Comparison Sites, U Switch etc.

Corf68

Hi,

I'm attempting to switch gas and electricity and have tried comparisons on a number of sites but they all appear to give innaccurate estimates of my existing consumption and expenditure.

I have my costs for the past year and when entering these, the sites tell me I'm using much more gas and electricity than I am. So I've tried entering my actual usage for both, and they then tell me I'm currently paying much more than I am. Whichever way I try to enter existing use or expense I get a wildly innaccurate over or underestimate of current use and expense.

I've checked and double checked everything and its all been entered correctly; I don't want to begin the switching process if I can't trust the information on the switch sites.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions please?

Many thanks

st999

Tell us your yearly consumption in kWhs and your area.

Wywth

Corf68 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm attempting to switch gas and electricity and have tried comparisons on a number of sites but they all appear to give innaccurate estimates of my existing consumption and expenditure.

I have my costs for the past year and when entering these, the sites tell me I'm using much more gas and electricity than I am. So I've tried entering my actual usage for both, and they then tell me I'm currently paying much more than I am. Whichever way I try to enter existing use or expense I get a wildly innaccurate over or underestimate of current use and expense.

I've checked and double checked everything and its all been entered correctly; I don't want to begin the switching process if I can't trust the information on the switch sites.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions please?

Many thanks

Why don't you input your own anticipated annual consumption in kWh?
Details should be available from your existing supplier if you don't already know this.

If you are asking two different sites to guess what this is, then of course you will get two different answers!

ElkyElky

Can't you just compare the pence per units and standing charge you are paying now, to that of a potentional supplier?

Wywth

ElkyElky wrote: »

Can't you just compare the pence per units and standing charge you are paying now, to that of a potentional supplier?

No - you need to use a comparison site to ensure all parts of the tariff makeup are included in the total annual cost

Cardew

ElkyElky wrote: »

Can't you just compare the pence per units and standing charge you are paying now, to that of a potentional supplier?

You would have to treat every company, and all of their tariffs, as a 'potential supplier'.

In any case discounts can alter the picture.

You don't actually need to know exact figures of gas/electricity usage; unless there is really unusual consumption, there won't be much of a difference in the best tariff for the area.

The comparison websites will produce accurate results in a minute or two if you enter annual kWh.

macman

ElkyElky wrote: »

Can't you just compare the pence per units and standing charge you are paying now, to that of a potentional supplier?

No, because it takes 100 times longer, and completely ignores all the other variables in the annual cost.
OP, to get accurate comp site results you need to use annual kWh figures, not monthly DD amounts or annual spend.
If you use the latter, then the site is forced to make assumptions as to your actual kWh consumption, and each site does that slightly differently, hence the variable results.

Corf68

st999 wrote: »

Tell us your yearly consumption in kWhs and your area.

I believe I'm a low user:

Gas - 716kwh
Electricity - 1083
Area - TF11 8TS (Shifnal, Shropshire).

Wywth

Corf68 wrote: »

I believe I'm a low user:

Gas - 716kwh
Electricity - 1083
Area - TF11 8TS (Shifnal, Shropshire).

That's very low usage, especially for gas.

But if correct uSwitch gives lowest dual fuel supplier tariff as nPower Go Save costing £146.15 per year

Energyhelpline gives the same result. (£146)

Which comparison sites have you used?

Plushchris

Corf68 wrote: »

I believe I'm a low user:

Gas - 716kwh
Electricity - 1083
Area - TF11 8TS (Shifnal, Shropshire).

Are you 100% sure that gas usage is in kwh and not cubic metres?

macman

Unbelieveably low-how do you heat and hot water your property?
I too suspect that your gas reading is a meter reading (cu m or 100's cu ft), not an actual kWh consumption figure.