18% night usage - EDF says stay on Eco7

Dummie_2

Hello There

After reading some threads on here re Eco7 and standard tariffs I called my electricity supplier (EDF) to ask whether the Economy 7 tariff was the best one for me. They informed me that my night usage is 18%. I asked to change to the standard tariff as I read on here (if I remember correctly) that you're only better off if you use at least 20% of your electricity at night.

Anyways, the reply I got was that for an existing customer on Eco7, they advise not to change if you are using more than 15% at night but for new customers they advise only to change to Eco7 if their night usage is between 20-25%. They told me that changing to a standard tariff will make no difference to me whats so ever and that I'll still end up paying the same every month because I'm in the 'grey area'

Can someone pls comment and advise?

Many thanks.

masonic

I'm with Atlantic and I worked out that I needed to use at least 15% at night to benefit from E7. That threshold will vary greatly from supplier to supplier and from region to region. The best thing you can do is sit down with the two respective sets of unit prices and work it out for yourself.

Cardew

Masonic is exactly correct - it is simple arithmetic to work which tariff is best for you. Although I guess that no matter which area, or what supplier, there won't be a great deal of advantage either way at 18%.

When I was on E7 it was marginal. However I found I was putting on the dishwasher and washing machine(on a timer) when they were not full to take advantage of the cheap prices - a false economy.

Some people also have a noise problem with dishwasher and washing machine coming on in the early hours.

p.jones1053@madasafish.co

Hello All

I would also agree with Masonic.

I am saving a whopping 25% JUST by coming off economy 7 when I switched from British Gas to N Power recently. The first N Power bill for 2 months was incorrectly charged on Economy 7, when I queried my contract, they sent me a revised bill for standard units. The price dropped from £52 to just over £39.

I came off Economy 7 with British Gas about 3 months before joining N Power and the savings were similar.

It really pays to do your homework on this. There must be millions overpaid each year due to people staying on Economy 7 & not realising it's a very expensive and inconvenient way of "saving" electricity. The daytime units are really loaded sky high just to save you a few pence overnight. That also involves switching on Dishwashers and Washing machines at inconvenient times as well.

To switch is so easy. Just phone the electricity co up, give them your day and night meter readings, ask nicely and they might even backdate it to your previous quarterly reading!! British Gas did.

Hope this helps.

Cardew

p.jones1053&#64 wrote: »

To switch is so easy. Just phone the electricity co up, give them your day and night meter readings, ask nicely and they might even backdate it to your previous quarterly reading!! British Gas did.

That is exactly what I did with BG, I still retain both E7 and 'Normal' meters but the units used on each meter are added together and treated as 'normal' units.

However there have been plenty of posts on this Forum where other companies refuse to remove you from E7 tariff unless you have a new meter fitted at your expense.

It might be worth someone challenging a company on that decision - no idea if it 'legal' to impose such a charge.

Of course you could always switch to BG and then come off E7 tariff and switch again later!!

masonic

Cardew wrote:

Of course you could always switch to BG and then come off E7 tariff and switch again later!!

...of course there would still be an issue when you came to supply your opening meter readings.

Cardew

masonic wrote:

...of course there would still be an issue when you came to supply your opening meter readings.

You might be right, but who knows with these companies - they make up rules as they go along.

I suspect that there is no reason any company can't do the same as BG and aggregate the readings; after all if some companies allow it why not all?

To get a new customer they would probably allow aggregated readings or waive the charge for a new meter if they really cannot add up readings?

Ken68

Hi Dummie....EBICO (Southern Electric) have quoted me£40 to come off E7.
I worked it out that ESSENTIAL electricity needs can be had on E7 rates for less than £50 a year. Depends how moneysavingexpert tightwad you wanna be.