Cheapest dual fuel for a low user ?

QueensferryRoss

I currently live in a 2 bed terrace on my own and I am moving to a 1 bed flat.

The house I am in has storage heating and is all electric. I'm on Scottish Power Ecomony 7 because of the storage heating and currently pay £39.50 a month by d/d.

Once a year I always get a refund of between £15-£30.

Now, the 1 bed flat has gas central heating / hot water and I wondered who I might be best going with ? I hear British/Scottish Gas are cheapest for dual fuel, but will they be even for a low user like me ?

All thoughts and recommendations appreciated :T

1carminestocky

It may be the case that it is cheaper to split your bill between companies instead of going for a dual fuel deal. On the low usage you describe I reckon Ebico could be cheapest for gas but their leccy prices are (if you pardon the pun) shocking so a dual fuel deal with them wouldn't be the best deal.

In your case it is very difficult to say for certain as you won't have any meaningful usage figures to put into the switching sites, though.

Maybe tell us what region you live in and we can see what sort of tariffs would suit?

QueensferryRoss

Thanks, I'm up in Scotland.

Gas will be used to heat water for a shower a day and heating in winter, 2 radiators for say 3 hours a day.

KimYeovil

One option for low users is to become a cashback tart and change supplier every six or eight weeks. You can receive free* gas and electricity and on top of the free fuel receive one or two hundred pounds in cash.

(With luck the suppliers will eventually abandon this abominable practice.)

* In the long run. As you go along your monthly debits may be a four or five pounds higher. But sums of £62 to £100 every two months more than compensate for this. But you should avoid spending the lump sums of cashback or they will disappear on nonsense.

+++

Alternatively, there is EDF's online 5 tariff which has cheap electricity but standard priced gas. (Though there is debate as to whether this is an enforceable tied contract with swingeing penalties if you leave.)

A safer but dull option may be British Gas for electricity and Ebico for gas.

But modest users should try to avoid tariffs with leaving penalties. This is particularly true for you as you do not know how efficient or effective the set-up in your new home is so you can not tell how much fuel you will be using. With two tier tariffs the effect can be very chaotic for low users and the best tariff can vary wildly.