Good time to switch?

wymondham

I'm considering switching, but with the news in the press about suppliers should be bringing down prices is it a good time to switch and get tied into a years contract? I'm wondering if it might be a better idea to hold fire and see what occurs nearer the election??

JJ_Egan

Hold your fire .

teddysmum

You could switch to one with no early leaving penalty, leaving you free to change any time.

wymondham

thanks for the replies.


I currently have E7 but its not really needed - can this be changed as well at time of switch, or does this complicate things? Presume a new meter is needed?

matelodave

Generally you do need a new meter or possibly your existing one could be reconfigured. I really don't know whether it's better to swap suppliers and then change the meter or to get the meter changed by your existing supplier first.

We did it just under 5 years ago when we moved in, swapping from a pre-pay E7 to a credit E7 (they would only swap like for like) and then the meter was reconfigured to single tariff working.

As far as I remember EDF was our deemed supplier when we moved in and they swapped the prepay E7 meter within 7 days of us moving in. They came back about six weeks later and reconfigured the meter to single tariff working and I then swapped to an Eon single fixed tariff a couple of weeks after that.

None of it cost us anything although I understand that a lot of suppliers will charge up to about £60 to swap a meter.

Since then I've been with nPower, Scottish Power and I'm now with First Utility until April 2015.

Robwiz

It's worth using the price comparison sites with your current E7 day/night consumption and also for your total at single rate. I have noticed that sometimes the cheapest company for single rate has a more expensive night rate and vice versa.

All companies allow you to move between tariffs - e.g. single rate to E7 or back. They apply the tariff that was on offer when you joined them (unless there's not penalty for switching). They all have different policies on charging for meter changes.

[Deleted User]

wymondham wrote: »

thanks for the replies.


I currently have E7 but its not really needed - can this be changed as well at time of switch, or does this complicate things? Presume a new meter is needed?

Try and get the meter changed free by your current supplier. BG normally dont charge nor do EDF. Once you are free of Eco 7 it opens up many more cheaper options. The day rate for Eco 7 is pretty horrendous with a lot of suppliers, eg standard tariff for Scot Power on day rate is a whopping 17.8 p/kwhr (6.5pkwhr at night ) when under 10pkwhr is available in my area on a fixed yearly deal