What's the catch?

Bark01

Pincher wrote: »

So Npower is trying get round the OfGem directive on standing charges. This is really good news for low users of electricity. Even for dual fuel, if you are a high gas user, but have low electricity usage, it's still good.

A prime example of how having a diversity of tariffs is good for customers.

Npower are not trying to get round the RMR rulings. Its just their flat direct debit discount is more than their electric standing charge. Under RMR to have a flat DD discount it needs to built into the standing charge. If npower increase their electric standing charge then I would imagine DD electric customers will start to see a standing charge. There is no cost reason for npower to have a high gas standing charge and a low electric standing charge (its purely driven by profit) so I fully expect Ofgem to ask npower to redress the differential (I’d be surprised if they have not done this already).

The npower DD discount that was only paid after 12 months was ruled out by the RMR license conditions so has been removed.

OhWow

Nada666 wrote: »

Or an insulated flat. Not that low. They use (excuse talking about OP in the third person on their own thread) 2,000 kWh of electricity - so that's 1,000 kWh on top of a minimal base. Plus it only takes 15 or 20kWh to provide an evening's heat to a room. Knock off 1,000 kWh of gas for cooking and hot water leaves 2,800 kWh for heating. That gives you 140 sessions of heating. If you only need 9 per week (two at the week-end) that gives you 15 whole weeks of heating. Not abstemious at all.

Very well insulated loft (well lagged and boarded) terrace, with both neighbours home all day with their heating on all day too. We are out at work all day. I batch cook on a Sunday to save time (electric cooker); the boiler is a 2 year old worcester combi; mainly use the line to dry clothes/ no dryer; flat pack all the food into two freezer shelves on top of the fridge (no separate freezer), it's amazing how much fits in once flat packed. Always turn off lights when we go out of a room (grandma knocked that into me when I was a child:D) and don't use energy saving bulbs. No ironing, just shake and fold carefully.

I just put the meter readings in and we seem to be down on our our 12 month 2011/2012 electric readings (10 and a half months, used 1600kWh) - maybe the new washing machine we bought that replaced our 10 year old washing machine? Slightly up on our gas I think (10 and a half months, used 3471kWh).

I've switched. Thanks for all the help and advice. We will try to be more thrifty in future:D