Zest4 Customers Automatic Transfer to British Gas

mhendo

Hi Dave,

That'll be why you're probably better off with British Gas than I would be, coz your night time usage is so high. BG are cheapest for the night rate (approx 2p, instead of 3p for most others). - I thought I must have looked at the figures orribly wrong, but your high night usage explains why its a better deal for you.

My night time usage is more like 50%-60% - I don't use much electric I guess, as it was around £300-£324 with Zest4. BG are more expensive, by quite a bit, for the day rate though - thats where I guess I'm making the savings by going with Atlantic.

Thanks for the info.

RosWright

I am running away from Zest/British Gas and npower with both electricity and gas thanks to the comparison sites below

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1097173354,58998

I hope the switch is easy with the mess I imagine the transfer could be

dave_dph

mhendo wrote:

Hi Dave,

That'll be why you're probably better off with British Gas than I would be, coz your night time usage is so high. BG are cheapest for the night rate (approx 2p, instead of 3p for most others). - I thought I must have looked at the figures orribly wrong, but your high night usage explains why its a better deal for you.

I just need to decide whether to move away from BG so that I can move back to get the online one month free tariff! Knowing my luck if I move away then the tariff will no longer be available when I'm due to return!

Sybarite

I received a letter from simplyswitch whom I contacted after ZEST went belly-up looking for an alternate supplier. it states;

'We have been informed by ofgem that customers who choose another supplier or tariff will continue to be billed at the old ZEST tariff rates until such time as you go live with a supplier of your choice.'

British Gas/EDF who have been appointed to take over the accounts are not 'of my choice' so does this mean the new suppliers have to adhere to the previous ZEST tariff (at least for a bit)?

JohalaReewi

Letter from BG arrived today advising of switch to Supplier of Last resort (SoLR). They also explain that the rates charged are special rates and for the SEEBOARD region are 12.228p/kWh for 1st 225kWh per quarter; 7.7713p/kWh after. These are the DD rates for a single credit meter. The special rates are charged from the date BG became the SoLR so no they won't keep the Zest rates

Wasn't sure why BG sent me the SEEBOARD rates - I am SOUTHERN so I rang the help line (0845 - wait 15 mins for answer) and found out the SOUTHERN rates for DD on a credit meter. They are: 17.598p/kWh for 1st 225kWh per quarter (tier 1) then 8.986 p/kWh (tier 2). :eek:

Now I know why they sent me the Seeboard rates

dave_dph

Haven't heard anymore from BG since they wrote to me on the 10th advising they would be taking my supply from the 5th Feb.

I phoned them this morning to obtain the tariff information and to find out whether the 22% increase will apply to me. The letter they sent initially only listed prices for a single rate supply, I needed prices for ec7.

The girl I spoke to couldn't find me on the system so they haven't processed my details as yet, but she did advise that I will be on the standard tariff and the new prices will apply to me from the 1st of March.

Applying the new prices to my account takes my annual bill to £610. She offered me a 3.5% discount if I wanted to freeze my prices until 2009; I said I would get back to them. Do they apply a lower unit rate for online billing or do you just receive the annual £5 discount.

Switching to Equipower will cost £487 per year so that's the way I'm going to go. Going to read the meter now and get the registration underway.

funkymonkey

hi guys and gals - just a quicky on the zest 4 fiasco - they took my direct debit on the 6th of feb for £30 which i managed to get refunded from my bank via the DD scheme. no problems at all - halifax were great. sadly the ten pounds of credit i was in wont be refunded i doubt but im sure others will be worse off.

horizon

Hi

I received my letter from BG yesterday.

My understanding is, that I have to supply them with a reading, this will be the final reading for my Zest4 bill and the start for BG.

Hypothectically -
If I give them a reading that is higher than it actually is, this would mean I would be paying Zest4 rates for those units (I've used) rather than BG.

What do you think ?

I also had a letter from the Administrators, telling me I've no chance of getting back any monies that might be owed to me.
Luckily I've used a lot more electricity than they estimated, so I think I owe them a small amount.

michaels

horizon wrote:

Hi

My understanding is, that I have to supply them with a reading, this will be the final reading for my Zest4 bill and the start for BG.

Hypothectically -
If I give them a reading that is higher than it actually is, this would mean I would be paying Zest4 rates for those units (I've used) rather than BG.

What do you think ?

It would be fraud...

...I always 'up-read' my meter on the date of any price increase :-)

JohalaReewi

My final bill from Zest4 had an estimated final meter reading which was a bit short and left them owing me a little bit of money. However, I read my meter and the true reading means I owe them a little bit. BGas have sent me a registration form to fill in so they can supply and bill me with electricity at their 'special SoLR rates' and have asked for the final meter reading. I have given them the actual reading (I took) and not the Zest4 estimate. Hopefully, my reading will be the one that sticks.

The BG help lady didn't make any special offers when I phoned.