How long can Ebico survive?

SwanJon

Hengus wrote: »

The changes are already up and running.

The changes are in, but are currently per brand rather than per supplier
(i.e. 4/fuel for SSE, 4/fuel for M&S energy and 4/fuel for Ebico).

The future change is to move to 4 per supplier which will mean less choice to the customer.

Nada666

MegaMiniMouse wrote: »

I don't recall an easily understood single tariff. Isn't that what Ebico currently offers? Until last year, sfaik, there were two-tier tariffs and there were daily standing charge tariffs - both of them have two separate pricing components, and it is a matter of opinion as to which is fairer or simpler etc.

A choice of easily understood single tariffs would do very nicely - bring them on...

Seriously? You think pensioners and the disabled and the stupid* should subsidise everyone else, including those who don't pay their bills?**

1.5p per kWh excess charge on each and every kWh of gas - that's a £247 per year "standing" charge rather than the more usual £95. And that's just for average use. Pensioners and the disabled would be paying even more.

* every other term gets moaned about by the PC police too so may as well use that one

** Okay, sorry, in your later post you acknowledge you are calling for unjust tariffs

Nada666

Cardew wrote: »

That said there are other tariffs available for very low users that are not much more expensive than Ebico.

Except First Utility only offer dual fuel. They will not sell you only gas.

Instead of having the choice (and spreading our burden) across all suppliers there are three left - First Utility for dual fuel (but only their variable standard tariff - their fixes with a £10 standing charge were very quickly withdrawn.) Ebico (mainly for gas - not really best for those who even use just 1,000 kWh of electricity). And npower for electricity.

Bark01

SwanJon wrote: »

The changes are in, but are currently per brand rather than per supplier
(i.e. 4/fuel for SSE, 4/fuel for M&S energy and 4/fuel for Ebico).

The future change is to move to 4 per supplier which will mean less choice to the customer.

A white label consultation is already under way, and white labels have been granted another years derogation lasting until the end of 2015.

Ofgem have already stated they want white labels to continue indefinitely and will be announcing changes to regulation to allow this early in 2015.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/white-label-providers-consultation

The proposal on the table is for each white label to effectively act as a separate supplier so to take Ebico as an example - SSE can have 4 tariffs and Ebico can have 4 different tariffs.

However what makes white labels different is that the supplier cheapest deals messaging needs to be applied across brands. So if an SSE customer would be better off on one of Ebicos tariffs SSE will need to tell them and vice versa.

This should mean SSE losing a significant portion of their low using customers to Ebico.

Cyberman60

MegaMiniMouse wrote: »

The question is - how long can Ebico continue with a customer base which is overloaded with skinflints like me who pay them only £1 a month...

There seems to be a lot of us around. :rotfl:I thought I had the cheapest bills because I'm not in the country much.

System

SwanJon wrote: »

The future change is to move to 4 per supplier which will mean less choice to the customer.

I don't agree. Suppliers - in whatever guise - have used constantly changing multiple tariffs to their own, and not to their customers', advantage. I am sure that the ongoing and Competition and Markets Authority review will look for further simplification. Energy companies, a bit like Banks, got greedy and it perhaps of no surprise that local authorities are now looking to set up their own energy supply companies.

Nada666

Hengus wrote: »

Energy companies, a bit like Banks, got greedy and it perhaps of no surprise that local authorities are now looking to set up their own energy supply companies.

Entirely correct - local authorities are indeed very attracted to any opportunity for greed. That is what you meant, isn't it?

bxboards

My gas usage is very low, and when the 'no standing charges' came it, for me personally I would have been paying around 120 to 180 more a year for my gas. I can afford it, but for anyone on the breadline who can either afford to eat or heat, this change has always seemed very unfair.

I fixed to Scottish Power and my 'no standing charge' finishes in March 2015. At that point I'll switch to Ebico as I'm happy to pay a higher unit cost. My gas usage is around 30 to year, so a standing charge would account for around 60-75% of future bills.

Bark01

SwanJon wrote: »

The changes are in, but are currently per brand rather than per supplier
(i.e. 4/fuel for SSE, 4/fuel for M&S energy and 4/fuel for Ebico).

The future change is to move to 4 per supplier which will mean less choice to the customer.

The 4 tariff cap is only a temporary restriction, no date has been set for its withdrawal, but it is likely to end within a year a two.

The whole Idea of RMR is to wipe the slates clean, eliminate bad practice and then in the future allow more flexibility but in a stronger regulatory frame work.

joncombe

Cardew wrote: »

I meant that is what Ebico has always offered, regardless of payment method(including pre-pay) and that attracted customers.

Yes and it's a shame OFGEM apparantly trying to "simplify" the market didn't make all suppliers offer this. It is far simple to compare when you have one price to compare, not two.