first utility just rejected switch over application ??

tij303

Just applied to go to First Utility following a saga with Scottish power - filled all the stuff in and got home today to the following message ;

We're sorry...

Thanks for choosing first:utility as your new energy supplier. Your application details indicate you have an economy 7 meter, this means your meter will not support the tariff you have applied for. We have therefore cancelled your application for electricity and gas.

We are just as disappointed as you are that we can't go ahead with supplying energy to your home at this stage. However we will be launching an economy 7 tariff, compatible with your meter, in the near future.

Having searched the threads I am still unclear as to whether or not this means I have an economy seven meter or I accidentally indicated that I did. I have looked at the meter and there is nothing obvious on there but my Scottish power bills indicate a Night option on the electricity.

Having read online explanations the point of economy 7 is to heat water during the night - I have a combi boiler and no immersion heater (removed years ago).

My questions are

1. Does a night time option on my bill mean I have an economy seven meter
2. If I do, does running a combi boiler with direct water heating and therefore not utilising nigh time storage make a big difference to bills
3. If I am on E7, and with my combi (and no storage) do I need to change the meter and is that expensive ?

Thanks and again apologies for my lack of tech knowledge - I am wondering if I have opened up a can of worms :cool:

macman

Economy 7 offers cheap rate electricity for 7 hours of the night. Usually used to heat storage heaters overnight, but could be for an immersion. If you have neither, you are on totally the wrong tariff and paying a premium for your on peak electricity.
If you are on E7 your meter will have 2 sets of numbers for reading, and your bills will show 2 charges, one for peak rate and one for E7. Also, ther name of your existing tariff should make it obvious.

tij303

Thanks macaman - my meter does have two sets of numbers to read but my bill has three sets of figures relating to two readings ;

NSC option night
NSC option day primary
NSC option day secondary

primary and secondary show one actual reading (night the other) but then two sets of calculations and totals so in fact each 'period' gets three separate costs based on two readings....

Anyway my tariff or package is 'premier plus' but it seems whatever it is 'economy seven' doesnt appear on the bill. In any event it is increasingly obvious but I assume thats the type of meter I have. And as youpoint it with only a combi boiler I have little use for this.

Before I switch I will check with Scottish power to see what a routine meter will cost .. not sure how that will go down.

BruceyBonus

That is an Economy 7 tariff. Some suppliers don't need to change the meter for you to come off E7 - they just add up the two readings.

DVardysShadow

BruceyBonus wrote: »

That is an Economy 7 tariff. Some suppliers don't need to change the meter for you to come off E7 - they just add up the two readings.

And the rest are too stupid by half to manage this.

tij303

Brucy/Dvardy - thanks I still dont really uderstand why I have been on this tariff or didnt realise (previous thread re being on a non capped rate)and yet again it appears to be my fault for not recognising or even knowing enough about economy 7.
If it was easy to ring up and discuss it with half of the providers it might not be so off putting.
It certainly looks like first utility cant take me on so I will speak to a few others (if they even understand what I am talking about) and try to get the best match/customer service.
I am fairly sure when I was with Sainsbury (before SP) it was a much simpler combined bill and I certainly live and learn.
Once again though thanks to all replies for the clarification it gives me somewhere to start from :T

CrashUK

you can just call up and get them to remove the meter. Takes about 4-6 week but it is free.

EcoEric

I have just switched to First Utility where previously I had Economy 7. We too had no need for it - we had it installed when both my wife and I worked full time and we used to run the dishwasher, washing machine and hot water at night so could take advantage of the cheap electricity... So I first contacted our current supplier and got the meter changed (they charged £45 - so some suppliers do charge) but I did this because of the many reports of problems arising when suppliers are changed and where you are simply getting the readings added together on a standard tariff - some suppliers can't handle this and confusion reigns.

So having first got the meter changed I then registered with First Utility. This was straightforward, but it took around 4 months for the smart meters to be fitted, and this required two visits, first by one engineer to change the gas meter, and then by a second engineer to change the electricity meter and fit a module to the gas meter that allows the electricity meter to collect gas readings. Now this is all done I can check the usage on the web site and will hopefully get accurate bills. I can also report that I have found First Utility easy to contact, and helpful even when I had to cancel an engineer visit at short notice.

I am not sure that I will save much money although I think their tariffs are competitive. The main reason for changing was to get accurate bills - I have had endless trouble with wildly inaccurate estimated bills with my previous supplier.

Not_So_Naff

My understanding is that FU will only supply Smart Metered Electricity & Gas to Customers in the Midlands & East Midlands on the Smart Direct Tariff. All other Customers are required to use FU's iSave Tarrif.

I am not familiar with the iSave Tariff, except that Customers are expected to record their Meter Readings on line to get accurate Monthly Bills, but would assume that it is somewhat similar to the Smart Direct Tariff in other respects.

I am on the Smart Direct Tariff and when I signed up it was on the basis of being on a Tariff which catered for separate Night Metering. Indeed this was part of the reason to switch. Many months later when the Meters were installed FU had revamped the Tariffs and there was only one choice that being for single band Metering.
I suspect that the latter is why they do not wish to handle properties with Economy 7 Meters.

EcoEric not wanting to hijack this thread please will you respond to one I will start called What Can I expect from Switching to First:Utility, thank you.