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No Standing Charge Tariffs
We have a property which is frequently vacant for long periods, but when we are in residence we use a lot of electricity as the property does not have mains gas.
We currently pay a standing charge of 26p per day and 13.7p per kilowatt hour for all electricity. Our tariff comparison rate is about 17.5p per kilowatt hour
We think that we could save money by switching to a no standing charge tariff but each time we go to a switching site, they tell us that two suppliers offer a no standing charge tariff but every time we enter details we get screens and screens of tariffs where the standing charge is like 34p per day - no good to us at all.
We think the problem is that if we lived at the property all the time, we would use much more than the national average because of having to use electricity for heating/hot water/cooking/lights but the price comparison sites we are using have no way to tell that we are not at the property all the time. Once we enter how much we use on average per day/month based on the previous bill when we were in residence averaged out per day/month it looks on paper as though a standing charge tariff is our best option.
How do we get around this?
PS we don't want to pay by Direct Debit because estimated bills would lead to us building up huge surpluses because estimates assume you are at the property all the time. Also we need to manage the account online because the billing address and the property address would be different.
We currently pay a standing charge of 26p per day and 13.7p per kilowatt hour for all electricity. Our tariff comparison rate is about 17.5p per kilowatt hour
We think that we could save money by switching to a no standing charge tariff but each time we go to a switching site, they tell us that two suppliers offer a no standing charge tariff but every time we enter details we get screens and screens of tariffs where the standing charge is like 34p per day - no good to us at all.
We think the problem is that if we lived at the property all the time, we would use much more than the national average because of having to use electricity for heating/hot water/cooking/lights but the price comparison sites we are using have no way to tell that we are not at the property all the time. Once we enter how much we use on average per day/month based on the previous bill when we were in residence averaged out per day/month it looks on paper as though a standing charge tariff is our best option.
How do we get around this?
PS we don't want to pay by Direct Debit because estimated bills would lead to us building up huge surpluses because estimates assume you are at the property all the time. Also we need to manage the account online because the billing address and the property address would be different.
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Comments
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That gum you like is coming back in style.0
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Unless the property is unused for years on end rather than months Ebico is unlikely to be cheapest.
You have to take a an idea of how much you use when you do use it and base an annual use on that to the comparison sites (which you are doing - not sure why you are confused.)
If you are talking about using heating and cooking when you are there for weeks at a time then a normal non-zero standing charge tariff will be cheapest.
I don't see a problem with paying by direct debit - you tell them your annual usage, your debits will be correct, and you will have an idea of what trickle charges are being used when not present.0 -
Despite your property being empty for long periods, I don't see the problem.
You will use xxxxkWh a year. For example, let us say 6,000kWh.
You could pay no standing charge and 20p/kWh and that would cost £1,200.
Or £2 a day(to take a silly example) and get electricity for 7.83p/kWh and that would cost the same £1,200.
Like any other electricity customer, you need to know the total consumption in kWh. It doesn't matter if it has a zero daily standing charge or a massive daily standing charge as all you are interested is the total cost per year.0 -
Monthly DD levels don't assume you are at the property all the time-they are based on your estimated annual consumption divided by twelve. Unless your annual kWh usage really is low, then NSC tariffs are a red herring-the total cost will be within a few pence of a non-NSC tariff.
Assuming that you have owned the property for 12m or more, you know exactly what your annual kWh usage is from your annual statement, so the comp sites will work perfectly well for you.No free lunch, and no free laptop
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Mine with no standing charge but two teir cost.0
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We have a property which is frequently vacant for long periods, but when we are in residence we use a lot of electricity as the property does not have mains gas.
We currently pay a standing charge of 26p per day and 13.7p per kilowatt hour for all electricity. Our tariff comparison rate is about 17.5p per kilowatt hour
We think that we could save money by switching to a no standing charge tariff but each time we go to a switching site, they tell us that two suppliers offer a no standing charge tariff but every time we enter details we get screens and screens of tariffs where the standing charge is like 34p per day - no good to us at all.
We think the problem is that if we lived at the property all the time, we would use much more than the national average because of having to use electricity for heating/hot water/cooking/lights but the price comparison sites we are using have no way to tell that we are not at the property all the time. Once we enter how much we use on average per day/month based on the previous bill when we were in residence averaged out per day/month it looks on paper as though a standing charge tariff is our best option.
How do we get around this?
PS we don't want to pay by Direct Debit because estimated bills would lead to us building up huge surpluses because estimates assume you are at the property all the time. Also we need to manage the account online because the billing address and the property address would be different.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity
Use your anticipated annual consumption in kWh to find the best deal for you.0 -
I agree with penrhyn
Take a look at Ebico
They are the UK's only not for profit energy supplier.
They operate innovative, yet simple and fair, easy to understand, no nonsense tariffs that charges the same unit price no matter how you pay (e.g. Monthly Direct Debit, pay quarterly on receipt of bill, Prepayment meter, etc) and have zero standing or other hidden charges.
Regional variations do apply to electricity unit prices, as they do with all other suppliers. The same gas unit price applies nationwide.
Their prices are currently guaranteed until at least spring 2015 as well!
Check out how they compare to others using any Ofgem accredited comparison site.0 -
I agree with penrhyn
Take a look at Spam
They are the UK's only not for profit energy supplier.
They operate innovative, yet simple and fair, easy to understand, no nonsense tariffs that charges the same unit price no matter how you pay (e.g. Monthly Direct Debit, pay quarterly on receipt of bill, Prepayment meter, etc) and have zero standing or other hidden charges.
Regional variations do apply to electricity unit prices, as they do with all other suppliers. The same gas unit price applies nationwide.
Their prices are currently guaranteed until at least spring 2015 as well!
Check out how they compare to others using any Ofgem accredited comparison site.
Overt spam my friend, get in touch with the MSE board, ask permission to [shill] advertise on this site, and, if granted that permission pay the huge fees to MSE to support this site.Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ0 -
Take a look at Ebico
I actually have an Ebico account for an annex with tiny electricity consumption.
However inputting figures into a comparison website, Ebico's tariff is slightly more expensive, than the cheapest tariff, for an annual consumption of only 1,000kWh.
So very few people will find Ebico cheapest.0
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