First house - setting up utilities?

littlesheepy

I'm hopefully due to move into my first house sometime this week and have no idea to go about setting up my gas and electric for the best deal as all the comparisons are just that, 'comparisons' which i don't have yet.
The previous occupier was with Scottish Power for both gas and electric, which i believe when i move in, i need to ring and notify them of meter readings. Is it better to give it a couple of months paying them and then have something to compare and possibly switch?
Any help greatly appreciated, thanks

t0rt0ise

You are right that you need to open an account with the current supplier first. Then go onto a comparison site and use the average usage to get the best deal. Leaving it a couple of months won't help as it'll show what you use in the summer but not the winter so you'll still have little idea. The site will work out an average if you say you don't have your usage.

littlesheepy

t0rt0ise wrote: »

You are right that you need to open an account with the current supplier first. Then go onto a comparison site and use the average usage to get the best deal. Leaving it a couple of months won't help as it'll show what you use in the summer but not the winter so you'll still have little idea. The site will work out an average if you say you don't have your usage.

Great, i'll give that a go then thanks

Terrylw1

You enter a Deemed contract, so be careful as that gives them the right to bill you on standard rates and often the call centres don't make you aware of savings on other tariffs, but be careful about lock in agreements.

Take the reads the day you move in, keep giving them, give them for any switch and above all...save them incase there is a later dispute.

macman

For a typical 3 b/r property with gas CH and DHW, just use average figures of 3,800kWh for electricity and 16,500 kWh for gas. That will be near enough to get you started on the comp sites.

littlesheepy

Thanks guys. I'll be in a 2 bed terraced property on my own if it helps in terms of something to compare?!?

littlesheepy

Terrylw1 wrote: »

You enter a Deemed contract, so be careful as that gives them the right to bill you on standard rates and often the call centres don't make you aware of savings on other tariffs, but be careful about lock in agreements.

Take the reads the day you move in, keep giving them, give them for any switch and above all...save them incase there is a later dispute.

Can i do my home work on say the Scottish power website or comparison sites before i ring and see what they try to put me on, so i can ask about going onto a different tariff if they offer different to the website?

Terrylw1

littlesheepy wrote: »

Can i do my home work on say the Scottish power website or comparison sites before i ring and see what they try to put me on, so i can ask about going onto a different tariff if they offer different to the website?

Yes, its worth doing that.

They should guide you through the options but the person you speak to could get it wrong, be rushed like call centres are, etc. So, if you do your checks first, you can prod them in the right direction.

Just check all the t&c's about lock ins, early termination charges, the old "you won't see the benefit until year 2" style contracts, etc.

DVardysShadow

When you move in, make taking readings of water gas and electricity your first move. Take a note of these readings and keep it safe eg in a diary. And check your first bill against these readings.

Ken68

If mid terrace, you may well become a low user or even a very low user, so a no standing charge tariff would be better.
Ebico amongst others.

littlesheepy

Thanks for the info everybody. Taken my first meter reading and taken photos as a reminder.
Going to spend the evening scouring the websites and comparisons sites before i give them a call to hopefully give me some kind of idea or understanding of what i'm talking about