Which is cheapest per unit for average users?

Flight2quality

Sure this must have been asked many times but can I please start another thread on it.

I am fed up trying to look through all the websites trying to find which company is cheapest.

Is there any easy way to find which provider would be best for you?

I am with Southern electric for both gas and electric and for some reason it has more than doubled lately.

I know inflation is high but its not so high to double your bills surely?

I used to pay around 70 per month for electric, gas and water. Now its double that, so I want to change providers.

Be very grateful for any help I don't know where to start.

dogshome

I'm afraid that your problem is down to the 'Free Market', but just like buying anything you have to do the homework to find the best deal for you

It's vital that you establish your Gas & Elec annual consumption figures in Kwh - This may be printed on a recent bill bill from SE, but if not phone them and ask - Then armed with these figures visit a Switch site, I always use 'switchwithwhich' ,then use the total cost to check that your D/D's to SE are enough, too high or too low
Your Direct Debit hike may have been made to collect debt that has built up on the Gas & Elec accounts.

So far as Water is concerned your figures suggest you are on a meter. On the water forum there have been several posts regarding increases in D/Debits that are not justified by the use - check your meter reading whenever you get a bill

StephenM_2

Flight2quality wrote: »

I used to pay around 70 per month for electric, gas and water. Now its double that, so I want to change providers.

You can't change your water provider.

chris1973

I know inflation is high but its not so high to double your bills surely?

Really?, not far off.

We recently had a 20% rise from some providers, coupled with the earlier rise at the start of the year, which combined have probably put up the average cost of energy up by as much as 30%+, more than 1/4 in less than 12 months

Couple that with the previous rises in 2010 and 2009, 10% here, 8% there all adds up, so yeah over a period of a few years that probably begins to add up. Maybe not double, but you sure as hell can see it from there!.

There is no such thing as 'Cheap' energy any longer, as between them the Government and the Energy companies have removed any trace of that ever returning. Have you done everything possible to reduce your energy use?

With a few more green taxes here, a feed in tariff there, in a few short years even £140 a month will look cheap, enjoy it before the next 20% increase is announced.

pothole50

BG prices for gas Oct 09 Tier 1 -- 6.087p Oct 11--- 8.261p that's 36% in two years.

savemoney

For some reason I never got a valid answer to why I get 3 tiers on BG essentials now I never use too, I gave up trying to get a answer from BG months ago

1st rate pay 5.891p first 228kWh
2nd rate 5.891p next 160 kWh
3rd rate 3.430p third 658.72 kWh (thats what it says on bill go figure)

Two prices rises this year April and August lovely

October 2009

1st rate 1228.00 kWh 4.511p
2nd rate 8796kWh 2.736p

pothole50 wrote: »

BG prices for gas Oct 09 Tier 1 -- 6.087p Oct 11--- 8.261p that's 36% in two years.

chris1973

Slightly different, but I also deal with negotiating utlities as part of my job for a manufacturing site.

Since last year, i've seen prices rise from 2.1p KW/H to this years quote of 3.7p KW/H - both of these are ex climate charge levy and standing charge, and we are a medium level commercial users.

Still not quite double, but not far off, and thats in 12 months.

Eventually got it down to sub 3p, but not before a lot of haggling, many of the 'known' suppliers were all in the 3.5 to 4p ballpark