12 months and then plug this in rather than let the website approximate. Hope this helps.

[zltm089]

check out uswitch....

i'm with scottish power/.....

[zltm089]

i'm paying by direct debit....around £40 a month, and everytime, i get a "final" bill of £100-150 to settle....and i live in a small studio!!!...but got only electric...no gas...

[beemerbird]

Were with Lloyds TSB would you believe for duel fuel then they passed across to Scottish Power who have been ok to be fair. They try the old chestnut of we're increasing your monthly direct debit fee as you've used more gas, this is after the winter quarter. So phone call later informing them that no, you're not doing that and making interest on the money that you WILL gain as summer gas usage will obviously be less, they agree. I just pay any additional charges above and beyond the projected usage to keep things level.

Now do it all on-line and they gave a good discount for doing so. Just make sure you have old statements to hand.

Can't comment on the change over from Lloyds to Scottish Power as it was all done in-house by them as it were.

Chris330d - Good info btw.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by chris330D

I work for a utility company so I am biased. Most comparison sites taka a fee to pass on your details but I think it is flat for all providers. The devil is in the detail you supply as depending on the deal you may be better off with a low standing charge and higher per unit charge or the opposite. Also most suppliers charge a higher rate for your first x units then a lower rate. It is best to get hold of your old bills and work out what your demand was over a good period e.g. 12 months and then plug this in rather than let the website approximate. Hope this helps.

Thanks Chris (and others for all their comments). It's looking like quite a spread of providers being used and I'm sure we've all got our good and bad stories. I've got 2 years worth of bills, the last year being more accurate (due to the underpayment cock-up), which I've used to try to get the comparisons as close as possible. Will probably have another look at this tomorrow when I'll have a little more time.

[rogerxp]

A quick update (if anyone is interested ), not had chance to do anything since I last posted but this evening there was a knock at the door and a friendly young chap with an npower badge greeted me - what timing (funny how it happens like that).

So, all signed up to npower now.

Based on average useage for a house of my size (my bills are in my office & I only had a note of the cost of my useage as opposed to the Kwh readings on my laptop) my annual gas bill should be reduced from £980 to £660 and electricity from £685 to £350. So an annual saving of £655. Plus, if I stay with npower for a second year I get a £100 credit onto my account. So, potentially saving £755 Oh, and the rates are capped for the next two years (not really looked into that bit yet i.e. exactly what it means).

As I said, that's based on npower's average readings so only time will tell how accurate they are. That said, as my reduced plan with British Gas ends at the end of this month my bills are about to shoot up anyway.

Fingers crossed the change-over, which takes around 12 weeks to complete, will go smoothly and the bill are in fact reduced by a decent enough margin - suck it and see as they say.

[chris330D]

Please check your figures ASAP. There have been a lot of issues with doorstep agents promising massive savings. They tend to be commission only, though to be fair I don't know the deal with nPower staff. Don't want to alarm you but make sure those numbers stack up. nPower are currently at the top end of the best buys so you should have a good deal. Rule of thumb, I would not buy anything from a doorstep seller.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by chris330D

Please check your figures ASAP. There have been a lot of issues with doorstep agents promising massive savings. They tend to be commission only, though to be fair I don't know the deal with nPower staff. Don't want to alarm you but make sure those numbers stack up. nPower are currently at the top end of the best buys so you should have a good deal. Rule of thumb, I would not buy anything from a doorstep seller.

No worries, I appreciate the warning. I wouldn't ordinarily deal with someone door to door but I'd already done 'some' research and knew npower were cheaper. The figures he showed me seemed to also confirm this. Using his 'average' tables it blew my current pricing out of the water so assuming these tables are generous to say the least (& my bills are about to rise also) there should still be enough of a saving to keep me happy. I'm not bothered so much about reducing my bills but if I can stop them increasing that'd be OK.

I will check though . I have 14 days to change my mind.