'Click Energy' from British Gas?

tubster

These prices look good for cut down service. You only have an 0870 number to call if you want to speak to someone, but BGs customer service is dreadful so I wouldn't recommend calling them anyway. I moved on to their old online discount rate last year; after a few months the prices went up. As there is a £20 'fine' for leaving before a year, losing some other bonuses and no bonus for existing customers, it isn't worth me shifting to the new click plan. So there seems to be an escalator here - you get on at the bottom with the cheapest deal and the prices slowly go up - and you can't or forget to get off. They introduce new cheaper deals with discounts to attract new trade in this 'mature' market. Meanwhile all the poor people without internet are on the astronomical standard tariff until they change. So my advice would be: go for it, particularly with the fantastic £35 online welcome bonus and especially if you have never changed tariff before, because you will probably be on a rip-off tariff at the moment. But be prepared for it to be difficult to find out information about your tariff in the future and expensive phone support (they deliberately hide the new tariff on their website so they don't upset/attract existing customers); keep an eye on any price change which will happen sooner than you think (they should let you know at least); obey the rules to the letter or you will be shoved onto the awful standard tariff; and be aware of any cancellation penalities that are worked out to cancel out any benefit from changing provider in the future - or even to one of their own plans - with lower unit prices over a year (even though it could work out cheaper in the longer term). Oh yes, watch out for discounts/bonuses for things that are paid only after 12 months, because again you are locked in to a loss if you move when they put the prices up. In any case, visit the price comparison websites every 6 months to keep an eye on the market, and really think about it in 12 months when the bonuses tend to get paid.
Phew! Tubster

frivolous_fay

I signed up too... the difference compared to what I have been paying is pretty significant. I imagine if the prices go up a bit I'll still be better off.

I didn't have a problem with BG when I was with them before... apart from their stupid online billing - the bills for which never showed up... ho hum!

Stormy

djohn2002uk wrote:

How can you possibly calculate your usage based on friends, family and colleagues? There are so many variables involved in your gas consumption involving cooking, hot water usage, heating temperatures, house insulation etc.

To be honest most is based off my brothers house, its is a 3 bedroom, semi newish house, 2 sharing it. He uses 3,500kwh Electric and 14,000kwh gas.

My house is terrace, 2 bedroom, smaller but about 8 years older so maybe not as energy efficient. I agree it wont be 100% accurate, but if I use his figures I should be somewhere near as he will use more electricity than me for sure and maybe around the same ammount of gas if my house/boiler etc is not as efficient.

Cardew wrote:

3,500 -4000 kWh(pa???) is less than 20% of the national average. Assuming gas is used for CH and H/W, I cannot possibly see how you and "your friends family and colleagues" use so little.

I am assuming that you are talking about Gas(like the OP) and not electricity?

Electricity, not gas.

PS: BG were happy to lower my Click Energy Electricity DD. If it needs to go up a bit I will be fine with that when I get exact usage figures.

Cheers,

Mike

Conor_3

Cardew wrote:

3,500 -4000 kWh(pa???) is less than 20% of the national average. Assuming gas is used for CH and H/W, I cannot possibly see how you and "your friends family and colleagues" use so little.

I am assuming that you are talking about Gas(like the OP) and not electricity?

I've only used 4817 kWh electric. What are you doing, sitting there with a 4 bar electric fire on in every room?

djohn2002uk

Conor wrote:

I've only used 4817 kWh electric. What are you doing, sitting there with a 4 bar electric fire on in every room?

That sarcasm was unnecessary because Cardew wasn't quoting his electricity usage but the national average and he was referring ( I think) to the national average for gas.
But I will say that my electricity consumption each year for the past 3 years has been below 5000kWh and my gas was 22663 in 2004 but since having cavity wall insulation and extra loft insulation last years was 19900.

beeniemac

Conor wrote:

I've only used 4817 kWh electric. What are you doing, sitting there with a 4 bar electric fire on in every room?

He just said he was talking about gas

tightrs

djohn2002uk wrote:

That sarcasm was unnecessary because Cardew wasn't quoting his electricity usage but the national average and he was referring ( I think) to the national average for gas.
But I will say that my electricity consumption each year for the past 3 years has been below 5000kWh and my gas was 226243 in 2004 but since having cavity wall insulation and extra loft insulation last years was 19900.

crikey that loft insulation certainly worked for you

djohn2002uk

tightrs wrote:

crikey that loft insulation certainly worked for you

I think it was a combination of that + the cavity wall insulation and we have tried to use the same settings as before to make a genuine comparison. And as it was free from the local council it's a total win win situation. The house is a lot quieter too.

tightrs

i think i noticed your readings before you edited them

djohn2002uk

tightrs wrote:

i think i noticed your readings before you edited them

:mad: The typo put my gas usage up by almost 1000%. But the saving of around 15% (around £120/yr) still seems good to me + the £200/yr I saved by moving from Staywarm/Powergen.