Switching away from E7 (LoCO2)

m0bov

Hi all, just got he keys to my first property, its got E7 metering with no storage heaters! Its on Pocket LoCO2, any suggestions on what I should do? I am living there on my own, there is no gas.

I spoke with nPower who said they would do a free meter change and then switch to a Non E7 tariff and back date me. Is this worth doing?

james

Neil_Jones

Almost definitely, unless you work nights...

macman

So how are you heating and hot watering the property?-if no gas CH then single rate electric heating will be very expensive.
Unless you can use about 33% on night rate, then E7 is unlikely to benefit you.

m0bov

It will be leccy heating and water. TBH the rates seem so close I'm not sure its worth it now. The hot water will come on at night as could the heating. This is my first home so maybe wait and see. Would LOCO2 get me to sign a contract?

Terrylw1

I would suggest doing what Macman says. Take readings every day over a couple of weeks of normal use and work out your daily average on the rates. If you don't use a 70/30 or 75/25 split depending on tariffs, a one rate tariff will be better.

Also, with many E7 meters they can simply change your tariff and update the required industry databases to state you have a 2 rate meter, its not possible for all E7 meters but the supplier should try this cost way first.just remember this is internal and don't stop the time switch working, so anything attached to your off peak circuit will still be activated.

Just be aware that regardless of what the supplier requests, if the engineer gets their and sees your heating is attached to your off peak circuit, he will abort...otherwise he would leave you with no heating.

macman

m0bov wrote: »

It will be leccy heating and water. TBH the rates seem so close I'm not sure its worth it now. The hot water will come on at night as could the heating. This is my first home so maybe wait and see. Would LOCO2 get me to sign a contract?

No, you are already in a deemed contract with them. As long as you don't register for a tariff with an ETC, you can leave when you wish.
The rates are not similar, all your E7 peak rate usage will be charged at a higher rate than Standard.

Premier_2

macman wrote: »

...The rates are not similar, all your E7 peak rate usage will be charged at a higher rate than Standard.

Yeah, by a few percent, typically less than 10%

Whilst for 7 hours per day, that's almost 30% of the day, all electricity will typically be available for half price or less!!!

Frying pans and ignited material are springing to mind. Don't know why an all electric property wouldn't be set up to take advantage of this low cost electricity for water heating, but if not, for a small cost an immersion heater timer can be installed, and with just a single person occupying the property, a full tank of cheap water should last all day

Also all heating will be at this low cost for 7 hours per day, but whatever happens, it's going to cost the OP a small fortune to heat this all electric property next winter, if there are only electric heaters installed.

OP - do you have a 6 month minimum term on this let? If so, consider moving before next winter.