Using Economy 7 meter only in winter

Maikeru

Do electricity companies allow customers to switch back and forth between use of an economy 7 and standard rate meter? For example, say I use e7 from mid-October to mid-April and then switch back to standard for the rest of the year when I don't need to turn any heating on (perhaps just turning on the plug-in electric heaters on the odd cold evening).

footyguy

Maikeru wrote: »

Do electricity companies allow customers to switch back and forth between use of an economy 7 and standard rate meter? For example, say I use e7 from mid-October to mid-April and then switch back to standard for the rest of the year when I don't need to turn any heating on (perhaps just turning on the plug-in electric heaters on the odd cold evening).

They probably would allow it if you really thought it necessary, but I really doubt it would give you any significant cost savings.

And that's before you take into account that with most suppliers it will necessitate a meter change (inconvenience to you as you will need to be at home when the meter change is done) and many will charge you for such a meter change (ca. £50-£60), and there may be early exit fees unless you are on the suppliers standard (expensive) tariff.

use a comparison site and find the best supplier & tariff your you. Comparison sites only show this based on 12 months usage.

apt

Presumably you'll still have some low rate usage in summer - hot water, electrical appliances etc. It's not worth the hassle switching.

lstar337

footyguy wrote: »

They probably would allow it if you really thought it necessary, but I really doubt it would give you any significant cost savings.

In an all electric flat with NSH it would be a significant saving, I worked it out based on my old place.

footyguy wrote: »

And that's before you take into account that with most suppliers it will necessitate a meter change (inconvenience to you as you will need to be at home when the meter change is done) and many will charge you for such a meter change (ca. £50-£60), and there may be early exit fees unless you are on the suppliers standard (expensive) tariff.

Not necessary to change a meter any more, all suppliers are forced to totalise the two readings if the customer wants a single rate. Changing meters was what stopped me from pursuing this option, but now it is not a problem. Exit fees can be avoided, my current fix from EDF has none and is the cheapest option (except crap suppliers I will not use) for me.

footyguy

lstar337 wrote: »

...In an all electric flat with NSH it would be a significant saving, I worked it out based on my old place.

Feel free to show your working in detail :cool:
Not sure it would necessarily apply to the OP though, as details for the OP will probably be different. Unless you can demonstate beyond reasonable doubt otherwise.
Looking forward to this ...
Should I get the horses fed and watered, and the carriages attached?

lstar337 wrote: »

...Not necessary to change a meter any more, all suppliers are forced to totalise the two readings if the customer wants a single rate. ....

Not true. Don't believe the propoganda you read on here. (usually by Bark01 )
Who will force any supplier to do this against their will???

lstar337 wrote: »

...
Exit fees can be avoided,

How?

EDF don't have any early exit fees to avoid.
But I doubt they are the cheapest either for anyone in the OP's situation.

lstar337

footyguy wrote: »

Not sure it would necessarily apply to the OP though, as details for the OP will probably be different.

Maybe, maybe not. That would be for the OP to work out.

footyguy wrote: »

Not true. Don't believe the propoganda you read on here. (usually by Bark01 )

I'll concede I don't know this for sure, it has been posted on the forum before, possibly by Bark01.

footyguy wrote: »

EDF don't have any early exit fees to avoid. But I doubt they are the cheapest either for anyone in the OP's situation.

Then pick another supplier with no exit fees.

I'm not saying it will always work out cheaper even if you change all the variables, it is for the op to work out if it fits their situation.

I know in my old place, it would have saved me money. I didn't do it because meter changes made it unrealistic.

MeterMan

BG probably wouldn't allow you to swap and change like that.

buglawton

lstar337 wrote: »

In an all electric flat with NSH it would be a significant saving, I worked it out based on my old place.

Not necessary to change a meter any more, all suppliers are forced to totalise the two readings if the customer wants a single rate. Changing meters was what stopped me from pursuing this option, but now it is not a problem. Exit fees can be avoided, my current fix from EDF has none and is the cheapest option (except crap suppliers I will not use) for me.

I explicitly asked EDF if I could change from Economy 7 to standard type tariff and they explicitly replied it would be a change of meter (so am then stuck with the new tariff).

The current dual tariff meter is the modern digital type, was 6 months old when I called EDF.

At the time I called them they were offering a free meter swap.

So at that time I thought that EDF was being pretty stupid not offering to simply add the 2 readings and keep the meter. As if an electronic meter that cannot be reconfigured for alternative tariffs were not stupid enough, that is.

So this interests me: "Not necessary to change a meter any more, all suppliers are forced to totalise the two readings if the customer wants a single rate". Really? Since when?

Nada666

buglawton wrote: »

So at that time I thought that EDF was being pretty stupid not offering to simply add the 2 readings and keep the meter. As if an electronic meter that cannot be reconfigured for alternative tariffs were not stupid enough, that is.

But a supplier cannot just offer to add the two reads together for precisely the fast one you are trying to pull - it would make E7 tariffs uneconomical for genuine users.

buglawton

I wanted to switch from Economy 7 to a standard non E7 tariff.
EDF would only do it (March this year) if they changed the meter for free.
Inconvenient and silly - why cant electronic meters do EITHER tariff?

After reading lstars post I went on a chat with EDF.
Who now say - but could not confirm in writing or provide a link - that they are able to just add the 2 readings together if I switch to a standard tariff. Proof will be in the pudding. I will redo my spreadsheet in Feb and then decide.

How does any of that make E7 tariffs uneconomical for others??

leeruddecology

lstar337 wrote: »

Not necessary to change a meter any more, all suppliers are forced to totalise the two readings if the customer wants a single rate. Changing meters was what stopped me from pursuing this option, but now it is not a problem. Exit fees can be avoided, my current fix from EDF has none and is the cheapest option (except crap suppliers I will not use) for me.

I asked EoN about changing tariff, and they told me I would need to change my meter. I currently have two meters, and I am on economy 18 and if I wanted to use economy 7, a change of meter was required, so I was told.