Greater Manchester's energy-switching auction

wizzards

Does anyone know if this is likely to be a good scheme.

Basically you sign up for free and the energy company is supposed to bid for your custom and then you can decide if you like the offer.

It says on the site "Sign up by 28 January to join Greater Manchester's energy-switching auction for UK energy providers to bid for your custom"

gmfairenergy.com

Its seems to be sponsored by a number of Manchester councils. I just started a switch to co-op as it seems the best deal for my usage. Certainly it seems a legitimate operation and open even to people not in Manchester.

I am wondering if there is a catch. It is also referenced on the Greater Manchester.gov site

frugalfran

http://readytoswitch.ichoosr.com/Product/

It seems quite a few councils have got together on this and the web site above is showing more than 17,000 people have shown interest.

We'll have to wait and see what comes of it, but anyone who lives in any of the authorities shown on their home page should take a look
These are:
Blackpool, Hertfordshire, Hull, Luton, Havering,Gt Yarmouth, Peterborough, S Holland, Wiltshire, Northumberland and one I can't read!

frugalfran

As the first post was about Manchester and mine was about other Councils, perhaps this is a bigger idea and needs a new heading - how do we do that? Can anyone help please?

dude89

What I want to know is at what cost is this to tax payers? Are the councils receiving any commission? And why are they bothering when this idea didnt work with the which big switch. The deal they came back with was actually a few quid more than the edf blue tariff actually available to everyone

wizzards

I was wondering if ichooser would make money out of harvesting peoples data, name, address or telephone number etc. But reading the privacy policy and T & C's I haven't seen anything untoward if you tick the right boxes. At the end of the day there will be a % of approx 17,000 accounts up for grabs if an energy company wants them.

There's even a fair few tweets #gmfairenergy

Also its open to those not living in Manchester which means its open NATIONWIDE or that's what its says

"2. You do not have to live in Greater Manchester to take part."

t0rt0ise

The catch is that the deal will be rubbish. We've seen it before.

wizzards

t0rt0ise wrote: »

The catch is that the deal will be rubbish. We've seen it before.

That's what I thought but about 17,000 people think its worth a punt and will be disappointed like the "Which Switch". Certainly villages have grouped together to buy oil and coal and such like to get a better price so why not other forms of energy.

Only when the demand is really huge will someone be able to offer a good deal. Ideally some organisation that is mutual. Where there are shareholders who want profits I don't think we ever see the right deal.

But like most things if it happens it may take a long time.

irrelevant

Just had our results through for this.

We are a fairly high user. I need to double-check the tariffs they think we are currently on but they reckon currently we'll pay £2,333 pa (OVO & npower). GM Fair's Scottish Power dual-fuel deal will be £2,380.

I doubt we'll bother!

C_Mababejive

I will bet good money that most people signing on to this will end up paying more than had they paid by doing their own research.No doubt there is an earner in it for councils by collecting names and pimping them out to the auction house.