Switching Deals and Special offers

pickoftheday

I see £60 cashback on that tariff not £50, and there are cancellation fees.

There are no cancellation fees on their Price Fix Sept 2016 tariff. Thats a looong time you can fix prices for too.

Wywth

Don't bother with wine vouchers - as the uswitch scenario demonstrates the wine is usually over priced in the first place anyway.

I would suggest you keep with the comparison sites listed in the MSE article (e.g. using the special MSE link in that site, uswitch offers FREE wine, and the other sites all offer cashback only available via the special MSE links)
Of course check the cashback sites for an even better deal.

But I would strongly urge you to only use gas & electricity comparison sites that are accredited by Ofgem (the comparison site mentioned by pickoftheday is NOT Ofgem accredited)

A full list of Ofgem accredited gas & electricity comparison sites is available here:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Documents1/confidence%20code%20information%20note.pdf

As you would expect, all the MSE recommended comparison sites are Ofgem accredited, but you won't get the cashback/free wine unless you go via the special MSE links.

pickoftheday

@Wywth

The about section of their site says that their energy switching service is provided by energyhelpline so wouldn't that be like using energyhelpline itself, but with the extras?

So kingsransom would still get the cashback because he is switching using Energyhelpline's service and the naked wines offer looks legit.

After you type in your postcode it takes you directly onto the energyhelpline website, so I don't see a problem there.

Indeed I myself have switched and received a diners card off them so if there is a chance of cashback and a diners card and voucher then I'd go for it.

Wywth

As I said, you only get cashback from Energyhelpline if you go via the special MSE link to them

Also that other comparison site website indicates in their terms & conditions they are subscribers to the Financial Ombudsman Service ... but the Financial Ombudsman Service don't seem to have ever heard of the company... :cool:

http://www.ombudsman-complaints-data.org.uk/AToZ.aspx

macman

Kingsransom wrote: »

Yes thanks macman.

It's not really worth switching unless I will see a reduction in my monthly direct debt but if I can get something on top of that then that's always a bonus too.

What matter is your annual cost, Not what your DD is set at.

pickoftheday

Wywth wrote: »

As I said, you only get cashback from Energyhelpline if you go via the special MSE link to them

Are you absolutely sure about this?

Because it would be disgraceful of the energyhelpline to offer cashback on their website comparison results and then refuse to pay it out!!!

I mean, that would be breaking Ofgem rules wouldn't it?

It is their comparison results afterall!

The Ts&Cs also give a company registration number which is listed on the Companies House website, so no issues there either.

Anyway, I've emailed the energyhelpline just to confirm because I don't want to use their site if their results are incorrect.

Wywth

pickoftheday wrote: »

Are you absolutely sure about this?

Because it would be disgraceful of the energyhelpline to offer cashback on their website comparison results and then refuse to pay it out!!!

I mean, that would be breaking Ofgem rules wouldn't it?

It is their comparison results afterall!

Absolutely sure

MSE only recommend certain comparison sites because they offer unique cashback to MSE readers who switch via them using special MSE links.

Q. Why do they only pay cashback via this site?

In the early days of the site, way back in 2004, a comparison service boss asked me, "how can we be your top pick?" Flippantly, I replied "pay customers some of your cut!" Surprisingly it agreed to a trial, but only for users of this site, so as not to cannibalise its existing custom.

That was the start, and as this site's grown, now with many millions of users a month, they all want a piece of the pie. Hence many now offer cashback.
In the main, it's still only links from this site, or for those who use the phone service and quote the deals here. If you go direct, you get exactly the same service but without the cashback. You may be able to get cashback for specific energy providers via Cashback Websites

. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

You only see the EHL ‘£15 Cashback if you switch’ image using the special MSE link - so all above board

ic

Kingsransom wrote: »

Yes thanks macman.

It's not really worth switching unless I will see a reduction in my monthly direct debt but if I can get something on top of that then that's always a bonus too.

Make sure that your current bills are based on actual meter readings and not estimates. Only then can you compare like for like, using the kwh measurements from your bill for comparison - NOT direct debit costs. All too often people post here at their disappointment of having moved they've either discovered they had a huge amount owing to their old supplier, or the savings weren't as much as they expected - or even the new supplier actually cost more.

pickoftheday

@Wywth

I have just received a reply from the energy helpline saying:

You can get £15 cashback from energyhelpline.com if you come from the MSE link on their site. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity. this cashabck is paid buy us and not available through any other link to energyhelpline or our partners.

If energyhelpline get a cashback offer from a supplier then this is available to via energyhelpline.com and any of the services we power.

Nothing to worry about there then, seeing as they power the switching service of that site.

@kingsransom

Did you find any better deals?

Kingsransom

@pickoftheday

None really. None that give money back and the diners card and stuff.

After a bit of research I've decided to fix my prices for as long as possible because according to thisismoney.co.uk energy prices have gone up by roughly £100 a year in the past five years. So if I fix them for 3 year I'll save at least £100 a year + £50 cashback + the other stuff.