HELP! Need new gas account, which way do I do it?

Shoesize · 5 May 2015 at 12:08PM

Ok, so I have a new cooker with a gas HOB only (oven is electric) in a property that used to use gas but has had the meter removed and pipes sealed, but as I say, the infrastructure is still there, so British Gas have told me it would be free to reconnect me (which would involve connecting a new meter, etc.).

The important question is this: is there any advantage (cashback?) / disadvantage (no gas meter installations by smaller provider maybe? BrGas penalties? Even though BG say they don't tie you into a contract and there are no penalties!) to getting British Gas to connect me and THEN switching to a cheaper provider of my choice? Or should I just start off with that provider, whomever it may be?

And just who should that provider be, bearing in mind the small gas amount that I will be using (I don't know how much it will be in kWh, but I assume it will be fairly small, even with a fair bit of daily cooking) - and what are other people's monthly gas usage in a similar position to mine? (Gas hobs only, not heating, no other uses for the gas).

Any help on this would be much appreciated and even more so if it's delivered quickly (because I need to set up that appointment to connect the gas asap)!

Oh, and and the cooker (Smeg brand) can apparently be adapted for LPG - is this a more cost effcient way to go?

macman · 5 May 2015 at 3:14PM

LPG is one of the most expensive forms of energy around, so pointless if you have mains gas. Mains gas will be about one third of the cost of electricity. However, cooking is a relatively small part of your annual energy bill (heating and hot water will account for the bulk).
Whoever connects you, the tariff will determine if you can switch away without early termination penalties: Standard Tariff has none.
BG do not have an kind of monopoly on installations.

Shoesize · 5 May 2015 at 4:06PM

So I guess I should be looking for the provider with the lowest daily standing charge then?

Tabby_cat · 10 May 2015 at 7:39PM

Have a look at Ebico. They have a slightly higher "per unit" cost for gas, but Zero Standing charge. We also only use gas for cooking, oven and hob. Our BG bill was about £22 per month, most of it standing charge. Moved to Ebico. The first year we had to pay their minimum which was £10 per month. Now, all we pay is £1 per month, mainly due to being in credit, but, even after the credit has been used up, we'll be paying about £6-7 per month. Not sure if they do "connections" but definitely worth investigating.

macman · 11 May 2015 at 9:05AM

Shoesize wrote: »

So I guess I should be looking for the provider with the lowest daily standing charge then?

No, just use any comp site with your estimated annual kWh usage and postcode, and that will tell you the cheapest tariff in seconds.

Shoesize · 14 May 2015 at 1:06PM

macman wrote: »

No, just use any comp site with your estimated annual kWh usage and postcode, and that will tell you the cheapest tariff in seconds.

But that's what I was saying in my original post, macman: I have NO IDEA what my kWh cost will be, as I've never had gas, so I don't know what the average annual Wh consumption would be for someone who only uses gas for their hob! That was one of the points I was trying to get an answer to: what do other people use up (per month, per year, whatever people can give me!) when they use gas ONLY for a hob (no oven, as mine is electric).
Still, it does seem to me it would be very little, which is why I was thinking lowest standing charge would be the best way to go, I didn't realise zero standing charge accounts even existed, thanks, Tabby Cat.

kimla10 · 14 May 2015 at 1:18PM

I'm with Scottish Power who have been great until recently with a high tariff so looking at Ebico. As above they do have a high p/kWh for both gas & elec. Anyone try them? i am away from home 12 hours a day 4 days a week so i am trying to find a fair company. i am sick of throwing money at elec when i am never there, makes no flippin sense! thanks all

macman · 14 May 2015 at 1:35PM

Try a comp site check based on 2,000 kWh pa.

HELP! Need new gas account, which way do I do it?

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