With Sotuhern Electric , do I wait until price rise then change ?

superrug_2

Just wondered what the best thing to do is, I havent really dont the switching thing before and just wondered if anyone could shed a little light on it ?

How long does it take ? What if either I owe SE or they owe me (Been estimated for a while)?

Im on "iplan Domestic Standard"

Gas is Standard energy 6,191.79. kWh at 4.05.p £250.77
Elctric is Standard energy 1469. units at 12.12.p £178.04

TBH this is very much gobbldy gook to me, if any does have a spare couple of minute to explain the best way to get a better deal it would be most appreciated.

Thanks
B

MillicentBystander

You can start switching now and then inform SSE that you don't accept the increase, are switching away and request that, should you still be customers when the increase occurs, they charge you at the old rate until the switch happens. But be careful because the market isn't a level playing field at the moment as only one company has increased prices whereas they all will within the next few weeks. You could switch to a 'cheaper' supplier then be hit with an increase almost immediately you start the supply. My advice would be to wait a few weeks (unless you wish to go with a fixed deal which would be better to go for now before they increase).

PS switching normally takes between 5-8 weeks.

superrug_2

MillicentBystander wrote: »

You can start switching now and then inform SSE that you don't accept the increase, are switching away and request that, should you still be customers when the increase occurs, they charge you at the old rate until the switch happens. But be careful because the market isn't a level playing field at the moment as only one company has increased prices whereas they all will within the next few weeks. You could switch to a 'cheaper' supplier then be hit with an increase almost immediately you start the supply.

Exactly what i was thinking , probably best to go for a fixed until Dec next year was my thinking , ill do all my meter reading tonight and see where I stand.

Can you really tell them you're not going to pay their price rise ?

MillicentBystander

superrug wrote: »

Exactly what i was thinking , probably best to go for a fixed until Dec next year was my thinking , ill do all my meter reading tonight and see where I stand.

Can you really tell them you're not going to pay their price rise ?

Yes!

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_energy_and_water_supply_e/consumer_energy_supply_e/consumer_energy_bills_e/consumer_problems_with_energy_bills_e/can_your_energy_supplier_put_up_its_prices.htm

It may be an idea to switch to a fixed deal now that doesn't have an exit fee? Then at least you give yourself leeway in letting the market settle down with the imminent prices rises and revisit it again when that happens?

macman

I'd certainly do something, as you're currently on Standard tariff (always the most expensive).
You should not be in debt at the start of winter unless you have failed to submit regular meter readings. Your account should have maximum credit about now, as the heating goes on for winter.

aleandra

Just got the letter from SSE today, price increases both gas & electric effective 15 November. I was on SSE standard too, but I've just switched to EDF blue price promise a couple of weeks ago.

new prices standard energy:
13.87 excl VAT p/kwh electricity
4.58 excl VAT p/kwh gas
standing charge 14.09 p/day for both
VAT 5%

superrug_2

aleandra wrote: »

Just got the letter from SSE today, price increases both gas & electric effective 15 November. I was on SSE standard too, but I've just switched to EDF blue price promise a couple of weeks ago.

new prices standard energy:
13.87 excl VAT p/kwh electricity
4.58 excl VAT p/kwh gas
standing charge 14.09 p/day for both
VAT 5%

Dammit , so its still going to be more than Im paying now, was hoping I might be on something terrible and saved on pre increase.

thriftylass

superrug wrote: »

Dammit , so its still going to be more than Im paying now, was hoping I might be on something terrible and saved on pre increase.

The new tariffs are all dearer than what you are on now I think even before the price hike. But it also depends on the tariff and where you live. I'm on EDF fixed March 2015 and for Northern Scotland its dual SC 45p/day, gas 3.5p/kWh and leccy 13.8p/kWh

DragonQ

Switch now if you want a fixed tariff. Use a comparison website with your annual usage figures and existing tariff details. You really shouldn't let your utility provider(s) use estimated billing - either you're going to end up owing them money, or you've given them money unnecessarily that you could've used in the mean time, so you lose either way. Submitting meter readings once a month online is easy.

Also, it seems I'm the only person on this forum still paying 10p/kWh for electricity, lol.

thriftylass

DragonQ wrote: »

Also, it seems I'm the only person on this forum still paying 10p/kWh for electricity, lol.

How? who are you with?

DragonQ

thriftylass wrote: »

How? who are you with?

Scottish Power, it runs out in January 2014. I think the fix was for just over 2 years but it was also the cheapest at the time (after taking into account imminent price rises).

On the other hand, I had gas with E.On at that point and they were the only company to lower electricity prices instead of gas prices in January 2012 so...swings and roundabouts.