Really confused?!?!

lazymoezy

I've seen Martin come on a few programmes about all this and I always wanted to change suppliers.

Today was the last string, just got my bill and I really think I can save more.

My electricity bill was £205.20 - British Gas - I never changed since I moved into my new house which was built 5 yrs ago.

My gas bill was 105.48 - British gas - Never changed either.

I just done a search on Uswitch and shows up Npower is the best.

Just wanted more help on here before I switch with them. Can you help? Here are a few figures on my Electricity bill:-

Electricity used - 1886 Units
for first 133 kwh @ 18 at 18.085 pence per KWH
for next 753 kwh @ 8.558 pence per KWH
for next 150 kwh @ pence per KWH
for last 850 kwh @ 9.842 pence per KWH

Really confusing stuff and trust me Im useless at understanding all this. Will I save if I switch to Npower? It says I save £117 per year, is that really true? Or just a rough figure. My bill is getting higher and higher, in my old house £200 wrapped up both electricity and gas bills.

Now, just the electricity bill itself goes upto £200+.

Any sort of advise or help will be appreciated,

MoE

tripled

BG doesn't charge a standing charge so for the first 225 kwh of electric you use per quarter you pay a higher rate, then it drops to the lower rate (first two lines). British Gas increased their prices in September so after that you were charged at the new prices (send two lines). British Gas is one of the most expensive providers on their standard rate so it is likely you would save money by switching. However you could also consider their online 'click energy' tariff which is much cheaper, or switching to Ebico which has some very good reports on this forum.

Cardew

Just to elaborate on tripled's post.

From the prices you quote it would appear that you are in the London Electricity area.
(The prices you show incidentally are before VAT @5%)

The 133kWh and 150kWh(= 283) are (pro rata for the 900kWhpa -225 a quarter) at the higher rate. The 133 are at the price before the rise in Sept.

Nobody should remain on BG's standard rate as the prices are very high - particularly for gas.

BG's Click Energy rates(an on-line account payable by DD only) for the London area are:

12.5p for the first 900kWh pa(225 per quarter) before VAT
7.8p for the rest.

Incidentally Click Energy's Gas price is 3.325p per kWh for the first 1143kWh per quarter, and 2.553p per kWh for the rest - these prices include VAT.(approx 3.16p and 2.43pp before tax)

It should be pointed out that Click Energy's prices did not increase last Sept so there is a possibility that they could rise next year????

MrPhil_3

Be very wary of Click Energy! Several posters on this forum, including me, have signed up for this tariff on-line but have instead been put on to other more expensive tariffs by BG! BG have told me that they are trying to fix the problem. They have known about it for 3 months! They have only answered one of the six emails I sent them. Energywatch are investigating. I am now switching to Npower who so far have been very good at answering my questions.

cheghead

try doing a comparison on https://www.energyhelpline.co.uk

check out https://www.Ebico.co.uk. Not sure if they'll be the cheapest for your area but most on MSE recommend including myself.

(and b4 any1 asks no I don't work for them!)

lazymoezy

I check Npower on Uswitch and I worked out that there was roughly a 1p saving per kwh, which is stil cheaper but not by much. I find all this very confusing but with your help it is so much cleaer and god knows what I will be doing without MSE.com.

btw I am in the London Electricity area.

Thank you very much!

lazymoezy

British gas green click energy came out top.

Gas
3.325p for the first 1143 kWh per quarter, and 2.553p thereafter

Electricity
13.128p for the first 225 kWh per quarter, and 8.213p thereafter

This is way cheaper than what I pay on their standard tariff. How do I find out about EBICO prices? It's not on their site or on these comparison websites.

I'm alittle confused about the discount bit. Will I save £25 or will they deduct £25 of the bill everytime as there is no paper billing?

I dont quite understand this either - 'Customers will be on the green tariff until March 31st 2007, after which they will revert back to normal energy supply arrangements.' - Is this just a temporary tariff?

I really like this tariff but I also like the sound of EBICO as they look really really cheap but cant get any info.

EDIT: One more thing, I've been living at my current address for 5 years now and the electricity meter is reading 38,455, so on average thats about 7,500 kwh per year. How do I check the gas? Im not sure how much is used and I think it will be more accurate that way than showing how much I pay as it differs.

Thank you soooooo much for your help!!!

MoE

tripled

Click here for Ebico prices: Ebico's tariffs

With regards to BG:

British Gas is currently working on securing new Green Electricity supplies from renewable sources after March 2007. If you sign up we will update you in the new year.

ie there is no guarantee you will still be on a green tariff come April but one day you will find out

lazymoezy

Maybe I should have one supplier for gas and another for electricity.

I just found that ScottishPower - 2010 Online Price Guarantee charges just under 10p kwh which is really cheap but they have a 20p standing charge everyday which still works out cheap.

Getting all confusing again.

Basically, if I use 7,500 kwh per year that's 21 kwh per day.

I can use those figures alone to work out the cheapest electricity bill as I dont think the comparison websites are not very accurate because I just provided a one of payment info, whereas, using units is more accurate, right?

Thanks tripled.

Cardew

So with Ebico you will pay approx £40pa less for gas than Click energy.

However if you use 7,500kWh pa for Electricity then Click Energy will be approx £75 cheaper.

If you feel BG will not raise their Click Energy prices before Ebico it makes sense to go with them - on the other hand.......

Time to toss a coin methinks!

One thing for sure - change from your BG standard tariff!

lazymoezy

EQUIGAS charges 2.55p per kWh (including VAT) regardless of how much you use or how you pay.

^^
Is that all I pay? No signing up fee? monthly charges?

I think I will be joining them asap. Electricity is also cheap.

Any reviews on this company? problems? I havnt heard of them before you see.

Thanks,

-MoE-