First Time Buyer - Any GOOD Providers?

koryu_2

Hello, I did start a thread but it got merged with another - forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=65575960&postcount=3310

I could still use some advice on my original question,
Cardew recommended energyhelpline.com for comparisons (thank you Cardew) but the top supplier by service rating is Scottish Power, who do not seem to be popular here anymore. So to try another tactic can anyone suggest any companies with good reputations? Savings are not my first concern, I am prepared to pay for good service.

From what I am reading here: forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4932131

Scottish Power - Good feedback until 2014 when reviews turn bad.
British Gas - Not enough feedback to decide.
Eon - Equally positive and negative feedback.
Ebico - Not recommended for high use.
Ecotricity - Not enough feedback to decide.
EDF - Generally good feedback.
M&S - Hard to say, most complaints are about 3rd party website cashback offers which aren't relevant to me.
nPower - Almost entirely poor reviews.
Sainsburys - Not enough feedback to decide.

Is this a fair summary?



Original post:

I have had a look at the Cheap Energy Club, which looks good but as I am moving from a rented property I do not have any bills to compare. I was hoping somebody could give me some advice.

I will be living alone in a one bedroom flat, in the attic and I am told it is very good for heating as I benefit from those living below. I do use a lot of electricity as I work in IT, the last time I checked it was 350-400KWH per month.

nigelpm

Perhaps I'm just a little blaze about this but aren't you just talking about a commodity here that is the same from any provider.

You'll get good and bad feedback from all providers. You might as well just get the cheapest deal for your usage.

If you are concerned about customer service there's a good article here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/10583986/The-best-energy-companies-youve-never-heard-of.html

koryu_2

nigelpm wrote: »

Perhaps I'm just a little blaze about this but aren't you just talking about a commodity here that is the same from any provider.

Perhaps you are right, I have always had utility bills included in my rent so I have never done this before, hence my joining this site.


One of the few bills I have paid directly is for internet, and my field is IT. With internet providers there are some excellent providers and some dire ones and this is how I am used to evaluating things. But I appreciate your point, electricity is "stuff to power things" and gas "stuff to heat things", maybe I am overthinking this but I don't know without asking.

You'll get good and bad feedback from all providers. You might as well just get the cheapest deal for your usage.

Yes of course, there will always be good and bad feedback. But there are some rotten apples in any industry, and as I have no experience I am hoping to avoid any companies that the community here know to steer clear of.


Thank you for your quick reply and any other suggestions appreciated.

Aquamania

koryu wrote: »

...Thank you for your quick reply and any other suggestions appreciated.

I agree with the previous poster - as its exactly the same product you are buying, and as this is a moneymaking site - I go for the cheapest.

However as you are prepared to pay more for the same item, why not stick with the supplier(s) the property is currently supplied by? You have to register with them first anyway, and then see if you are happy with their service, albeit probably at a higher price than you could buy the same product elsewhere.

After all, one man's meat is another man's poison.

Most of the comparison sites I think have some sort of customer performance rating if you want some more views. As they each draw their data from differing sources, then perhaps you could do a survey of surveys and come up with what most people find most acceptable ... but that doesn't mean it'll suit you.

nigelpm

koryu wrote: »

With internet providers there are some excellent providers and some dire ones and this is how I am used to evaluating things. But I appreciate your point, electricity is "stuff to power things" and gas "stuff to heat things", maybe I am overthinking this but I don't know without asking.

Yes of course, there will always be good and bad feedback. But there are some rotten apples in any industry, and as I have no experience I am hoping to avoid any companies that the community here know to steer clear of.

Thank you for your quick reply and any other suggestions appreciated.

Yep. Certainly with an ISP I carefully select and take my time over it but again unless something goes wrong it isn't that important.

I'm not convinced with the rotten apples point you make.

If you ask one person they will have a completely different view to someone else.

Take some of the recent terrible comments on E.On for example. I've used them in the past and they were excellent.

It's not something where you can just say :

X are good, Y are poor
Z are slightly better than Y but worse than X.

wakeupalarm

There are no "good" providers, all energy providers are rotten apples.

daveyjp

The only problem I have ever had was when a BG meter reader mixed up readings between us and next door. Easily sorted. Other than that absolutely no problems, but I refuse to go down the road of a direct debit tarriff.

From what I read this is an area where a minor problem can quickly escalate into a huge headache

undaunted

Results of surveys by Which & Uswitch. Where smaller co.s are rated they tend to do better than the big boys if service is your main interest.

http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-suppliers/energy-companies-rated

http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/#!suppliers

The Ebico rating is debatable - They came out 4th in the which survey & charge a flat rate regardless of how you pay rather than offer direct debit discounts etc (which may explain the view offered to you above perhaps) so it may be worth going to their website & doing your own quotation if you are interested in the level service more than the price

As you'll see Ecotricity came out equally with them on service & even better overall in the Which survey at 1=