Reply to: Switching Gas/Electric.....

[clearedforlanding]

Ecotricity are very highly rated, with good reason.

Their electricity is generated by their own windfarms, private consumer turbines with community stuff thrown into the mix too. They're also reducing their gas prices by 7% early April and are always very knowledegable on the phone.

Having been with the usual crap suppliers for years they have been very good for myself and also my friends, who recommended them to me in the first place.

Don't bother with 'Good Energy' - they don't invest any money in electricity-generating infrastructure and appear to use clever marketing to fool people into thinking they are actually, well, good!

Just avoid Scottish Power, their parent company Iberdrola lobbied government to tax solar power out of existence for residential homes. We had to cover them up, here in the sunniest country in Europe. Guess who Iberdrola's biggest shareholder is? Qatar Investment Holding of course. No vested interest whatsoever.

[dundeedude]

Ecotricity are very highly rated, with good reason.

Their electricity is generated by their own windfarms, private consumer turbines with community stuff thrown into the mix too. They're also reducing their gas prices by 7% early April and are always very knowledegable on the phone.

Having been with the usual crap suppliers for years they have been very good for myself and also my friends, who recommended them to me in the first place.

Don't bother with 'Good Energy' - they don't invest any money in electricity-generating infrastructure and appear to use clever marketing to fool people into thinking they are actually, well, good!

[Antman]

Do we want smart meters? I was up for it, but Mr ms is suspicious/paranoid.

I wouldn't bother with Smart meters until about 2018 or so by then most of the suppliers will be installing SMET2 meters which will allow you to change supplier without reverting to dumb meters (i.e. back to square one with submitting readings).

[Smartie]

I used to be a dom. But I switched....

Then you would need a sub... Oh wait.

[vetran]

It's all the same gas and electricity; how can one be cheaper than the other? It can only be because they've cut back on customer service, or are running a loss leader and are planning to jack up their prices later.

Same reason Insurance charges go up when you renew. Its a con.

Change once a year and save a fortune.

[Lightwave]

.....
It's all the same gas and electricity; how can one be cheaper than the other? It can only be because they've cut back on customer service, or are running a loss leader and are planning to jack up their prices later.

They can waste less on IT that doesn't work and being hopelessly inept.
If they have good customer service, you don't need much of it. When things go right, you never need to speak to them.
On the other hand when they are truly hopeless you get to spend a lot of your time and their time sorting things out.
Scottish Power had something like half a million complaints in a year. That must cost them a fortune.
I'd say avoid them, but actually they worked out quite cheap in the end as they paid me to go away.

[Lightwave]

New abode is with GB Energy, who came out cheaper than anyone else, whichever guess of kWh usage I put into my spreadsheet.
Most of the switching sites no longer list them, as they don't give out backhanders to the switching sites.

[VectraMan]

CBA'd. I did it once and then discovered I was somehow going to be paying more than I was before, so exercised the get out and cancelled the switch. Which they lost, switched me anyway, and it took a few angry phone calls to get back again. A load of stress and hassle for no gain.

It's all the same gas and electricity; how can one be cheaper than the other? It can only be because they've cut back on customer service, or are running a loss leader and are planning to jack up their prices later.

[NibblyPig]

And you haven't taken advantage of all the government grants available to solve this?

No cavity walls on my house (despite it being a 1950s build)

My house roof is shaped like this |\/| instead of /\ so I have 2 lofts, health & safety says they are not high enough at the tallest point for the installer to give me free insulation

[clearedforlanding]

My house insulation is non-existent so my annual usage is 50% higher than the national average.

And you haven't taken advantage of all the government grants available to solve this?

[clearedforlanding]

The ETSI OSGP security issues with smart meters is of concern, this has led to utilities rolling out their own propriety & closed source solutions over the IP stack. Closed source = As Suellen said, change in meters, and from my perspective security issues.

[NibblyPig]

I used MSE a couple of weeks ago to switch, I was some kind of horrific tarriff on my old provider, looked cheaper, but feck knows.

My house insulation is non-existent so my annual usage is 50% higher than the national average.

[SimonMac]

Do we want smart meters? I was up for it, but Mr ms is suspicious/paranoid.

You don't pay more overall, as the rate per unit is the same, but it means the utility companies get the money quicker, rather than waiting until the end of 12 months to see that you have under paid buy £500, also saves them money having to send people out to verify meter readings etc.

[mudskipper]

Cheers peeps - I'll stick with First then, they're gonna stick some smart meters on too, saves me faffing about every 28th of the month so I can monitor it....

Do we want smart meters? I was up for it, but Mr ms is suspicious/paranoid.

[SueEllen]

Before you switch, have you checked moneysavingexpert.com ?


They do energy switch stuff and might get the same supply for less.

They give you cash back when you switch.