Bulb Energy Reviews: Give your feedback on the energy supplier

Gerry1

eyelinerprincess said:

By upping the DD it made them among one of the most expensive for our actual usage!

It did no such thing, unless they increased the kWh rates and / or the daily charges.  You hadn't been paying your way because your usage was higher than you had estimated, so now your  DD reflects that.  You are also having to pay off the arrears.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/#whatyoupay

Telegraph_Sam

Obvious solution in such circs would be to make a one-off payment to bring the account back to zero, or even a small surplus to allow for winter, rather than increase the D/D to more than your consumption.  I think energy co's in general prefer the latter option unless the customer (like myself) requests a less blunt approach.

UnclaimedEnergy

Bulb are increasing their prices for all current customers on the 19th April: https://bulb.co.uk/blog/energy-price-watch-were-changing-our-prices-mar-21

For TDCV Medium users (2,900kWh Elec & 12,000kWh Gas) your prices will go from:
£547 Elec & £419 Gas 
to
£607 Elec & £450 Gas

For a Dual-Fuel customer this would result in a £91 increase based on the above consumption.

Comparison Websites are already showing the new rates which are above the Oct - Mar 2021 price cap, with a 14 day cooling period this would mean any new customers completing their switch from 1st April 2021 would be on the new rates.

bristolleedsfan

New Bulb Electricity KWH rate around 18p level, Gas Standing Charge hiked to around 25p+ a day

UnclaimedEnergy

Average Increase:
Elec Unit: 2.07p/kWh ....  Elec SC 0.01p/day
Gas Unit: 0.11p/kWh ....  Gas SC: 4.72p/day

I find it strange that they've done a 25% increase on the gas SC when the main cost changes since September are wholesale.

bristolleedsfan

UnclaimedEnergy said:

I find it strange that they've done a 25% increase on the gas SC when the main cost changes since September are wholesale.

Octopus hiked new/renewals 12 month fixed gas SC direct via its website from 17.85p to just over 26p in two stages since November, suprising Bulb have not  increased Electricity SC by more

pineapple

I'm with Bulb but Octopus now showing as cheaper.

bristolleedsfan

pineapple said:

I'm with Bulb but Octopus now showing as cheaper.

Octopus will be cheaper until it announces increases to its Flexible variable tariff which tends to mirror Bulbs variable rate tariff.

Octopus 12 month fixed rates ( which direct from Octopus website as well as currently via Uswitch are a whisker away from current energy cap price) will also probably increase in not too distant future for new customers, they have been increasing in recent months, new energy cap level will see more price increases albeit Octopus will keep tariffs below the new cap level same as Bulb have so that they can say all tariffs are below energy cap level

Telegraph_Sam

I'm hoping that the Tracker tariff will not be affected by the price cap change. I suppose that they could always change the SC's whilst keeping the unit rates where they are.

bristolleedsfan

Telegraph_Sam said:

I'm hoping that the Tracker tariff will not be affected by the price cap change. I suppose that they could always change the SC's whilst keeping the unit rates where they are.

Tracker tariff formula has not changed since it was introduced about 4 years ago, they are able to change SC with I think it is 30 days notice if they wanted to and/or they could introduce version 2 for new customers with a new formula if they wanted to.