MSE News: Collective switching comes of age as 60,000 save £10 million

polymaff

MSE_Dan_L wrote: »

I'm sorry Redux, but I can't spot a cheaper tariff without exit fees on the site. I'd like to reassure you that the facts on the site and in the weekly email have been checked as of last night, so I'd be surprised if there's something which we've missed.

I've double-checked this on a few postcodes, but unfortunately couldn't spot the problem you mention. If you could drop us an email to energyclub AT moneysavingexpert.com I'd be happy to check this out. It'd be great if you could provide some examples that you've checked.

Dan,

13,500/3,200kWh, Scottish Power Feb 16, Eastern Area.

According to CEC today, cheaper than Sainbury tariff, same term, a fix - and no exit fees.

redux

I looked at the tariffs in more detail.

With high seasonal gas use, there is even less reason to look at Sainsburys compared to Scottish Power and others just at the moment

It's about 15% more expensive for gas units than 3 others near the top of comparisons.

Keep it in mind for the summer, when its slightly cheaper electricity may or may not be worthwhile, but by then there will have been a rack of more new tariffs anyway.

Scarlet1982

Sainsbury's is showing as £57 cheaper for me but E.On £53. Think I'll be switching to E.On the £60 exit fee is one to avoid personally.

MSE_Dan_L

Hi Redux/Polymaff

Thanks for the clarification there - really useful.

I've spent some time checking the figures here with Scottish Power's tariff. From what I can see there were three regions at average usage where this worked out slightly cheaper than the Sainsbury's tariff. In 11 regions, Scottish Power's Feb 16 tariff came out more expensive. Overall across all regions is was £29 more expensive.

So I would agree, in some regions, depending on your usage you might be able to find a cheaper tariff. Equally, if you'd prefer the flexibility of lower/no exit fees, then absolutely one of the other tariffs might be the right choice for you.

Cypherite

Is the Cheap Energy Club website down for anyone else, or just me?

redux

That is odd, as I found 4 or 5 cheaper with Scottish Power from 7 or 8 areas chosen at random, £19 cheaper here and mostly within £5 either way, which isn't enough to sit with the much higher exit penalty.

I still don't understand the basis of your earlier remark about no other decent tariffs with low or zero exit fee.

MSE_Dan_L

redux wrote: »

That is odd, as I found 4 or 5 cheaper with Scottish Power from 7 or 8 areas chosen at random, £19 cheaper here and mostly within £5 either way, which isn't enough to sit with the much higher exit penalty.

I still don't understand the basis of your earlier remark about no other decent tariffs with low or zero exit fee.

Based on my calculations, the difference looked to be as much as £66 in one region. I think the key thing we can agree on here is that we'd suggest always checking the full market comparison before deciding on the tariff to switch to.

Although the Scottish Power tariff has no exit fee, the customer service feedback about it hasn't been great. So I suppose there is a decision here on tariff price, exit fees and customer service rating.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/poll/02-12-2014/is-your-energy-companys-service-any-good

canterswest

Before Redux does, unbelievable that you highlight complaints about Scottish Power when trying to sell Sainsburys gas but it was okay to sell Scottish Power three year fix last November.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jul/10/complaints-npower-scottish-power-double-first-quarter

There are reports of switchers from the first MSE switch being told today they can save another £200. It's believable once but not twice so there is a big reputation risk to MSE running this second switch so soon after the last. I guess that is Moneysupermarket.com Group plc's problem.

MSE_Dan_L

canterswest wrote: »

Before Redux does, unbelievable that you highlight complaints about Scottish Power when trying to sell Sainsburys gas but it was okay to sell Scottish Power three year fix last November.

I take your point, but as you might expect there's a massive difference in interest (and therefore the pressure this puts on a supplier's processes and procedures), between users interested in a 1 yr fix and users interested in a 3 yr fix.

We did flag up the customer service concerns around Scottish Power at the time of the last collective.

canterswest

In that case you can offer to pay the exit penalty on your 3 year SP tariff for your customers who want to switch today because there are not many of them.

I am pleased to hear far fewer took out your previous 3 year fix than your 1 year fix.