How do the comparison sites actually figure it out?

Morn

As I nearly ended up joining a fixed tariff and franticly removed myself from it before the damage was done, I was wondering how the comparison sites actually calculate their totals.

I have used energyhelpline and put in the DD amounts that are currently pay and get fabulous savings shown, but then I look at the cost per unit they are sometimes higher than my current supplier. How then am I making a saving when the current supplier is cheaper per unit than the compared supplier?

Anyone help on this?

KimYeovil

Compare what you actually pay with what they think you are paying. Compare what you actually pay with what they say you will pay.

Complications are one-off joining bonuses, pro-rata direct debit or dual fuel removal of surcharges, annual removal of surcharges.

Cardew

If you put in a DD payment you will always get a cheaper DD.

The reason is very simple - comparison sites are driven by one thing, and one thing only. That is to get commission!.

If they tell you they can get a cheaper price - you switch and they get commission.

If they tell you they can't get a cheaper price - you don't switch and they get don't get commission.

If you want to try an experiment, enter you are paying £120 a month with BG standard tariff.

Take the cheapest company they offer and work out what that comes to per month. e.g. £1200 pa with EON(£100 a month)

Call the same website and tell them you are paying £100 a month with EON(obviously act dumb) and for absolute certain you will get a cheaper DD offer.

If you have the time and patience you will get your DD down to £40 after a few disguised calls.

Think of the huge savings you will make just for the sake of a few phone calls and time on the computer!!!!!!

the_big_al

I thought the amount you pay for Gas/Electricity is based on how much you use and how much they charge per therm, kw etc. Surely the DD is just based on what they think you're going to use and if you use more than they estimate then they'll up the DD.

Cardew

the_big_al wrote: »

I thought the amount you pay for Gas/Electricity is based on how much you use and how much they charge per therm, kw etc. Surely the DD is just based on what they think you're going to use and if you use more than they estimate then they'll up the DD.

I was being facetious, hence the !!!! at the end of the sentence.

You will of course pay for what you use and a low initial DD means you pay more later!

The point was that the comparison sites will use every means possible to get you to switch, so they can get their commission.

That is why you must give your actual kWh figure and not how much you pay. If you don't know your consumption, then invent a figure.