electric meter comfort plus query !!!

karenski

Hi was wondering if anyone can shed some light!!!

Spoke with Scottish power advisor as I want to change my meter as Im currently have 2 mpan numbers and cannot swap to any other energy supplier. She advised I could call SSE Hydro as they do same plan and part of same company (I checked tariffs online and more expensive)

Anyway

I told her I want the 3 tariff rate pre payment meter taken out, she said i can only swap meter, if i take my storage heater out (which I hardly use). and offered me a single rate tarriff. I told her I wanted 2 rate tariff as I have an immersion heater. she said they i couldnt get 2 rate. I argued with her and said i needed 2 rate metre as i have an immersion heater.

Is 2 rate note economy 7 ???? why do i have to take my storage heater out ????

Feel like they are trying to deter me from changing so i will be stuck for another 6 years

If anyone has swapped from comfort plus to economy 7 pease could u advise

footyguy

karenski wrote: »

Hi was wondering if anyone can shed some light!!!

Spoke with Scottish power advisor as I want to change my meter as Im currently have 2 mpan numbers and cannot swap to any other energy supplier. She advised I could call SSE Hydro as they do same plan and part of same company (I checked tariffs online and more expensive)

Anyway

I told her I want the 3 tariff rate pre payment meter taken out, she said i can only swap meter, if i take my storage heater out (which I hardly use). and offered me a single rate tarriff. I told her I wanted 2 rate tariff as I have an immersion heater. she said they i couldnt get 2 rate. I argued with her and said i needed 2 rate metre as i have an immersion heater.

Is 2 rate note economy 7 ???? why do i have to take my storage heater out ????

Feel like they are trying to deter me from changing so i will be stuck for another 6 years

If anyone has swapped from comfort plus to economy 7 pease could u advise

Oh dear, where do I start?

1. Do not attempt to switch supplier with the existing metering in place - attempts to do so will invariably end in tears.

2. SSE Hydro are not part of Scottish Power - in fact they are direct competitors

3. If you plan to continue to use the existing heating appliances, why are you even considering changing from the tariff these are designed to opertate on?

4. Anyway, if you do want to have the metering changed, then your existing supplier should be able to arrange this for you. You could have the choice of a single rate meter or a dual rate (E7) meter.
I don't know why you were advised you couldn't have E7 - I suspect either the person you were speaking to became confused by your request, or was just trying to put you off as, based on what you have written,I don't think you have looked into all this properly.

5. If Scottish Power will only provide you with a single rate meter (which I doubt will be the case), then once you have that you will be able to change to any other supplier, and I'm sure they will supply you a 2 rate E7 meter on request (and applicable fee)

6. Before you do anything else (and assuming you have good reason to have the metering changed) then seek the expert advice of a professional. You will need advice of the suitability or modifications to your existing wiring and possibly the appliances you plan to use with the new metering
(you could probably continue to use existing appliances, but it may end up costing you a fortune to run and/or not provide the desired effects you want)

7. Get quotes for all modifications required (although only your existing supplier can change the metering)

8. Have you considered moving instead?

karenski

Thanks for response footy guy.

The reason i want to change from comfort plus 3 rate meter to a 2 rate economy 7 meter is so I can eventually swap energy supplier for better tariff prices.

My confusion was when she said I would need to take storage heater out even if I had a 2 rate tariff with them.

Will I still have to get my wiring checked if swapping from 3 rate to 2 rate?

macman

That depends how the NSH's have been wired, on a dedicated circuit or not-that is your job to sort out via your own electrician. But, as mentioned above, switching to E7 might greatly increase your heating costs though, even if it does give you a choice of suppliers, so you need to do the maths before you pursue a change of metering. All depends how you use the heating and what you intend to heat with in future.

karenski

My comfort plus only gives me 7 hours at cheaper tariff so it shouldn't make any difference. Plus I will be free to move to a cheaper energy supplier after.

Many people I have spoken too are not happy about not having the freedom to swap with comfort plus

macman

I think you are missing the point made by myself and others: that the cheapest E7 tariff may well be more expensive than the tariff you are currently restricted to. It all depends on the pattern of usage-if you need to heat or hot water outside of the 7 E7 cheap rate hours, then that comes at typically a 300% premium. Remember also that the meter change and any associated rewiring costs will be down to you: that might be £200 or more.

macman

I think you are missing the point made by myself and others: that the cheapest E7 tariff may well be more expensive than the tariff you are currently restricted to. It all depends on the pattern of usage-if you need to heat or hot water outside of the 7 E7 cheap rate hours, then that comes at typically a 300% premium. Remember also that the meter change and any associated rewiring costs will be down to you: that might be £200 or more.
I'm still unclear about how the property will be heated with one NSH which you say is hardly used. If you are not going to use NSH's, then E7 is probably not the right choice.

molerat

Strange that you state "My comfort plus only gives me 7 hours at cheaper tariff" as SP state that it gives you 8.5hrs, up to 14 hours or 12/24 hours depending which particular option you have.

karenski

My main source of heating is Multi fuel stove, I use a panel heater for bathroom, storage heater in bedroom ,just takes the chill off on a winters morning. I have to use an electric fan heater to warm that room up in the winter.

molerat Strange that you state "My comfort plus only gives me 7 hours at cheaper tariff" as SP state that it gives you 8.5hrs, up to 14 hours or 12/24 hours depending which particular option you have.

My meter clicks on at 1.30 am - 8.30 am in summer time. rate 2 is for storage heater and water I presume, rate 3 for all other sockets,lights etc. I do tend to use washer, dryer etc during the day tho, so not really getting any advantage.

molerat

You must get an extra 1h30m during the day then. https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/pdf/2015.01_FixedPricev3.pdf gives a description of the tariff.

karenski

I'm only getting 7 hours during night. I can hear it click on and off, plus my bedroom storage heater definitely only heats for 7 hours as switch light comes on.

My bill states its comfort plus tariff.

I will ring Scottish Power again