first time home owner help!

Xaphan · 10 August 2017 at 5:59PM

Hi so just bought a house (first time) with my better half and we're due to move in on the 18th of this month finally moving out of my parents house woo :j
I'm just after a bit of advice about energy companies and who is best to go for and any do's and dont's. I hear duel fuel is generally cheaper (i.e. gas and electric from the same supplier). I'm having a bit of trouble navigating any of the comparison sites because they all seem to assume you are already with an energy supplier which of course I not.
any advise would be much appreciated.

thanks

molerat · 11 August 2017 at 8:19AM

Xaphan wrote: »

Hi so just bought a house (first time) with my better half and we're due to move in on the 18th of this month finally moving out of my parents house woo :j
I'm just after a bit of advice about energy companies and who is best to go for and any do's and dont's. I hear duel fuel is generally cheaper (i.e. gas and electric from the same supplier). dual fuel is not necessarily cheaper, check out separate suppliers. I'm having a bit of trouble navigating any of the comparison sites because they all seem to assume you are already with an energy supplier which of course I not. Yes you are, the current supplier at the property is legally your new supplier until you switch. You need to contact them and give them meter readings from the date you own the property.
any advise would be much appreciated.

thanks

You don't really need to know who your current supplier is, all that does is give a comparison saving against that supplier. The actual cost of energy is what you need and the comparison sites will put that in cheapest to highest order. You need to do a best guess at your usage to input into the comparison. Average consumption figures can be found here https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/monitoring-data-and-statistics/typical-domestic-consumption-values

dogshome · 11 August 2017 at 8:43AM

The house you have bought will already have an Energy Supplier/s. You must register your ownership of the house with that supplier/s the moment the deal is done, and give them the meter readings. (If the house has a Water Meter, the same applies )

That supplier/s will acknowlege you as customer with a 'Welcome letter', as soon as you have this you are free to change supplier.

So far as Comparision Sites are concerned, you can start the research now if you have the Post Code for this house
When the site asks for your current supplier, put in any of the Big6, say BG for example, enter your tariff as Standard Variable and annual consumption as 3200Kwh Electric and 12000 kwh of Gas - This will give you all the other suppliers prices per Kwh and Standing Charge cost

Dual fuel tariffs do not always offer the cheapest Energy costs - Zog who only supply Gas run rings around most of the other suppliers

victor2 · 11 August 2017 at 9:13AM

Good advice from dogshome above.
Going for different suppliers for each supply probably will be cheaper, but you've then got two accounts to manage rather than one, so it depends how much effort you're prepared to put into it.
As you have little idea how much energy you will be using, expect your monthly payments (assuming you go for a direct debit method of paying) to be adjusted as some history is established.
Do not make the mistake that a surprising number people do, in assuming that a fixed rate tariff is a fixed amount of money per month regardless of how much you use. It is only the standing charge and rate per kWh that you use that is fixed.
Personally, I'd look for a fixed rate for a year, with no exit fee. It may not be the cheapest, but you will know the rate will not increase for 12 months, and if you see a more attractive rate with another supplier during that year, you can switch at no cost to yourself.
You won't really have an idea how much energy you are using until you complete a full year in the property. Typically, in a house heated by gas, the electricity use is fairly even throughout the year, with only a small increase over winter. Obviously though, gas usage in the winter is considerably more than in the summer.

Finally, once you have chosen new suppliers, give readings regularly (say monthly) and check your bills so that you understand what you have been billed for.

SummerFun · 15 August 2017 at 10:13AM

Xaphan wrote: »

Hi so just bought a house (first time) with my better half and we're due to move in on the 18th of this month finally moving out of my parents house woo :j
I'm just after a bit of advice about energy companies and who is best to go for and any do's and dont's. I hear duel fuel is generally cheaper (i.e. gas and electric from the same supplier). I'm having a bit of trouble navigating any of the comparison sites because they all seem to assume you are already with an energy supplier which of course I not.
any advise would be much appreciated.

thanks

Who did you hear dual fuel was generally cheaper from? :huh:

You'll have a supplier on the 18th

Don't forget to tell them you are then respoinsible for the consumption at the address.
Ask your solicitir for the details - they really should have been provided to you as part of the sellers information you have paid your solicitor to obtain ... along woith all the other conveyancing duties they should be undertaking.

You'd have thought MSE would have written an article about getting the best deal on energy.
Oh, they have...:cool:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

first time home owner help!

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