EDF, Eon or Atlantic??

jenn32

Does anyone know if EDF or Eon are that much cheaper than Atlantic?

I recently used the energy helpline comparison site and they've said that we can save £126/year if we switch to EDF or Eon (online tarrifs) but I've heard their service isn't that great. Our current provider is Atlantic and I'd hate to leave them as their service has been impeccable.

However, last year my husband and I spent £1,200 on gas/electricity. We're students and we hate to see such a large chunk of money going towards our energy bills. We even use energy efficient bulbs, have turned the temp down on our boiler and we try to only keep the heat on in the rooms we're using. The problem is that we live in a detached house so there is no one else to heat the walls around us!

Any help would be much appreciated

sixties_sandi

Ihave been with EDF for some time and have no problems with customer service.
When they decide to change our direct debit we 'phone ( and it's 0800), object and arrange an acceptable amount with no argument.
I have just changed to new on-line tariff , details of which can be viewed on their website. I don't know if it will be best for you as prices vary around the country.
Hpe this helps.

monkeyspanner

I used eon for a while about 12 months ago on a paperless online tariff. administration was fine and website average for utilities. Swapped to npower because eon hiked the prices on the tariff very quickly after my account went live.

Easiest way I have found is not to speak to a telephone comparison service but to use a site like www.uswitch.com and you can look at all the terms and conditions. Just enter your postcode, your current supplier and tariff and your usage and they will search the alternatives. With usage you will get a more accurate calculation if you can get your KWH figures from past bills. Things to watch out for are penalties for changing supplier and rewards which are only deducted after a period of time so if you change again quickly you may not get the reward.

Having decided which company and tariff you want to change to have a look at www.quidco.com for the money back deals you can get for changing this can be £60 for a dual fuel deal. So you could reduce your bills by 5% simply by changing suppliers every year if you can stand the hassle. Changing can take a couple of months so its best to make a decision well before the coldest months.

Lilium

I've used Eon for years and have had no probs with them (except their boiler cover...they were useless when our boiler packed up until we phoned every day to harrass them into doing something...but in terms of electric and gas, no probs).

I'm currently switching to EDF though because my capped tariff with Eon is coming to an end and EDF seem the cheapest after doing a comparison...I hope the switch goes smoothly and I have no probs with them.

jenn32

cheers for these responses! i think after some deliberation we will switch to EDF. whilst i hate to leave atlantic and face the hassle of switching, the savings look pretty good. it helps to hear from those who are with edf and have had no major problems as i've come across some nasty reviews on the web. but then again, i think nearly every provider will have complaints of some kind or another...

by the way, i'm a bit confused about quidco - how does it work?

sixties_sandi

Read the article on Moneysaver about cash back sites and use the cash back maximiser-Topcashback also offer £60.00 on EDF new business, do not charge any fees but do have adverts on their site. uidco take £5.00 annually from your earnings but often pay higher cashback.

CelticStar

I've just changed from Eon because they tried to up my direct debit by an extortionate amount (even though we are in credit) and I don't think it is on for them to build up a huge credit on my account - why should they be entitled to interest (or lack of it, but that's another story) on my money. I tried to negotiate with them as I am a relatively high user and always pay by DD (never any defaults or late payments etc) but they were completely inflexible, simply saying that from their research customers 'like to build up a credit' so they don't fall behind with their payments. As I input my meter readings very regularly I am well aware when there is a need to up my payments so do not feel that it is necessary for them to take a payment in advance (and such a high payment at that). After trying to explain this to them for the umpteenth time I voted with my feet and have now switched to EDF, not only gaining a lower tariff but also £60 cashback. I won't be returning to Eon.

wackojackouk

Hi guys

I'm with EON at the moment and have to say they are very good on the customer service side of things etc but EDF are around £100 cheaper for me + £60 cashback via Quidco so thinking of going down that route.

Our price protection 17 tariff ends on October 1 - can someone tell me when we should look at switching to EDF. Our next bill btw is due on 23rd September 2009.

Thanks

WJUK

mrmichaelf

CelticStar wrote: »

I've just changed from Eon because they tried to up my direct debit by an extortionate amount (even though we are in credit) and I don't think it is on for them to build up a huge credit on my account - why should they be entitled to interest (or lack of it, but that's another story) on my money. I tried to negotiate with them as I am a relatively high user and always pay by DD (never any defaults or late payments etc) but they were completely inflexible, simply saying that from their research customers 'like to build up a credit' so they don't fall behind with their payments. As I input my meter readings very regularly I am well aware when there is a need to up my payments so do not feel that it is necessary for them to take a payment in advance (and such a high payment at that). After trying to explain this to them for the umpteenth time I voted with my feet and have now switched to EDF, not only gaining a lower tariff but also £60 cashback. I won't be returning to Eon.

The only reason they would increase your direct debit would be inline with your current useage, especially coming into the winter months. This is perfectly ok.

CelticStar

mrmichaelf wrote: »

The only reason they would increase your direct debit would be inline with your current useage, especially coming into the winter months. This is perfectly ok.

I've just noticed this post and I have to say you are talking absolute rubbish, I can only imagine you didn't read my post properly. I monitor my usage on a monthly basis and, at the time I was writing about in my former post, I was in credit and had been for months. Eon then hiked my direct debit by £70 for no apparent reason so, in my opinion, this was not ok and was clearly an attempt to take money of mine to build up a huge credit which they gained interest on. Are you really saying that the energy companies don't do things like this?