Advice on the cheapest gas / electric tariff

Wywth

sghughes42 wrote: »

I've just received a letter from Eon saying my EnergyOnline plan is being changed. I was expecting the increase, what I wasn't expecting is that they are changing from a flat unit rate to a standing charge and a lower unit rate. This now appears to apply to all their plans.

The reason this may cause me issues is that from the middle of next month my house will be standing empty during the week so I'll be using much less gas and electric.

The reason for this is that I'm relocating for a job and will be looking to sell the house. I want to change to a plan that doesn't have a standing charge but I'm worried that by doing so I'll lock whoever buys the house in to a rate they might not want.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to go about this and where to look for a good rate? NPower seem to offer good cashback via TopCashBack and their Go Save tariff doesn't seem to have a standing charge buy does say that exit charges may apply.

If you know what your anticipated annual consumption next year (assuming you do not sell the property) is likely to be, then use a comparison site to find yourself the best deal for you.

It doesn't matter how you the charge is made up; what is important is the total cost.

If you don't know what your annual consumption is likely to be, then switching could result in you jumping out of the proverbial frying pan.

sghughes42

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

There's no cancellation/exit fees with your EnergyOnline tariff. You, too, can switch supplier without penalty.

Thanks, but that's not quite what I'm worried about. I'm thinking of switching now to a new tariff without a standing charge - based on what you have said, that will have to be away from Eon.

What I'm concerned about is whether any penalty clauses in a new tariff will come in to effect when I sell the house, or if they will be voided. The consensus seems split on here...

sghughes42

Wywth wrote: »

If you know what your anticipated annual consumption next year (assuming you do not sell the property) is likely to be, then use a comparison site to find yourself the best deal for you.

Impossible to tell, as I'll be going from living there all the time to popping over occasionally on a weekend to make sure everything is OK. Electric will be almost zero. I may keep the boiler on very low until spring just to avoid things freezing up. However, I'm guessing it will be a tiny percentage of what I'm using now as I won't be heating the house every evening and weekend to a comfortable temperature and I won't be running fridge, freezer, cooker, PC etc.

I'm guessing that under those circumstances that I'd have to be on an incredibly poor rate to even get close to what just the standing charge is going to cost in 6 months.

Wywth

sghughes42 wrote: »

Impossible to tell, as I'll be going from living there all the time to popping over occasionally on a weekend to make sure everything is OK. Electric will be almost zero. I may keep the boiler on very low until spring just to avoid things freezing up. However, I'm guessing it will be a tiny percentage of what I'm using now as I won't be heating the house every evening and weekend to a comfortable temperature and I won't be running fridge, freezer, cooker, PC etc.

I'm guessing that under those circumstances that I'd have to be on an incredibly poor rate to even get close to what just the standing charge is going to cost in 6 months.

So you will turn the fridge off? The police advise having lights on variable timers, and possibly electric powered cutains, to make the property looked lived in.

Use a comparison site and put in 1kWh per year for gas & electric.

You'll probably end up with nPower who will pay you £40-£50 a year if you agree to pay by DD (even quarterly on receipt of bill).
You'll probably find they will end up paying you to supply you with the little energy you do use

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

sghughes42 wrote: »

Thanks, but that's not quite what I'm worried about. I'm thinking of switching now to a new tariff without a standing charge - based on what you have said, that will have to be away from Eon.

What I'm concerned about is whether any penalty clauses in a new tariff will come in to effect when I sell the house, or if they will be voided. The consensus seems split on here...

Hi sghughes

Yes, that's right. All our tariffs will have a standing charge after 18 January 2013. So, to have a tariff without a standing charge, it will have to be, sadly, with another supplier.

You would have to ask your new supplier about penalty clauses on their tariffs. This is something I wouldn't be able to comment on.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Malc