Utilities - Cheap Energy Club..that easy??

Gail_Macfarlane

I want to switch my energy supplier and want to sign up to the cheap energy club but I have noticed that many of the energy firms have a charge if you move suppliers - how can I then get switched so easily without incurring this fee????

victor2

Many have a charge if you leave the tariff you are on before its end date. But this information is provided when you sign up. If you are out of a contract (such as on a standard tariff), there will be no charge for leaving. On variable contracts there are agreements in place where you can leave without penalty when they inform you of a forthcoming price rise.

Costs you nothing to shop around. Look at your existing contract to see if there are any penalties for leaving it before a specified date.

Wywth

Gail_Macfarlane wrote: »

I want to switch my energy supplier and want to sign up to the cheap energy club but I have noticed that many of the energy firms have a charge if you move suppliers - how can I then get switched so easily without incurring this fee????

Does your current agreement make you liable for a fee?

If not, you won't get charged one.
If so, you will get charged one (so take that into consideration should you be thinking of accepting a suggestion to switch)

The £30 cashback available for switching may offset some or all of any early exit fee anyway.

Gail_Macfarlane

Thanks for your reply. I'm not so worried about my current supplier - I won't incur a switching fee but I'm thinking more about future companies. The Club sounds great in that they offer to switch you easily if there is a big saving possible but I guess the snag is that most companies charge a fee so in theory, you could get stung for this every time you switch....surely this is the main downside to the new Club (which otherwise sounds brilliant). g

Grumpyom

Does the Cheap Energy Club work for those who have separately metered 24-hour and 11-hour off-peak supply rather than the standard '7-hour' off-peak white meter?
If so, how do I enter the usage information for each meter?

Wywth

Grumpyom wrote: »

Does the Cheap Energy Club work for those who have separately metered 24-hour and 11-hour off-peak supply rather than the standard '7-hour' off-peak white meter?
If so, how do I enter the usage information for each meter?

No .

jd87

Gail_Macfarlane wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. I'm not so worried about my current supplier - I won't incur a switching fee but I'm thinking more about future companies. The Club sounds great in that they offer to switch you easily if there is a big saving possible but I guess the snag is that most companies charge a fee so in theory, you could get stung for this every time you switch....surely this is the main downside to the new Club (which otherwise sounds brilliant). g

You switch and then stay with that one company for the 12 months or whatever that the contract runs for. Then you switch again only once the contract is over (thus no fee).

You only have to pay an exit fee if you leave before the contract period has ended.

Lesley1066

The club suggested that I switch to SPARK; but I could not work out how toregister on their web site and their feedback was dire. So the second recommendationwas for the CO-OP.

I rang to register their customer service was fantastic andthey did a comparison to check I’d save then and there. As well as the switching £ benefits I alsoget £25. Also, as I’m a member ( just their loyalty card etc..) I get1200 point with a promotion that on right now, I didn’t know this the customerservice agent told me .

They allow two named people on an account, which is reallyhelpful. I might switch my elderly mumas she needs help with such think. Theysaid both she and I will get a £25 off eachbill as an ‘introduction thank you’

Well done CO-OP so far so very good! :T

newleaf

The club suggested I switch to Spark, but I've never heard of them. Their website suggests they specialise in energy supply to rented properties but I'm an owner/occupier. Also the club says they might yet announce a price rise, so I think I will stay put for now.

Wywth

newleaf wrote: »

The club suggested I switch to Spark, but I've never heard of them. Their website suggests they specialise in energy supply to rented properties but I'm an owner/occupier. Also the club says they might yet announce a price rise, so I think I will stay put for now.

Spark Energy did indeed start off specialising in the tenant and property management field
http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk/your-home/about-us

However that was 5 years ago.


Since then, they now cater for owner occupiers too ... and as many are finding, they are often very competitive :beer:

With regards them changing prices, well that is always a possibility with any variable tariff. If you want the surety of of that not happening, look at what the cheap energy club offers in the way of fixed rate tariffs.
(However, they tend to be a little expensive today - the time to have grabbed them was last August when Martin first started banging the drum ahead of the recent price rises he predicted)

Anyway, don't worry if prices do go up soon as the cheap energy club will alert you if there then becomes a cheaper option. You can always switch away from any supplier (fee free) if prices are increased (assuming they are not legally enforced, eg. because of a VAT rate change)
You simply need to inform the supplier within 14 days and find another supplier to take over the supply. You will not then be charged the increased rates

In the meantime, I would urge you to take advantage of whatever cost savings you can :beer:

t0rt0ise

jd87 wrote: »

You switch and then stay with that one company for the 12 months or whatever that the contract runs for. Then you switch again only once the contract is over (thus no fee).

You only have to pay an exit fee if you leave before the contract period has ended.

So really no different from simply using uSwitch as the contract comes to an end. It does seem to have brought lots of new changers in though so we can expect the suppliers to raise the prices in the near future to overcome this.