Newbie - Go Easy on Me!! Need Energy Advice

paula1973

Hi there,

I'm currently with Scottish Hydro (SSE)for both my gas and electricity. Have been with them for over 2 years, had a pain in the backside mix-up with the new build of flats for our electricity supply but got it sorted after a year and had our bill reduced by 2/3rds which wasn't too bad!!

I am currently paying £40 per month gas and £52 per month electricity, both by direct debit. I am not tied into anything. They are hiking up their prices by 11% for electricity and 18% for gas on 14th of September.

As i've been the type of person never to bother changing anything, i'm a bit apprehensive to do anything, but I think there must be a better deal out there for me!!

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paula.

Cardew

Martin has a good guide on this subject.

You firstly need to work out your annual consumption in kWh. You can get this from your bills or simply ask Scottish Hydro.

It then is just a case of using one of the comparison websites(linked on this site) and entering the data - using the annual kWh not the £££s you pay.

That will list the various tariffs. Ensure you read the 'small print' for each tariff.

You can also get cashback for switching.

keith1950

Hi, you must 1st decide if you want the cheapest tariff available or whether you are prepared to pay a bit more to fix for a couple of years.

Find out your yearly useage figures in kwh and enter them on some comparison sites. ( There is no point entering your monthly/annual costs in £'s-you do need to enter the kwh's)

ukpower
energyhelpline
simplyswitch
confused
meerkat
moneysupermarket etc. etc.

You get a list of the cheapest variable and fixed tariffs.

Once you find you cheapest/best tariff check whether that supplier has increased their prices yet. No use switching to a variable tariff and finding the price is going up a few weeks later.

Before you switch look on quidco/topcashback etc. to see if there are any cashbacks available with that supplier.

joany27

Hi i'm New Don't know howto start a post so i thought id use yours to say that i have just signed up to M&S utilities which is SSE I have now found out. Was with EDF online 8 tarriff NO PROBLEMS AT ALL just got caught out in M&S really don't know if I hVE DONE THE RIGHT THING BY SWITCHING help????

keith1950

Hi joany27, in July SSE announced price rises of 11% for electricity and 18% for gas which will come into effect on 14th September.

If you were given a quote which said you would save money, my question would be, were they using pre-increase or post-increase prices to compare?

If I were you I would enter my useage figures, in kwh, into comparison sites and check for yourself.

I have to say that I would never trust an instore rep. because they sometimes get most of their money from commission, if they were M&S employees they would probably not be as ruthless but might not be as well informed.

Remember that salesmen get big commissions for signing up customers and you can get some of that commission by doing the switch yourself through cashback sites or comparison sites that offer cashback.

jalexa

joany27 wrote: »

.. i have just signed up to M&S utilities which is SSE I have now found out...

How recently is "just"?

You have 7 days after signing to cancel.

macman

Use a comp site as explained above (if you are not too late to cancel), then sign up via a cashback site.
Even if SSE were cheaper (doubtful), why sign up in store and give your commission away?

paula1973

Hi there,

Thanks for the advice!!

I have now got the figures I need for yearly consumption, done the comparisons and npower is coming in as saving me nearly £200!! Now, my nxt question is, have they hiked up their prices yet or will I just be fighting a losing battle if i change?! I have tried looking for this info but I think they haven't changed but i'm as bright as a blackoot sometimes so dont trust myself!!

Thanks again for reading,
Paula.

jalexa

paula1973 wrote: »

Hi there,

I have now got the figures I need for yearly consumption, done the comparisons and npower is coming in as saving me nearly £200!! Now, my nxt question is, have they hiked up their prices yet or will I just be fighting a losing battle if i change?

AFAIAA, NPower have yet to announce.

There are (at least) three issues to consider, (1) if you switch to a variable tariff you will indeed be fighting a losing battle. (2) if you switch to a "guaranteed discount" tariff and you do not know they work you will be fighting a losing battle with knobs on. (3) *If* the NPower tariff you compared against is a "deferred discount" tariff the "discount" (circa £100) is already discounted from the tariff but you would forfeit the (£100) discount if you did not complete 12 months custom. (knobs on with handcuffs)

This is entirely your choice but consider the "benefits" of a fixed price tariff. There were still a small number based on pre-increase pricing available this morning, but if you think they might be for you, don't hang around as they will not be around for long.

To sumarise...

Beware "guaranteed discount" tariffs if you don't understand how they work to decieve.

Beware "deferred discount" tariffs if you do not know when,how and if the discount is paid.


Tell two friends and ask each to tell two friends about these "customer unfriendly" (to put it mildly) types of tariff.

And study and make your friends aware of this thread.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3418043

paula1973

I'm now thinking "better the devil you know"!!!

It all seems really confusing, what seem like great deals will only come back and bite you on the rear end in the near future!!

I think I'll just phone Scottish Hydro and see if they can reduce my bills, or just get more conscious of the power we are using and get smart that way!!

Thanks everyone for your help x x

macman

They won't just 'reduce your bills'. If you want a cheap fix, EDF's Fixed Saver v2 is still available, but it has now been announced on MSE that it will be pulled on Sunday.
So if you want to fix, stop dithering and hit the comp sites!
If you don't want to fix, wait until the last of the big 6 have announced their increases.
You didn't make it clear which NPower tariff you were looking at?