new gas supply,do i have to go with British gas?

stephen25uk

Hey folks

finally after 2 years of saving we have just got rid of our storage heaters and had gas central heating fitted,

when we got the gas connected to the house,i contacted british gas and asked them to install a meter at my property,does this mean i have to use them for my gas supply as i contacted them about the meter or can i go with someone else,i have no contact as of yet from british gas,account number etc.

looking on comparison websites EDF online looks like the cheapest for me but i thought you had to contact british gas for a meter.

never had gas before and i obviosly want the best deal.

any help greatly appreciated

Barneysmom

You can use anyone you like as your supplier.
You haven't tied yourself into a tariff with a getout penalty, so you're fine to go.
It is worth checking on the British Gas site as not all their tariffs will show up on a comparison site though.

stephen25uk

Barneysmom wrote: »

You can use anyone you like as your supplier.
You haven't tied yourself into a tariff with a getout penalty, so you're fine to go.
It is worth checking on the British Gas site as not all their tariffs will show up on a comparison site though.

i have no account number or anything from british gas,so is it as easy as going onto a new supplier website entering my meter number and sign up,even though british gas supplied the meter,who will i pay for the gas i have used up until my supplier takes over as i currently dont have a supplier,or will it be british gas

deedee71

Snap! I just got central heating in a couple of weeks ago, after getting rid of my storage heaters.

You're not in a contract with British Gas and will be on their standard rate. Have you had your two or three rate meter for electric removed yet? That will automatically trigger you going on to the standard rate with your electric company too.

I've just switched both to EDF but it will take 6-8 weeks (they say, but I've heard it can be quicker), to do the switch.

EDF asked for the serial numbers of the meters and I just explained I hadn't had my first bill in yet so didn't have the supply number. They were lovely to deal with too.

stephen25uk

deedee71 wrote: »

Snap! I just got central heating in a couple of weeks ago, after getting rid of my storage heaters.

You're not in a contract with British Gas and will be on their standard rate. Have you had your two or three rate meter for electric removed yet? That will automatically trigger you going on to the standard rate with your electric company too.

I've just switched both to EDF but it will take 6-8 weeks (they say, but I've heard it can be quicker), to do the switch.

EDF asked for the serial numbers of the meters and I just explained I hadn't had my first bill in yet so didn't have the supply number. They were lovely to deal with too.

did edf arange to remove the three rate meter for electricity,i am with scottish power and they are wanting to charge me £49.99 to remove the meter,do you mind if i ask who your previous supplier was and what edf tarrif you signed up for

deedee71

Hi I was with Scottish Power too. Are you my doppleganger lol?

When SP said it would be £49.99 I just said nooooo - she went away for a minute and then came back and said she would waive the fee. I'm a mean Scot though so maybe that helped.

I opted for the EDF online saver 6 dual fuel. Price is till June 2011 which by the time it gets switched over means I'll be tied to them for a year. £30 cash back through someone (one of the links in the MSE info page ). EDF sent me out a pack for the Nectar card too as I didn't have one.

EDF set my electric at £50 and my gas at £15 a month, which I think is great as they could have opted to set the direct debits really high as I had no gas usage figures and my electric included the old storage heaters so wouldn't be indicative.


HTH

stephen25uk

deedee71 wrote: »

Hi I was with Scottish Power too. Are you my doppleganger lol?

When SP said it would be £49.99 I just said nooooo - she went away for a minute and then came back and said she would waive the fee. I'm a mean Scot though so maybe that helped.

I opted for the EDF online saver 6 dual fuel. Price is till June 2011 which by the time it gets switched over means I'll be tied to them for a year. £30 cash back through someone (one of the links in the MSE info page ). EDF sent me out a pack for the Nectar card too as I didn't have one.

EDF set my electric at £50 and my gas at £15 a month, which I think is great as they could have opted to set the direct debits really high as I had no gas usage figures and my electric included the old storage heaters so wouldn't be indicative.


HTH

thats the same edf plan i am looking at as well....lol,i will go away and have another crack at scotish power,maybee try to get another advisor

SwanJon

deedee71 wrote: »

EDF set my electric at £50 and my gas at £15 a month, which I think is great as they could have opted to set the direct debits really high as I had no gas usage figures and my electric included the old storage heaters so wouldn't be indicative.

Be careful with this.
Take a reading each month and give it to EDF - this means that they'll have an accurate measure of how much you are using.
Last thing you want is to end up with a balance and then a huge DD.

deedee71

Yes I use imeasure to keep track. I was just apprenhensive in case they wanted to set the dd really high as I had no previous readings.

Premier_2

stephen25uk wrote: »

Hey folks

finally after 2 years of saving we have just got rid of our storage heaters and had gas central heating fitted,

when we got the gas connected to the house,i contacted british gas and asked them to install a meter at my property,does this mean i have to use them for my gas supply as i contacted them about the meter or can i go with someone else,i have no contact as of yet from british gas,account number etc....

It sounds to me like you've contacted BG to ask them to install the gas supply together with an appropriate meter to measure the consumption of that supplied gas. Bills are normally produced every 3 months in arrears.

Even if that is not the case, has anyone used gas at your address since the meter was installed? e.g. to commission the installation of the new gas central heating system?

If so, I suspect you may be in a deemed contract with BG.

If that is the case, make sure BG have set up an account in your name and then you should have no problems switching supplier. It'll take 4-6 weeks to switch supplier.

Note that if you've not agreed anything different, and BG are supplying you, then they are probably going to bill you on their standard tariff, which is probably not the cheapest option.

If you think you are currently in what is known as a shipperless site, I'd suggest you make absolutely sure before attempting to go ahead on that assumption.

stephen25uk

Premier wrote: »

It sounds to me like you've contacted BG to ask them to install the gas supply together with an appropriate meter to measure the consumption of that supplied gas. Bills are normally produced every 3 months in arrears.

Even if that is not the case, has anyone used gas at your address since the meter was installed? e.g. to commission the installation of the new gas central heating system?

If so, I suspect you may be in a deemed contract with BG.

If that is the case, make sure BG have set up an account in your name and then you should have no problems switching supplier. It'll take 4-6 weeks to switch supplier.

Note that if you've not agreed anything different, and BG are supplying you, then they are probably going to bill you on their standard tariff, which is probably not the cheapest option.

If you think you are currently in what is known as a shipperless site, I'd suggest you make absolutely sure before attempting to go ahead on that assumption.

hi and thanks for the advice,what your saying makes sense,what is currently the cheapest tarrif with british gas and i will go with that one,online..etc,my supply area is scottish power