Standing Charge?

Perelandra

Sorry if this is a daft question but- when you were compared to the single-rate meter, did you look at the cheapest tariff available from Scottish Power? It *might* be that they compared your existing E7 rate with their standard tariff, in which case there could be significantly more savings if you switched to a different tariff as well?


NB: In accordance with the rules for this forum: I work for British Gas, so please consider anything I say in light of this. Anything I post is my own view, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.

Terrylw1

wyattnorm wrote: »

The SP rep went through it all and said that there would be a charge. There is only so much that you can go on asking, you get to the point that you have to take what they say as correct.

I am pleased that they actually contacted me, so often it is hard to get hold of anyone.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply.

Norman

I just love forums...have a question, someone knows the answer!

OK. I just know that call centre staff have very little knowledge of the ability to alter the distribution profile and they charge customers that should not pay...although its also very likely a money making exercise since customers pay up to double the cost of a visit.

chris1973

I found the best thing to do with E7 tariff is to switch suppliers, twice a year.

Utilise the one with the lowest peak rates during the spring and summer months, where off peak rates are not that vital.

Then when autumn arrives, switch back to the one which offers the lowest off peak rates

It really is that simple

Obviously the suppliers who offer the best off peak rates, tend to boost their peak rates in order to claw back the subsidised rate. I pay 18.86p peak and 5.3p off peak to Npower on E7 during the Winter - enough said.

Obviously during the winter months, the off peak usage becomes the majority demand, and so its better to have a much more competitive off peak rate.

During the summer, with the storage heaters off, then off peak usage bottoms out, and its false economy to pay more for the peak rate electricity, in order to subsidise the off peak E7 rates - which you aren't (shouldn't be!) using a lot of in Summer.

Most people tend to use a immersion heater all year around, but I found that the difference in off peak rates from supplier to supplier may only vary by about 0.8p per unit, however the day rate comparison for the same suppliers may vary by 7p per unit.
I appreciate that most people on E7 will also heat their water all year around, but running an immersion heater for a few hours overnight, will not really be adversely affected by that 0.8p difference in KW/H, whilst the difference made by saving 5p - 7p per unit during peak hours will more than make up the difference during the Summer, and make switching summer / winter worth the effort.

Case in point, I often switch from one supplier who offers 5.3p off peak / 18.86p peak in the winter, to another supplier who offers 6.2p off peak / 12p peak during the spring / summer months.

I got fed up with comparison sites which work on an annual basis, and assume that 55% overnight use is the same all year around, well not when its 28c outside it isn't!. During the summer my off peak use changes from 50% - 60% to around 10% - 15%

My peak usage tends to remain the same all year around (TV, Computer, Xbox, DVD, Fridge, Freezer, Dehumidifier) but during the winter I use anything upto 60kw/h per night with the storage heaters switched on. Therefore I take advantage of lower daytime rates in the summer for my general usage, whilst switching back to a more generous off peak tariff when I begin eating Electricity with the storage heaters in the Autumn.

I only run my immersion heater for 90 minutes per night, which is more than enough to heat the entire tank, and I dont really notice that much difference in the higher summer off peak tariff's compared to what i'm saving on the peak tariff.