Never had gas or electricity before - please help

sarahc5388

I have never had gas or electricity bills before as I ahve been in the Armed Forces for 22 years. I am now trying to gwt quotes and am finding it almost impossible as they all ask for current supplier and usage, can anyone help

HappyMJ

It will be difficult as you have no idea of your annual usage. You need to take regular weekly meter readings and make an estimate of what your annual usage could be based on those readings bearing in mind that winter usage will be much more than your summer usage.

I'd just stay with the current supplier until you have those readings and estimates (3 months maybe) then try looking for a cheaper supplier.

sarahc5388

I dont have a supplier yet, i hopefully get the keys on monday

HappyMJ

sarahc5388 wrote: »

I dont have a supplier yet, i hopefully get the keys on monday

You will get the existing supplier to the property. Ask the agency to ask the previous occupiers who the supplier is.

notbritishgas

HappyMJ wrote: »

You will get the existing supplier to the property. Ask the agency to ask the previous occupiers who the supplier is.

And then OP make sure YOU take the meter readings on the day you move in and ring the supplier to give them your details and the meter readings.

dogshome

Hi sarahc5388 - As already advised you will automatically become the customer of whichever Utility Co. presently supplies the property you are moving into
As a new customer they will put you on their expensive 'Standard Tariff', but once you have notified them of your occupation & meter readings on the day you move in, you are free to Switch to another supplier.

To do this you need to know your Gas/Elec Annual Consumption figures in Kwh, which you will not know, but if you ask, the present supplier will tell you what these figures were for the previous occupant.
Then armed with these figures you can research the Switch sites

bengasman

You don't need a existing figures, nor do you need a quote for what they expect you will pay next year.
All you need to do, is look at the tariffs offered in your area, choose one, and sign up.

jalexa

sarahc5388 wrote: »

I am now trying to gwt quotes and am finding it almost impossible as they all ask for current supplier and usage,

Yes they do but most also provide "defaults" if actual consumption is not known. For quite a wide range of "average" consumption the comparison website order (but not the saving) is fairly accurate.

The exceptions are for "low" consumption a "no standing charge" tariff *may* be preferable to a standing charge tariff and for very low consumption a "social supplier" such as Ebico may be best. The type of property and installed heating will be a guide to whether you can expect to be "low" or "average" consumption.

A much bigger concern for you is that tariffs "earn" a placing towards the top of the comparison by virtue of one or more "gotchas":( such as "deferred discount":eek: or "guaranteed discount".

Particulary beware "deferred discount":eek: unless you understand the circumstances you would forfeit the discount.