npower bi-annual bills

Gawfie

Hi, I'm currently looking into changing my gas and electricity supplier for cheaper prices and the fact that npower don't seem to provide the frequency for bills that i want (at least quarterly).

The problem i have is that in most comparison checks (whether by annual Kwh usage or monthly direct debit costs) are coming up with npower SOL14 tariff as the cheapest option. Am i right in assuming this is because i'm already with them as i didn't expect this as they have yet to lower their prices this year? Also, when the prices do go down will the SOL14 tariff also go down?

If i decide to upgrade with npower and stay with them whats the odds i can get them to send me quarterly bills? and higher or lower if i go paperless.

Finally, out of peoples experience whats the best supplier to go with if you want to do everything online. British Gas is the only site to have a demo of what their online account is like but by switching to them the savings seem to be less.

KimYeovil

So are you paying monthly or quarterly or bi-annually? If you are paying monthly, what difference does the frequency of the bill make?

Most companies with online accounts let you enter readings as you please and calculate a new bill for you. Or if you have no online account you can do this yourself approximately.

I don't understand the problem with the frequency of the bills - if you are on a standard tariff and not paying by direct debit then you are free yourself to pay every month or every quarter.

Gawfie

Sorry if its not clear. I pay a fixed monthly direct debit but through the winter i often go into debt due to the increased use of energy and i would like to keep more of a close eye on my energy use so i can make one-off payments etc rather than the debit amounts being changed when the amount i'm in debt could be corrected by the energy used in the summer.

KimYeovil

Surely it's preferable to keep an eye yourself on how much you are using (even if this is complicated if you are still on one of their seasonal tariffs) and putting money aside for the adjustment than facing a more frequent adjustment to the debits that almost every other poster complains about?

If you make one-off payments then technically your direct debit discount should be rescinded. But most companies are not fair enough to do this. (Keeping savvy customers happy is more important than fairness.)

Gawfie

Yeah i am leaning towards just sticking with npower and changing to their sign online 14 account which appears top on the comparison sites for me and just seeing how it goes for another year.

So am i right in assuming they are appearing cheapest because i am already with them on a standard offline account even though their prices haven't come down?

KimYeovil

There's an £105 annual discount that is only payable after twelve months continually receiving dual fuel and paying by direct debit. You should take that into account and check the prices of other suppliers that may have discounts that are given quarterly. The prices of nPower's online tariff even before discount may well also be different to the standard prices so you may choose to change tariff anyway even if you don't intend to stay for twelve months.