Switching from British Gas

Nic_Yarwood

I'm currently a dual fuel user with BG, have recently finished a fixed term deal and am looking into switching to a cheaper tariff.
I have a BG Homecare contract, use the Hive application to control heating, and BG have installed smart meters for both gas and electric in the last 6 months. So at present I'm well and truly attached to British Gas
I'm not sure how this will affect my ability to switch supplier. Hope someone can help with the following:
Will I still be able to use my Hive application with another supplier?
What about the smart meters? Will another supplier be able to take them over and download useage readings, or will a new supplier need to re-fit standard meters?
Will I be able to retain my BG Homecare contract if I switch, or will I need to take out a separate contract with another supplier?
Hope someone can help!

[Deleted User]

2. Smart meters - they will revert to being dumb meters if your new supplier is not British Gas or Sainsburys. So you will have to read them yourself and submit to your new supplier(s).

[Deleted User]

Yes, switch to who you like , a meter is a meter whether its smart or dumb..Ovo and Utilita like to fit their version of a smart meter which nearly all other suppliers cannot support so I think i may avoid them. There may be a BG collective cropping up again very soon similar to the MSE March 2017 (cheapest UK electric ) which may be a better bet than switching around to various suppliers with lousy reputations. BG are the most popular supplier for a good reason, they are very well run unlike Npower, Scot Power etc

System

Nic_Yarwood wrote: »

I'm currently a dual fuel user with BG, have recently finished a fixed term deal and am looking into switching to a cheaper tariff.
I have a BG Homecare contract, use the Hive application to control heating, and BG have installed smart meters for both gas and electric in the last 6 months. So at present I'm well and truly attached to British Gas
I'm not sure how this will affect my ability to switch supplier. Hope someone can help with the following:
Will I still be able to use my Hive application with another supplier?
What about the smart meters? Will another supplier be able to take them over and download useage readings, or will a new supplier need to re-fit standard meters?
Will I be able to retain my BG Homecare contract if I switch, or will I need to take out a separate contract with another supplier?
Hope someone can help!

You are in exactly the situation that BG wants you to be in. Your Smart meters are most probably only SMETS1 compliant and they will have to be changed in the next few years.

Personally, I would look at a comparison site and go for the best deal. If feedback on this forum is to be believed then BG's latest collective switch hasn't been its finest hour. FWiW, I am with 2 suppliers and I have yet to find any collective switch that matches the deals that I am on. I have had no issues with the transfers and both suppliers provide me with monthly billing which is uncluttered and simple to read. the only thing that I have to do is e-mail them meter readings each month.

notbritishgas

Yes you can keep your BG homecare if you switch to another supplier.

glyn01

dont bother mate i just done that was told i would save £375 a year by changing to E.O.N so i did and my first months payment is MORE than i was paying to BG its a load of crap dont do it.

Bigphil1474

Nic, the homecare is for your equipment not the supply, but check the T&C's - I've never had the homecare (was with BG up until about 5 years ago), but your saving from switching may well pay for it anyway.
Glyn, doesn't matter what you were told you'd save - you'll save money if the cost of gas and electric at your new supplier is less than with the old supplier, if usage stays the same. If you are paying by direct debit, you may find that your payment is higher than it needs to be. You should have got an estimated cost for the year when you switched - divide that by 12 and that's what you should be paying assuming no other changes.
Projected savings can be misleading sometimes when the current cost is based on a contract which is going to end within 12 months, as it will include a period on the current suppliers standing charge which may be higher than any deal you're on (usually is). I switched tariff yesterday and it said I would save £180 a year, but I checked the unit prices and daily charges and worked out I would only save £60 a year. As it only took 2 clicks to switch tariff I did it, but it's worth spending time to do your own calculations before you switch.