EDF Blue or Ebico?

saveonarola

I've just done a price comparison for gas and electricity, dual fuel, and Ebico comes out about £20 cheaper than EDF Blue. But EDF Blue is fixed until April 2014.

My annual bill with Ebico would be about £400, which means it would only take a 5% increase in the Ebico tariff, applied for a 12-month period, to wipe out the £20 saving.

I guess I should just go with EDF Blue, even though I really like the price structure of Ebico. Any thoughts?

Wywth

saveonarola wrote: »

I've just done a price comparison for gas and electricity, dual fuel, and Ebico comes out about £20 cheaper than EDF Blue. But EDF Blue is fixed until April 2014.

My annual bill with Ebico would be about £400, which means it would only take a 5% increase in the Ebico tariff, applied for a 12-month period, to wipe out the £20 saving.

I guess I should just go with EDF Blue, even though I really like the price structure of Ebico. Any thoughts?

That's a risk only you can ultimately decide upon.

You either pay a current 5% premium to secure a deal you know will be fixed for the next two winters,

or

take the currently lower cost offered by Ebico, aware that their tariffs are variable.

I would just say that Ebico have not yet announced any price rise, but SSE have announced a 9% average price rise for this year and who knows what will happen this time next year. We all know where Ebico purchases its energy from

penrhyn

Ebico prices follow those of their supply partner SSE. You may be aware that SSE signalled a price increase recently.

undaunted

Ebico have tended to change prices less than other suppliers & are a not for profit co. I believe price changes were from Sep 06, constant until increased in Apr 08 and Sep 08, then fell Mar 09, increased Sep 11. It would be worth asking them whether they envisage any changes in the near future before writing them off on the basis of a guess at what may happen

penrhyn

EDF tariff is due to be pulled if it has not been already so OP better get the lead out!

macman

penrhyn wrote: »

EDF tariff is due to be pulled if it has not been already so OP better get the lead out!

Do you have insider knowledge of this penryhn?
Though I agree that it is very likely to be pulled within the next 30 days (before Fixed Saver v2 expires).
Edit: ah, just seen the announcement on another thread...

saveonarola

penrhyn wrote: »

EDF tariff is due to be pulled if it has not been already so OP better get the lead out!

I got the lead out! Just signed up with EDF. Could have had £15 cashback through energyhelpline.com too, but they pulled the deal at lunchtime. Bah! Still, mustn't grumble - it's a good saving and I'm thinking I was lucky to get the tariff at all. As penrhyn said, this is going fast. Here's today's MSE story:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/utilities/2012/08/edf-to-pull-top-fixed-energy-deal

olly300

I'm in the same situation as the OP and have decided to switch to EDF Blue.

I calculated that most of the utility companies will put their tariffs up by January so Ebico will have no choice but to follow and as my use varies, though it's been low for the past 2 years, I may as well change. If EDF annoy me I will just change back.

Life_On_Mars

'We are aware that our supply partner, SSE plc, has announced that its energy prices will be rising with effect from the 15th October 2012. These increases do not apply to Ebico customers. The wholesale cost of energy has risen over recent months and the costs of, both, using the energy networks and meeting the Government’s social and environmental targets are increasing. However Ebico remains committed to keeping our customers’ energy costs as stable as we can for as long as we can, and we have no plans at present to increase the prices of EquiGas or EquiPower.'

From Ebico's Facebook page, for what it's worth.

MillicentBystander

Life_On_Mars wrote: »

'We are aware that our supply partner, SSE plc, has announced that its energy prices will be rising with effect from the 15th October 2012. These increases do not apply to Ebico customers. The wholesale cost of energy has risen over recent months and the costs of, both, using the energy networks and meeting the Government’s social and environmental targets are increasing. However Ebico remains committed to keeping our customers’ energy costs as stable as we can for as long as we can, and we have no plans at present to increase the prices of EquiGas or EquiPower.'

From Ebico's Facebook page, for what it's worth.

Very noble but it's not exactly a cast iron promise not to raise prices for a certain period of time (like Eon did). They are entirely dependent on their fuel coming from SSE, it doesn't take a genius to summise that Ebico will have to follow at some stage in the next few months.

Wywth

Life_On_Mars wrote: »

'We are aware that our supply partner, SSE plc, has announced that its energy prices will be rising with effect from the 15th October 2012. These increases do not apply to Ebico customers. The wholesale cost of energy has risen over recent months and the costs of, both, using the energy networks and meeting the Government’s social and environmental targets are increasing. However Ebico remains committed to keeping our customers’ energy costs as stable as we can for as long as we can, and we have no plans at present to increase the prices of EquiGas or EquiPower.'

From Ebico's Facebook page, for what it's worth.

I have highlighted the important words here.

Remember, this was posted on the Ebico facebook page on the same day that SSE announced they were increasing their prices by 9%. So at the time, it would be true Ebico had no plans - they would need to get into negotiations with their supply partner (SSE) and discover what price they will be charged for their energy in future so they can then work out what price to charge their own customers

You may find this thread useful as to what happened a couple of years ago
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2918922