Dual fuel switch, how do I get a good deal.

xrnanchorman

Iv'e been a bit stupid about my energy tariffs and have been paying standard tariff for seperate gas and electric.
My Bills have been quite high, but recently I set about upgrading light bulbs(7W), getting a class A TV(LED), New heating System and improving insulation. But because there have been estimated bills and price hikes, my Bills have remained the same.
I been looking at switching, but all sites use past billing to make an estimate. I want to get the best possible deal before I switch.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about it?

alanq

It is not always best to have dual fuel. It will be cheaper than gas on its own and electricity on its own FROM A GIVEN SUPPLIER but often the cheapest gas comes from companies that originally sold electricity (e.g. EDF) and cheapest electricity from companies that originally sold gas (e.g. British Gas).

Which? (The Consumers' Association) is trying to negotiate a deal with the big energy companies. You can register for The Big Switch without committing yourself to anything.
https://www.whichbigswitch.co.uk/

xrnanchorman

Thanks Alanq, I'll do that

sleepless_saver

xrnanchorman wrote: »

I been looking at switching, but all sites use past billing to make an estimate. I want to get the best possible deal before I switch.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about it?

Have you got enough actual readings from your bills to get a reasonable estimate of annual usage in kwh (not in £)?

macman

Use your existing annual kWh figures minus a percentage for the efficiency improvements. It will be near enough. Find the tariff you want, then switch via a cashback site.
If you submit meter readings at least quarterly, you won't get estimated bills.
And most of the cheapest tariffs require online billing and monthly DD.

Popperwell

I am in the situation where I am having to pay for my gas and electric now because Mum passed away(I worry about how much money I will have coming in)but Mum's gas bill was very high because she liked a very warm house and was ill...I've lost £150 of income per week with Mum's passing.

I went on a comparison site and was advised that duel fuel deals are best(also talking on the phone with one of their advisors)and was told EDF's Blue plus Promise available until September next year would take some beating.

I talked directly to EDF and they said the same thing(They wouuld I suppose)but they say I can leave at any time without penalty and if anyone does a better deal whilst with them they'll tell me...

To try and get a more accurate reading I have been giving daily meter readings to them of my Gas use and electric. Originally I was with(still am N.Power for electric and British Gas for the gas)Standard tariff...pay quarterly with cash/credit card.

This time I would be paying monthly direct debit. I am trying to avoid using the Gas CH but it gets damn cold here so I have to wear lots of warm clothes and sometimes go to bed to stay warm.

On average I seem to use 2 Units of gas daily(and switch it on for two to four hours daily)and my electric consumption seems to work out around 4 units per day)I don't seem to be able to get them any lower but I do switch every electrical gadget off at the wall when not in use. I feel like I have stepped back in time and am living more like someone at the turn of the century. I'm even rationing what I eat.

My main use of electric is my pc and my DAB radio's. I avoid doing too many washes of clothes and save everything up for one decent wash every so often. I have stopped using the Tumble Drier where possible or just take the edge off the wet clothes by putting it foir perhaps ten-15 minutes...

I tend to use one light these days, an energy saving one on the landing for safety in the night which if I leave the doors open, it shines into every bedroom, the toliet, bathroom, landing, stairs and hallway downstairs.

I also try to avoid cooking in the main electric oven too often and not for long and have an ordinary microwave and a combi/microwave which I hope saves on power when I need a hot meal and use those wherever possible. I have heard that halogen oven can save 40% of power when compared to other ways of cooking. So may buy one of them.

I was told £60 a month for electric by NPower was pretty good but EDF thought that they could reduce that. As for the gas, I am unsure. Mum tended to have it on all the time and I'm doing the opposite so getting good readings is difficult. But as the las gas bill(quarterly)when she was here was £507, its going to be cheaper.

EDF are calling me back next Friday to analyse my results and work out a price from what I have told them...and I still have four days of my cooling off period if I decide not to go with them.

But it does worry me...I am on benefits but with Mum passing I will come into some of her money(its not a lot)but it's enough to need probate and it will stop some of the help I get. I'll be paying full rent and most of the community chardge initially. They say I can reapply when I drop under a certain threshold but I worry with all the changes coming in, some of what I am entitled to now with stop. But I keep being told that I wil be fine, not to worry and that I am thinking too far ahead.

Its been suggested that if we get a warm period during summer to pay more so that in the winter there will be some credit so I can afford to have the gas on for longer and be warmer.

margaretclare

There are discounts available for (a) paying monthly by direct debit (b) having dual fuel (c) reading your own meter and sending the details in by email.

Using a tumble-dryer is always hugely expensive. What's wrong with washing out on the line?

Don't leave TV and computer on standby.

If you're living alone you should claim the single-person discount for council tax - ask your local Council or go on to their website.

HTH

alanq

As I posted above dual fuel isn't always cheaper than taking one fuel from one provider and another from another provider.

You say "and if anyone does a better deal whilst with them they'll tell me..."
EDF promise is "If you could save more than £1 a week with any other supplier at typical use, we will tell you." "Typical annual use is: 3,300 kWh electricity and 16,500 kWh gas for Standard meters."
The value of this promise depends on how typical your usage is.

See the MSE Utility boards for tales of EDF taking excessive direct debits.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13&order=desc&page=2

The EDF tariff incurs a daily standing charge. A low usage customer may be better off with another tariff that charges a higher price for the first x units rather than a standing charge. e.g. The EDF standing charge for gas is c £80pa. I, as a very low gas user am paying less than £40pa in total to British Gas.
http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/documents/product-terms/BPPS13.pdf

I'd use one or more independent price comparison websites rather than relying on EDF to tell you how much they can save you. It is in its interest to win a new customer.

The good thing about the account is the price fix without leaving penalty. If prices in general rise you win. If prices in general fall you can switch.
Who knows what will happen. With poor outlook for the World's economy oil prices are beginning to drop but any crisis could change that.

Update: Post moved from Over 50s to Gas & Electricity after I posted.