why so complicated?

ratkarth

trying to switch my gas or electric for the first time...
why is it all so complicated????
why cant they just table cost per unit of different companies so can just compare them..!!! anyone know of such a table? have googled for half an hour and cant find one.
I still cant work out who is cheapest

Cardew

Because the unit cost is only part of the story.

There are multiple discounts for payment method, dual fuel, on-line billing, loyalty bonus etc. Some charge xxx units at tier 1 rates, others yyy units at tier 1 rates, others one flat rate, others a daily standing charge. All these can make a huge difference to what you pay and there are many thousands of combinations.

The reason for this complication? its called 'confusion marketing' they don't want you to be able to work out who is cheapest so it is all smoke and mirrors.

However if you enter the details of your consumption in kWh into any of the comparison website, you will get accurate results

Plushchris

As Cardew says, if you put your Kwh usage into a comparison site they will tell you who is cheapest - as the meerkat says "Simples!" there is no complications to it at all.


Comparing unit rates is pretty much meaningless, if you go for the supplier with (what looks like) the cheapest unit rate, chances are you will not be switching to the cheapest tariff..