Energyhelpline switch puts me out of pocket !

tevaka

Having read all the advice about fixed tariffs this winter I used Energyhelpine to get 'estimates' and chose Scottish Electricity based on the 'savings of £112 p.a.' compared to my previous tariff with Southern Electric.

I provided my energy consumption for both fuels for the previous year based on Economy 7 in the case of my electric tariff.

Having switched to Scottish Electricity they've now sent me the monthly direct debit I'll pay that amounts to an increase of £9 per month = £108 p.a.

This means on the 'guesstimate' by Energyhelpline I'm now paying £220 p.a. than their figures suggested.

Has anyone else had this happen and am I now within my rights to switch back to Southern Electricity on a fixed tariff with them as I feel I've been duped ?

Also Scottish Electricity will only review my DD annually whereas Southern Electricity would refund me promptly when my accounts were in large credit.Scottish Electricity pay £1 back out of every £33 you're in credit - whoopee doo

Wywth

tevaka wrote: »

Having read all the advice about fixed tariffs this winter I used Energyhelpine to get 'estimates' and chose Scottish Electricity based on the 'savings of £112 p.a.' compared to my previous tariff with Southern Electric.

I provided my energy consumption for both fuels for the previous year based on Economy 7 in the case of my electric tariff.

Having switched to Scottish Electricity they've now sent me the monthly direct debit I'll pay that amounts to an increase of £9 per month = £108 p.a.

This means on the 'guesstimate' by Energyhelpline I'm now paying £220 p.a. than their figures suggested.

Has anyone else had this happen and am I now within my rights to switch back to Southern Electricity on a fixed tariff with them as I feel I've been duped ?

Also Scottish Electricity will only review my DD annually whereas Southern Electricity would refund me promptly when my accounts were in large credit.Scottish Electricity pay £1 back out of every £33 you're in credit - whoopee doo

If you input your actual anticipated annual usage, you will get a calculated annual charge, not an estimated one.

It's no point trying to compare monthly DD payments - totally meaningless.

Hasbeen

tevaka wrote: »

Having read all the advice about fixed tariffs this winter I used Energyhelpine to get 'estimates' and chose Scottish Electricity based on the 'savings of £112 p.a.' compared to my previous tariff with Southern Electric.

I provided my energy consumption for both fuels for the previous year based on Economy 7 in the case of my electric tariff.

Having switched to Scottish Electricity they've now sent me the monthly direct debit I'll pay that amounts to an increase of £9 per month = £108 p.a.

This means on the 'guesstimate' by Energyhelpline I'm now paying £220 p.a. than their figures suggested.

Has anyone else had this happen and am I now within my rights to switch back to Southern Electricity on a fixed tariff with them as I feel I've been duped ?

Also Scottish Electricity will only review my DD annually whereas Southern Electricity would refund me promptly when my accounts were in large credit.Scottish Electricity pay £1 back out of every £33 you're in credit - whoopee doo

Which Scottish electricity company did you switch to?
What tarrif are you on?
Did you input actual usage's for year? not Direct debit amounts.

You will find that switching to a new company at this time of year "winter" will see them giving you a higher direct debit to cover your increased usage.
You should be able to alter/lower this if in credit as the summer months come in:)

tevaka

Wywth wrote: »

If you input your actual anticipated annual usage, you will get a calculated annual charge, not an estimated one.

It's no point trying to compare monthly DD payments - totally meaningless.

If you actually read my post you'll note that I provided my ACTUAL annual usage not anticipated amount .....

Thanks for your helpful putdown about my DD payments.A bit of extra explanation would have sugared the pill but then it seems this forum is full of know it all's with no time for new members.

:T

tevaka

Hasbeen wrote: »

Which Scottish electricity company did you switch to? Scottish Power

What tarrif are you on? Online Fixed Price Energy April 2014 Offer

Did you input actual usage's for year? YES

As I originally wrote ....

"I provided my energy consumption for both fuels for the previous year ( based on Economy 7 in the case of my electric tariff" )



You will find that switching to a new company at this time of year "winter" will see them giving you a higher direct debit to cover your increased usage.


You should be able to alter/lower this if in credit as the summer months come in:)

Here's hoping !


As you can see I've not learnt to format replies correctly yet ....

Consumerist

tevaka wrote: »

. . . Thanks for your helpful putdown about my DD payments. A bit of extra explanation would have sugared the pill . . .

Each energy company has it's own policy regarding the levels of DDs it sets. It is not uncommon for cheaper tariffs resulting in higher DDs. There are a number of reasons this can happen but, in the end, you only pay for the energy you use.

At the end of the year you should be better off than if you had not switched but that is not to say you will always pay less (e.g. if next winter is particularly severe and you use more energy than last year).

Edit
You seem to have taken the trouble to discover this site has a lot of know-alls but you seem to have overlooked the many know-nothings who simply haven't bothered to do any research before asking a (no such thing as stupid) question.

george1939

tevaka wrote: »

If you actually read my post you'll note that I provided my ACTUAL annual usage not anticipated amount .....

Thanks for your helpful putdown about my DD payments.A bit of extra explanation would have sugared the pill but then it seems this forum is full of know it all's with no time for new members.

:T

It was you who used the word estimate eg your words Having read all the advice about fixed tariffs this winter I used Energyhelpine to get 'estimates'']

Wywth was only responding with a useful response Don't be so touchy be kind long standing members such as Wywth are only trying to be helpful

tevaka

george1939 wrote: »

It was you who used the word estimate eg your words Having read all the advice about fixed tariffs this winter I used Energyhelpine to get 'estimates'']

Wywth was only responding with a useful response Don't be so touchy be kind long standing members such as Wywth are only trying to be helpful

When someone tells me something is meaningless with no further explanation I do tend to get touchy and make no apologies for that.

Thank you for now compounding my 'welcome' to the forums with an admonishment.

Look to your left and see MSE's notice about Newbies.....

tevaka

Hasbeen wrote: »

You will find that switching to a new company at this time of year "winter" will see them giving you a higher direct debit to cover your increased usage.
You should be able to alter/lower this if in credit as the summer months come in:)

I've since contacted energyhelpine who told me that their 'estimate' of my previous suppliers DD - based on my actual previous years usage' was £85 p.m. so the new deal of £76 p.m. was cheaper.

Even more confusing as Southern Electric regularly had to repay me for overcharging even on my actual £67 pm DD !

Consumerist

I think a possible cause of your perceived problem is that last winter started relatively late; around January, if I remember correctly. This means that bills last year were generally lower than an "average" year. This may explain why you got repayments last year. It is likely this winter will be colder for longer so that your consumption is very likely to increase.

Your Energyhelpline estimate, however, will have been based on last year's actual consumption which this year is likely to be higher.

So, although you may be paying more this year, due to higher consumption, you should be paying less than you would have paid if you had stayed with your previous supplier (whose unit rates and/or standing charges are higher). In other words, you would have been paying even more if you had not switched.

Hope this makes some sense to you.

tevaka

Consumerist wrote: »

I think a possible cause of your perceived problem is that last winter started relatively late; around January, if I remember correctly. This means that bills last year were generally lower than an "average" year. This may explain why you got repayments last year. It is likely this winter will be colder for longer so that your consumption is very likely to increase.

Your Energyhelpline estimate, however, will have been based on last year's actual consumption which this year is likely to be higher.

So, although you may be paying more this year, due to higher consumption, you should be paying less than you would have paid if you had stayed with your previous supplier (whose unit rates and/or standing charges are higher). In other words, you would have been paying even more if you had not switched.

Hope this makes some sense to you.

That makes perfect sense and given how cold it is now I can only hope this new tariff produces savings.

Especially as I've been stuck at home with a chest infection since Sunday !