Advice on who to switch to?

nicki_2

As it's the New Year soon, and my wonderful sister got me Martins' Money Diet for Christmas which I've hardly put down since I got it, I've had a massive kick up the bottom and I've decided it's time to pull in the finances even more and try and save some money/pay off our debts faster.
When we first moved into our current property we were on prepayment meters but in July/August we had them changed to standard "quarterly" meters. We are currently with British Gas for both gas and electricity.
I've been onto comparison websites and used the figures from when we had the prepayment meters as the "Annual Payments" (Gas = £255, Elec = £590) as we've only been in this property 18 months. We want to pay by Monthly fixed DD but I am so confused by all the different results that I've decided to come here for some opinions.

Uswitch
Dual fuel :

• SWEB / Seeboard / London energy all with Online Dual Fuel and an estimated saving of £230.14 a year.
• npower : sign online dual fuel saving £198.38 a year.
• Powergen : Energy Online Dual Fuel saving £195.53 .

Gas :

• npower : sign online - Saving £53.15.
• npower : No standing charge - Saving £38.71.
• Powergen : Gas Guarantee - Saving £18.27.

Electricity :

• npower : sign online - Saving £124.24.
• Atlantic Electric and Gas : Domestic Standard Online Nil Standing Charge - Saving £116.03.
• Atlantic Electic and Gas : Domestic Standard Online - Saving £155.01.

Energy HelpLine.com
Dual Fuel :

• London Energy Online : Savings £102
• Powergen Energy Online : Savings £74
• npower Sign online : Savings £64

Gas :

• Equipower & equigas Standard : Savings £60
• Powergen Age Concern : Savings £47 - I'm pretty convinced we won't qualify for this!
• npower sign online : Savings £22
• Countrywide Engergy - Zero charge : savings £15

Electricity :

• npower sign online: Savings £21
• British Gas online : Savings £12
• Atlantic Electricity & Gas : Savings £11

UKPOWER.co.uk
Dual Fuel :

• SWEB / Seeboard / London Energy Online : Saving £230
• British Gas Disc. Electric Online Billing - One month free : Saving £219
• British Gas Disc. Tariff Online Sign up - One Month Free : Saving £209
• npower sign online SOL3 : Saving £198

Gas :

• EBICo Standard : Saving £93
• Powergen Age Concern NSC : Saving £72
• Atlantic Electricity & Gas Internet Tariff No standing charge : Saving £69
• Atlantic Electricity & Gas Intenet Tariff : Saving £68

Electricity :

• BG Disc. Electricity Online Billing - One Month Free : Savings £157
• BG Disc. Electricity Tariff Online Sign Up - One Month Free : Savings £152
• BG Disc Electricity Online Billing - £131
• BG Disc Electricity Tariff Online Sign Up : Savings £126
• npower sign online SOL3 : Savings £124
• Atlantic Electricity & gas Intenet tariff No Standing Charge : Savings £116

After reading all the "horror stories" about npower &/or powergen, plus not having heard of some of the companies mentioned, I would like to hear other people opinion on what THEY THINK would be the best option/options.

caveat_emptor

nicki wrote:

[/list]After reading all the "horror stories" about npower &/or powergen, plus not having heard of some of the companies mentioned, I would like to hear other people opinion on what THEY THINK would be the best option/options.

Switching is a lottery because what is right today can be horribly wrong tomorrow with prices so volatile. For instance Atlantic and Southern ( and maybe others) will increase their prices on 1 January and it may be the switching sites are still working on current prices.
As for customer service, if people get bad service then they'll rightly complain about it. What we don't know is what proportion of customers this represents.
I've had bad service from Southern and Atlantic (same company) but they have awards for good customer service.
So the choice is yours but would suggest you wait until after the 1 January before deciding.

Ken68

Hi Nicky, Equigas don't contribute to the payback scheme of the comparison sites, and are an unknown quantity.
However their bills will be easier to read, same price to everyone, including pre-pay, tho don't know how this works.
Non profit making ,supposedly.Am about to move from Powergen to these, saving £43 pa est. from Powergen Age Concern.

NigeWick

nicki wrote:

I've been onto comparison websites and used the figures from when we had the prepayment meters as the "Annual Payments" (Gas = £255, Elec = £590) as we've only been in this property 18 months

You don't say what area you live in, as that will make a difference. Also, did you use the above figures and do you have numbers for units used?

Nigel.

Cardew

nicki wrote:

I would like to hear other people opinion on what THEY THINK would be the best option/options.

As caveat_emptor so rightly states it is just a lottery.

You have done your homework well and know the situation as of today. Now go and buy a crystal ball!