How come it's so expensive?

Tongue

Okay heres the scenario.

A 74 year old has been with Staywarm for 5 years and is currently paying £80 per month for gas and electricity in a 2 up, 2 down house.
She has had a new quote for the next 12 months starting in January and the price has now rocketed to £131 per month!!!!!
Staywarm told her that because of her useage of gas/electricty she has been placed in the "high user" category.
Can anyone of you in the know people recommend a much cheaper company to use from January 2009?

SK14 post code.

KimYeovil

What is the consumption?

MrsBartolozzi

Bear in mind that this is what they want for a monthly direct debit (I am assuming...). Can you get hold of the previous years bills and work out her yearly usage and using the most recent bill, work out how much her electric will cost her for a year on today's tarriff with her current elec company.
If you find a big discrepency between your figures and the electric company then phone them up with the figs in hand and say that you (she) are not happy and suggest a figure more in line with what it will cost (see your earlier sums divided by 12).
It may seem like a big faff, but when you are looking around to find cheaper electricty you can't rely on a cheaper monthly DD being the cheapest over all (you might find a big bill at the end of the year)- put in the yearly usage and go from there.

Good luck,
MrsB.

KimYeovil

(By the way, even with the increase, it will probably be worthwhile waiting until after winter before deciding about a switch. There is no penalty for leaving after one or two months.)

KimYeovil

Not sure about the figures (because it varies on number of people and number of bedrooms) but if she is in the high category this suggests she uses at least 28,000 and 5,000 kWh per year minimum. That sort of useage would cost £122 per month on a metered tariff.

Rikki

Staywarm have three tariffs.

Her monthly payment is calculate on here previous years usage and the direct debit is fixed for twelve months.

My OH is on staywarm with e-on and he is in the low user category and his yearly increase has taken him to £85 a month.

You can compare your staywarm figures with other companies CLICK HERE

Tongue

Usage over last 12 months:

Gas 28599 kilowatt-hours

Electricity 3178 kilowatt-hours

KimYeovil

Well that would cost about £110 per month. Of course, the disadvantage is that that price is not guaranteed - if it's colder than last year (difficult to be warmer) the useage could change. Plus, of course, the utility company may ask to change the amount requested precipitously. It depends on how much she has been using the heating and how much of it was necessary - would she still be comfortable turning things down more often if she weren't on a flat rate tariff?

I still think you should wait until March before deciding - the winter fuel payment will give you Jan and Feb's installments for £12! And, of course, December's will only be £80.

Tongue

KimYeovil wrote: »

What is the consumption?

Gas 28599 Elec.3178

Tongue

Kim

You say it would be perhaps best to wait till March. Can you tell me why/

Tongue

Kim

Why would it be better to wait till next March?