Beware Price comparison Sites

springburn

I transferred to southern Electric Dec 2007 for dual fuel on their price fix 2008 on line tariffs after using energyhelpline.com. My previous supplier was Powergen Staywarm and their new rate for dual fuel was £134.14 per month. Using energy helpline/southerelectric rates of Gas £64.00 and Electricity £55.00 per month I would make a saving of around £200.00. In the event my final bills for Gas from 20 Dec. 2007 until 13 Jan 2009 is £1090.37 and for electricity from 20 dec 2007 to 31 Dec 2008 is£961.64. This means I have to find £505.00 to clear my account. How could they get it so wrong? I have now been Quoted £100.00 a month for dual fuel from N Power.

1carminestocky

Did you use actual annual usage figures or monthly payment figures? There's a huge difference in accuracy of results obtained.

KimYeovil

But what was your consumption? Staywarm is a flat rate tariff disregarding usage (or banding usage). Did you enter accurate usage figures into the comparison site? How much did you end up using that year?

But, Springburn, you are right. This is a problem people have to be aware of and they have to take care to double check and compare the predicted annual price with what you have been actually paying previously and to not just believe the 'savings' column without thought.

Magentasue

Surely this can only be because either a) you have used more than predicted or b) your supplier increased prices even though you were on a fixed rate plan.

Your £100 a month with NPower will only cover your annual bills if you use the kwh used for the calculation and prices don't change.

Edit: I see we all reacted in a very similar way here!

KimYeovil

Plus even if you entered accurate consumption figures 07/08 you must have realised that the weather had been unseasonally mild for a while. So winter consumption last year or the year before would not have been typical.