Switching Gas or Electric? - I don't think so....

manbelow

I think switching Gas and Electricity is a waste of time.

I have done it a few times!!!!

Reasons why not...

1/ Everytime I've done it I have ended up with a big bill of the fuel I have used from previous company.

2/ They say it's cheaper but in the long run it's NOT.

3/ All of the companies are in it together, no competition.

4/ The PM says so "I don't believe any politician".(He hasn't got a clue)

5/ It wastes your time searching all of the time. ( got beter thing to do)

I believe everything that Martin says and I have great respect and admire him even before he was on Tv and Radio, Martin managed to advise me on getting loads of money from the banks, and when I think he was right on this issue a few months. even years back, I don't think it's the case this time.

Gas and Electric companies are taking us all for a ride with all of there over inflated profits, so no my advise don't bother with them, as I have had experience with the charlatans.:mad:

Take Care
Phil

chris1973

1/ Everytime I've done it I have ended up with a big bill of the fuel I have used from previous company.

Often this happens because the DD payments are under-estimated and not covering the actual usage, and have been for the duration of the period stated on the bill.

Other times its because nobody has been submitting regular up to date meter readings when those 'Sorry we missed you' cards are put through the letter box - these enable the Electricity supplier to constantly monitor each households actual usage pattern on a quarterly basis, and set / adjust their DD accordingly. More often than not the householder checking their monthly usage from actual visual meter readings will resolve or at least lessen significantly the risk of this happening, as they will know that using £50 - £75 every month and only paying £35 in DD towards it is going to result in tears when the catch up bill finally arrives several months later. I see a lot of utility companies are now offering their customers the opportunity to log in and submit readings whenever they choose to keep records up to date or if the meter reader is unable to visit, but the question probably should be "How many bother"?

I'm currently in a rented property with a pre-pay meter, but I do move around a lot with my work, and during those times I'm in a property with a credit meter, I submit a meter reading a few weeks before the bill is due and then pay quarterly by online payment using a debit card when the bill arrives - never had an issue with large 'back payments' when moving on when working this way....and I settle an awful lot of final bills with utlility companies as I move on a lot. Sure I may miss those DD Discounts, but it doesn't half make it easy to change suppliers when there is no arguing the toss over whether they owe me credit or I owe them debit!.

2/ They say it's cheaper but in the long run it's NOT.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one!. I currently pay 18.85p per KW/H to Npower and I can easily find several companies who offer far cheaper rates than this, EDF for example offer 14p KW/H which is a significant saving at almost 5p per Unit. However the one thing that stops me from changing is that its controlled by the landlord and I have no say or control over the supplier, so cannot switch either way. I assume you are paying exactly the same 18.85p kw/h as me, if all of the suppliers are 'in league' with each other??

3/ All of the companies are in it together, no competition.

Again I point out the differences in Tariffs for my current area (West Midlands), and highlight my point above regarding the 5p per KW/H difference between two of these companies. If they are all in league, why am I not getting 18.85p across all of the suppliers?.....because i'm not.

5/ It wastes your time searching all of the time. ( got beter thing to do)

Well each to their own, but if I can save upto £100 on my bills from a hour or two searching online, then i'd say it was worthwhile - after all my employer doesn't pay me the equiv of £50 - £100 in return for an hours work and I still toddle off to work for him every morning - what kind of fool am I eh ?

Gas and Electric companies are taking us all for a ride with all of there over inflated profits, so no my advise don't bother with them, as I have had experience with the charlatans

Of course we are being taken for a ride!, but its not just Gas and Electric companies, but everybody else also it seems, and its always been this way since I started paying my own way (and bills) many years ago. Unfortunately the UK has a seemingly well founded reputation for being a country of no-er-do-nothings when it comes up to standing up and complaining, so companies tend to take advantage of this, and screw us over at every opportunity.

System

its worked out OK for me ,i switched from n power to BG i asked for my payments to remain the same and Ive built up a nice credit for winter something i never managed to do at n power.

caveat_emptor

For me switching is not a waste of time as I'm going to save £200 in the coming year switching from BG.
Mind you,I've just had a call from Scottish Power about switching to them and haven't stopped laughing yet.