Cheap Energy Club - Is the New Format an Improvement?

Legacy_user

I posted earlier that I thought that the revised MSE CEC format has become even more confusing than it was. As a frequent switcher, I can work my way around it but anyone seeing it for the first time might be totally confused.

I appreciate that MSE has to conform to Ofgem's flawed comparison site methodology; however, lots of detailed explanations serve little purpose.

For those of us engaged in a switch, then the information on savings is potentially erroneous as, in my experience, it can take some weeks for the actual transfer to show up on the MSE CEC site.

What I want is a simple comparison of what I will pay for 12 months on the deal that I have signed up to compared to the other deals available. For example, using another website, I was able to see very quickly that the deal that I had signed up to with my new supplier had been replaced by a lower annual cost tariff. This change has gone through but, not surprisingly, MSE CEC is not aware of this internal switch.

I find that the three easiest comparison sites to use are Which, Energyhelpline and the enenergyshop.com. The latter two do not use the inflated savings methodology for calculating savings. All 3 sites allow me to enter up to date tariff information.

footyguy

Hengus wrote: »

I posted earlier that I thought that the revised MSE CEC format has become even more confusing than it was. As a frequent switcher, I can work my way around it but anyone seeing it for the first time might be totally confused.

I appreciate that MSE has to conform to Ofgem's flawed comparison site methodology; however, lots of detailed explanations serve little purpose.

For those of us engaged in a switch, then the information on savings is potentially erroneous as, in my experience, it can take some weeks for the actual transfer to show up on the MSE CEC site.

What I want is a simple comparison of what I will pay for 12 months on the deal that I have signed up to compared to the other deals available. For example, using another website, I was able to see very quickly that the deal that I had signed up to with my new supplier had been replaced by a lower annual cost tariff. This change has gone through but, not surprisingly, MSE CEC is not aware of this internal switch.

I find that the three easiest comparison sites to use are Which, Energyhelpline and the enenergyshop.com. The latter two do not use the inflated savings methodology for calculating savings. All 3 sites allow me to enter up to date tariff information.

The only site amongst those I am particularly familiar with is Energyhelpline (it is, or at least was prior to the CEC, Martin's favourite too) which certainly does use "Ofgem's flawed comparison site methodology" which all Ofgem accredited comparison sites are obliged to use.

I do accept, however, that EHL also has the option to change the view to display an alternative savings calculation, but that is not the default and nor should it be to abide by Ofgems ruling.

It seems to me what you are complaining about really is Ofgem's ruling, and there are already a number of discussion threads on this. The outcome is that the comparison sites have no option but to comply with what you deem as flawed methodology. I think any complaint in this regard should be aimed at Ofgem rather than particular comparison sites, but I'm not sure you will get very far. There are issues with either methodology, and it could be argued showing savings that could never be achieved is more flawed than the currently approved method of showing savings that theoetically could be, and indeed would be compared to the client doing nothing.

Shrimply

I mean really, who cares. I've just had a look and it all seems very sensible to me. Getting a bit fed up off all these posts complaining about comparison sites.

They do a pretty good job of letting you know what is likely to be the cheapest and if you need anything more than that it takes 5 minutes to plug the numbers into a spreadsheet and you can work out how much it will cost you for the next 2 months, 3 weeks, 6 hours and 23 minutes if you really want to.

And in any case, unless you are a really high user, is there any point of continually switching for savings of pennies. They work just fine for a majority of money savvy energy users who choose a cheap fixed tariff, stick with it for the period of the fix, and then want to know the best option to change to at the end of the fix.

JJ_Egan

BASICS
tariff cost
standing charge .

Based upon last years consumption you will pay an estimated DD of xx per month subject to actual usage .

That may then not confuse so many who do nothing more than look at the headline estimated DD that's often wrong .

molerat

The format of being able to choose the detailed results methodology used whilst still seeing the headline of both is a massive improvement on the old site. The actual user interface / visual appearance is bloody awful though which is why I will stick with EnergyHelpline.

Shrimply

As far as I can see Energyhelpline is calculating my gas costs for the year as being £40 less than they should be compared to my own calculations and the CEC. I may be being stupid though. Anyone want to point out where I'm going wrong.

http://www.energyhelpline.com/fri/fri/domesticenergy/Domestic/ShowCustomerCurrentTariffs?Id=6a7744d0-cc24-4a9c-873e-a4f800ea28fe

System

Shrimply wrote: »

As far as I can see Energyhelpline is calculating my gas costs for the year as being £40 less than they should be compared to my own calculations and the CEC. I may be being stupid though. Anyone want to point out where I'm going wrong.

http://www.energyhelpline.com/fri/fri/domesticenergy/Domestic/ShowCustomerCurrentTariffs?Id=6a7744d0-cc24-4a9c-873e-a4f800ea28fe

I have just checked my tariff and bar a couple of £s the sites agree. That said, EHL does ask for a tariff end date whereas others don't work in quite the same way. The other obvious explanation if you are looking at the tariff costs is VAT.

Edit:

One thing that I did notice again today is that all the comparison sites that I visited suggested that I could change to a new tariff with my existing supplier. As it happens, a change of tariff would cost me more but the KEY INFORMATION that comparison sites have not picked up on is the newly-introduced charge that some suppliers are now making for fixed tariff changes (tariff hopping). Ovo tucks this information away in its ts and cs and not in its tariff information. The bottom line is that a customer can leave Ovo without penalty. However, if a customer wants to switch fixed tariffs or return within 3 months then there is a charge of £30 per fuel

Shrimply

Hengus wrote: »

I have just checked my tariff and bar a couple of £s the sites agree. That said, EHL does ask for a tariff end date whereas others don't work in quite the same way. The other obvious explanation if you are looking at the tariff costs is VAT.

I can't figure out what it's doing



The electricity makes perfect sense to me but

0.0352 x 3500 = £123.2
0.195 x 365 = £71.18

Total = £194.38

So where are they getting the £154.95 from.

Am I being really dense?

System

@shrimply. I would copy the above to them and ask for an explanation. Remember, under Ofgem rules, if you do nothing, then on the 1st November 2015, First Utility has to assume that you will default to their standard variable tariff. So the annual consumption projection might be based on 2 1/2 months on Save Fixed v30 October 2015, and 9 1/2 months on First Utility's standard variable tariff.

footyguy

Shrimply wrote: »

I can't figure out what it's doing



The electricity makes perfect sense to me but

0.0352 x 3500 = £123.2
0.195 x 365 = £71.18

Total = £194.38

So where are they getting the £154.95 from.

Am I being really dense?

You are looking at the weighted results, and as the tariff ends on 31 October 2015, it is wrong to use the unit charge and daily standing charge after this date.

EHL does offer the option of standard results if you wish to use it for the calculation you have done, as explained at the top of your results page:

We've noticed you're on a capped tariff that's due to expire in the next 12 months.
We've taken account of this on your result table.
Find out more, as well as how cancellation fees might apply, by clicking here.

Shrimply

Sorry, could you explain more. I don't understand what you mean by weighted results, my understanding of a weighted result does not make sense in this situation.

Can you explain where that figure comes from, as in show me the calculation, because I can't no matter how hard I try. This is their standard comparison and makes it look like I could save less money by switching than is actually the case... Which really is daft.

And why is the calculation correct for the electricity?

First:Utility current standard tariff is currently, for all intensive purposes, the same as my fixed one. So it really doesn't explain the calculation either