Discounted or fixed gas/electricity?

saxonrosecliff

My current deal with Scottish Power is coming to an end in November. I can choose my next deal now and have narrowed it down to two (done comparison and no other company is worth changing to). The two options are:

3% discount off the standard rate until August 2015; or

fixed until April 2014.

Over a year at current prices the discounted one works out at £12 a year cheaper than the fixed one.

There are no cancellation charges with either and I've given myself a headache trying to work out which would be best! So what would you go for?

ginner47

Like the previous post I am also on Scottish Power online 15 saver which runs out at the end of November. I have just got a online quote from them to switch to the Online fixed price April 2014 and it says I will be paying £190 58p more per year. Seems alot to me and thats before the next increase, so if I don't fix what will I be paying!!

Scottish_Power

Hi saxonrosecliff if you would like any help with this please e-mail me at [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] Thanks David @ ScottishPower

notbritishgas

saxonrosecliff wrote: »

My current deal with Scottish Power is coming to an end in November. I can choose my next deal now and have narrowed it down to two (done comparison and no other company is worth changing to). The two options are:

3% discount off the standard rate until August 2015; or

fixed until April 2014.

Over a year at current prices the discounted one works out at £12 a year cheaper than the fixed one.

There are no cancellation charges with either and I've given myself a headache trying to work out which would be best! So what would you go for?

Well if those 2 are really your only choices bear this in mind. Scottish Power have not yet put up their prices so the Standard tariff you compared to will go up by about 8 or 9% ?? so your 3% discount will suddenly be a lot more than the fix until 2014. Also the fix will give you peace of mind for 2 more winters.
The problem is the fix could welle be withdrawn before the end of Nov, would they allow you to switch before?

ginner47 wrote: »

Like the previous post I am also on Scottish Power online 15 saver which runs out at the end of November. I have just got a online quote from them to switch to the Online fixed price April 2014 and it says I will be paying £190 58p more per year. Seems alot to me and thats before the next increase, so if I don't fix what will I be paying!!

When you signed up to the online 15 saver it was obviusly at a good rate, prices have gone up since then hence the hefty prices rise. I am on a fix til 2014 and am anticipating a huge rise wjhen that comes to an end.:eek:

Edit: OH DEAR!! Just seen the thread about SP to rase their prices.

rogerblack

In the face of upcoming rises, unless you believe that gas will go back down significantly in the near term, it may well be worth breaking the saver before it ends.
While you may pay an exit penalty, and more expensive electricty for a couple of months, you can lock in current, not future rates.

saxonrosecliff

For some reason I thought Scottish Power had already put up their prices when I did the comparison. Anyway I've rang up and fixed.

I know Martin was recommending Utility Warehouse and it does work out cheaper but I spent a year with them before changing to Scottish Power and due to their lack of customer service and their inability to send me a bill that was correct they are one of two power companies that I refuse to use, the other being Npower (and that's a whole other story).

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi saxonrosecliff

This is what we say in our Gas & Electricity guide about Utility Warehouse:

Is Utility Warehouse any good?

This is a commonly-asked question. Unlike most energy companies and resellers, Utility Warehouse operates by network marketing, which means its customers are encouraged to sell on the product to their friends and they get commission for it.

This tends to mean it does well on feedback charts, as customers have a vested interest, and many of them are evangelical about the firm. That in itself doesn't make the product bad, but in our view it is no better or worse than any other energy provider.

Utility Warehouse's prices are included in all the main comparison services we list. So if the company turns out to be cheapest for you, it should be listed by them, and then it's worth going for.

The main pitch of Utility Warehouse is that you can also get cheap mobile, broadband and home phones with it and that reduces the fee. In general, we find using the standalone cheapest providers undercuts this, so always compare with those before signing up to it. See the Cheap Home Phones, Cheap Broadband and Cheap Mobiles guides for more.

notbritishgas

saxonrosecliff wrote: »

For some reason I thought Scottish Power had already put up their prices when I did the comparison. Anyway I've rang up and fixed.

I know Martin was recommending Utility Warehouse and it does work out cheaper but I spent a year with them before changing to Scottish Power and due to their lack of customer service and their inability to send me a bill that was correct they are one of two power companies that I refuse to use, the other being Npower (and that's a whole other story).

Perhaps you were thinking of Scottish and Southern Energy, they were the first to go up.

I think you have done the right thing to fix at that rate for 2 winters:money: