prepayment meter - gas

What's your postcode? Just the first half will do, eg NW10

And how many kwh do you use each year? Don't worry if you don't know, I can probably work something out from the 90 figure for Dec.

If your tenancy is for longer than 6 months you can change the supplier yourself, if not you should ask the landlord and I can't see why they would object.

As a preliminary check I found you could save if you were with

EquiGas - £70 saving £20 per month - during winter (your usage and savings per month will diminish in summer)

Utility warehouse - £66 saving £24 per month - during winter.

P.S. there's no need to change the meter if you go with equigas because their rates are the same no matter what meter you have.

Although the Utility warehouse offer looks good I don't recommend it because they have very complex price structures (unlike equigas) and I would think when you factor in the yearly usage that equigas will come out on top. For simplicity in tarrifs - understanding your bill - and good prices you can't beat equigas.

Have you recently moved in? Are you sure you're not paying for the "standing charge" period when you were not in the place?

Ok here's the latest,

I checked using your postcode, it made no difference, (conclusion: postcodes don't apply to gas)

I used 90 pounds per month (powergen standard tarrif prepayment meter) for a yearly consumption of 32,500Kwh. Obviously your consumption will reduce in summer but I wanted to look at the maximum

with 32,500 kwh /year prepayment meter:
Powergen std prepayment £90/mth = £1080 year

Cheapest is Utility warehouse but their prices don't include the £10 joining fee :eek: and their prices include a yearlong loyalty bonus which is paid at the end of the year and is reclaimed if you cancel contract within 3 months after the 12 month period so you only get it if you're with them for 15 months :eek: their annual bill would be £793 (+ £10 fee)

Ebico - equigas, the simplest tarrif structure in the country you use less you pay less, use more pay more, use none pay none, no bonus discounts no gimmicks just cheap. Their bill would be £827

The next best would be scottish power £972

Ok lets do the same with the amount of gas kwh equivalent 32,450 kwh
and this time we will search all tarrifs (meaning you change the meter from prepayment).......

In order of the cheapest:
npower sign on line - includes 12 month bonus discount - £810

Atlantic Internet direct - includes a 12 months bonus - £814

Scottish power Lloyds TSB ideal tariff ??? (could be a restricted tariff) has standing charge - £821

Equigas, no gimmicks, no standing charge - £827

I think you can see that even if you change the meter equigas will be the cheapest because you won't neccesarily get the bonus with the first 2 suppliers and you may not qualify for the Lloyds tarriff and in anycase it is only £6 cheaper. And don't forget this is at an unrealsitic 32,450kwh

Now lets assume your gas consumption drops in the summer lets say your annual useage is about 23,000 kwh

Pre payment meter
equigas - £586
Utility Warehouse - £590 you see what I meant now they're not great
Scottish power - £701
Powergen (curerent supplier) - £787

So Equigas is the best on prepayment.

Changing the meter with 23,000kwh will give

equigas - £586
Atlantic (remember includes annual bonus) - £588
npower (price inc annual bonus) - £594

You can see at the more realistic usage of 23,000kwh equigas is the cheapest even if you change the meter.

CONCLUSION
Change to Equigas

You might also want to check your electricity and investigate the cheapest electric suppliers (electricity only) then check for dual fuel tarrifs. And compare.

Now then £90 per month is a lot, double check you're not paying off someone elses previous debt on the meter. (this could be a long built up standing charge). I consider my gas use to be a lot in winter, I have gas fire on a lot. and I just worked out my December useage was 2223 kwh which is £57 (Equigas) approx £80 on your powergen tarrif.

I don't have a boiler so it is entirely possible that you do use that much gas - because I nearly do. What about your hot water? you could stop that from heating up all day and only heat it when you need it.

Anyways that's enough from me. Happy new year, and change to Ebico (equigas)

*************************************
Edit addition (Jan 1st), I just checked nn1 for electricity prepayment only @ 2000 kwh per year (what I use) and the cheapest/best is equipower, also @ 3000kwh & 4000kwh and 5000kwh

I then checked for non prepayment 2000, 3000, 4000, & 5000 - all of them were best with equipower except 5000.

I then checked dual fuel tarriff 23,000 gas 2000, 3,000, 4000 & 5000 elec
both with and without prepayment, the best supplier IMO was equi power & gas.

Sometimes npower managed to beat euipower by £20 - £40 (over a whole year)but when you realise that npower monthly DD prices include a discount which is not paid if you are not with them for a whole year. It soon becomes clear that by far the most honest decent and consistently cheap supplier is EBICO - equipower and gas.

I suggest you change both gas and elec to EBICO ASAP. and join the revolution.

Ebico does not do cashbacks and they don't do deals with switch sites.

You have to do it through their own website where they will give you instructions.
http://www.ebico.co.uk/

You might want to check for yourself about cashback offers and quidco offers.
On Uswitch you will only see Ebico if you select "include social tarrifs".
Be careful about thinking someone else is cheaper, always read the tariff information and double check what the price quoted includes, such as discounts that are only payable after 12 months or 15 months or discounts which get reclaimed if you leave within 12 - 15 months. Ebico has none of this what you see is what you get with Ebico.

I recommend https://www.energyhelpline.com as your price comparator. Because you should look at your (albeit estimated) annual useage for gas and electric (electric stays pretty constant throughout the year for gas users) before you make a descision.