Economy 7 times

msconfused_2

I want to switch electricity supplier from Eon to Scottish Power as I can get much better tariffs. I am on economy 7. At the moment I get cheaper rates from 10.30 - 12.30 and then from 2.30 - 7.30 which suits my lifestyle just fine. My question is: if I change supplier, do the economy 7 times change too? Scottish Power don't seem to know (one customer service operator said yes, it would switch to 12.30 to 7.30, the other said no it would stay as it is now - both after checking with supervisors). Looking on the net, I came to the conclusion it would stay as it is, as the time is set by the distributor not the supplier (?) but am not confident as Scottish Power seem confused. Any one able to clarify?

Haarlem

msconfused wrote: »

I want to switch electricity supplier from Eon to Scottish Power as I can get much better tariffs. I am on economy 7. At the moment I get cheaper rates from 10.30 - 12.30 and then from 2.30 - 7.30 which suits my lifestyle just fine. My question is: if I change supplier, do the economy 7 times change too? Scottish Power don't seem to know (one customer service operator said yes, it would switch to 12.30 to 7.30, the other said no it would stay as it is now - both after checking with supervisors). Looking on the net, I came to the conclusion it would stay as it is, as the time is set by the distributor not the supplier (?) but am not confident as Scottish Power seem confused. Any one able to clarify?

You are correct and it will stay as it is.

However if you are changed from a mechanical time switch to a teleswitch then the times might change, but this will be specified by your Distribution Company and not your Supplier

Scottish_Power

Hi msconfused

Just to confirm - If you switched supplier to SP then your night rate would remain the same as this is set by your local distributor.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

spiro

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi msconfused

Just to confirm - If you switched supplier to SP then your night rate would remain the same as this is set by your local distributor.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Colin, this is not strictly correct. If the meter is tele switched then the DNO is involved in setting the switching times. If the meter is time swtiched then the times are decided by the Supplier whose Meter Operator installs the meter.

DNOs ceased to have total control since 2000.

msconfused_2

Thanks for your replies - but I am still confused! What does DNO mean? My meter is radio tele switched and states that it is the property of United Utilities. Who decides what times the tariffs change?

mattcanary

Please notes: some suppliers do change meters in an area where they are not the distributor. For example, Southern Energy change meters in the East Anglian area (where EDF are the distributors)

spiro

msconfused wrote: »

Thanks for your replies - but I am still confused! What does DNO mean? My meter is radio tele switched and states that it is the property of United Utilities. Who decides what times the tariffs change?

DNO is the distributor. If your meter is tele switched the times are dynamic but your supplier should be able to tell you what they are as they are provided with this information.

Haarlem

spiro wrote: »

DNO is the distributor. If your meter is tele switched the times are dynamic but your supplier should be able to tell you what they are as they are provided with this information.

I agree your Supplier should know, but I would recommend asking your Distibution Company.

Supplier call centre staff seem to lack knowledge in this area giving wrong advice as often quoted on this forum.

Terrylw1

Hi,

The DNO is the Distributor, which would normally be those who maintain all groundwork. This has changed now as DNO's can be supply anywhere.

However, forget about that as it's not important.

ALL metering equipment is maintained by a Meter Operator, who can be owned by a DNO but they are classed as a seperate industry party because their role is not the same.

This MO are the ones that come to look at your meter for anything other than taking a read (reading agents are often different companies but again have a seperate industry role to a MO)

The clock times on meters are set by the MO but in the case of radio teleswitch, the Supplier can agree how to manage it.

However, you need to be aware that it's a contractual level agreement and may not be the same as you move Supplier because they appoint the MO they use. In the case of some Suppliers, if they use Lowry Beck to maintain your meter, they would have to change it as Lowry can't support radio teleswitch.

So, it's perhaps a bit more complicated but calling a DNO will mean you get a vague respond based on what it has always been, not what a Supplier might have changed it to.

So, ask your Supplier and then any you want to change to. Persevere though, because you will find not everyone will know and just say & hours 12:30-7:30 because thats what it was originally.

I would suggest that Colin above would need to clarify if the MO they use in your area has the clock times set to what you neeed. For instance, 1 Supplier I know of (not SP) sticks to the standard clock times which would mean you would change to 12:30-7:30 because this is the old standard, but clearly Eon have a different arrangement.

msconfused_2

Thanks for your help. I did ring my DNO who told me they had nothing to do with meter issues including timings, and would need to speak to my supplier i.e. Eon. So how do I find out definitively whether SP use a meter operator that supports teleswitch and the times they use? All telephone numbers lead back to customer services who don't know. There seems to be a lot of confusion out there!

Haarlem

msconfused wrote: »

Thanks for your help. I did ring my DNO who told me they had nothing to do with meter issues including timings, and would need to speak to my supplier i.e. Eon. So how do I find out definitively whether SP use a meter operator that supports teleswitch and the times they use? All telephone numbers lead back to customer services who don't know. There seems to be a lot of confusion out there!

If it helps, my teleswitch has an indicator which when in the "On" position the cheap rate is recording, and when "Off" the higher rate. This may help you identify the relevant times. I will be surprised if all teleswitches don't have an indicator.