Best Deal for low usage and no DD

DavidP24

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molerat

Two tier tariffs are no longer available, all suppliers must have a daily standing charge. Just put his annual kWh usage into one of the comparison sites and see who comes out cheapest, separate fuels seem to come out cheaper at the moment. Non direct debit tariffs will probably be 30 - 50% dearer than paying by direct debit.

CashStrapped

If his usage really is that low then ebico do a tariff with no standing charge.

But, as molerat says, a comparison site works all that out for you and will give you the cheapest regardless.

As you will not have consumption figures. The UK typical figures for low users on gas and electric are around 8500kwh gas and 2500kwh electric.

Experiment with differing figures. So use 2000kwh electric and 7500kwh gas and see what comes up.

You may find at the low end of use you get the same supplier result.

I use energyhelpline.com usually. Ensure you select the payment method you desire and ensure you select all available tariffs.

CashStrapped

Yes, they have more or less been phased out. I think they were determined to be too confusing by offgem (I do not know if they were banned cannot remember). Hence we now have the majority of suppliers only offering standing charge tariffs. There are only a few companies offering tariffs with no standing charge. Ebico being one. The pay off is that you have a very high pence per KWH. So it is only suitable for super low users/empty properties.

molerat

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-releases/tougher-rules-fixed-term-energy-deals-come-force-ofgem%E2%80%99s-retail-market-reforms-begin-bite

Simpler tariffs - to be introduced by the end of December 2013

• ..............
• All tariffs will have a standing charge and a single unit rate. Suppliers can set the standing charge at zero if they wish and some are doing this. This means that complex two tier tariffs will no longer be allowed.

Taiko

molerat wrote: »

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-releases/tougher-rules-fixed-term-energy-deals-come-force-ofgem%E2%80%99s-retail-market-reforms-begin-bite

Ebico have no standing charge at all. Higher unit prices, but no DSC.

I guess you could say they do have it, it's just set at £0.00 though.

matelodave

I think you'll find that the standing charge is a contribution to the fixed cost of getting energy to your home from the generators - ie, cabling, pylons, substations, etc, etc. as well as maintaining it all.

You may not think it fair that you pay the same amount as a bloke in the highlands of Scotland when you live next door to a nuclear power station but the cost has to be apportioned so everyone pays towards it.

Just because you don't use much doesn't mean that the fixed costs of getting it to you are less. It cost just the same to transport 50kwh as it does for 5,000 or even 50,000.

As you can see, paying a daily charge usually works out cheaper than having a few pence added to every unit that you consume unless you are a very low user.

It's the same with water and sewerage and even telephones

S0litaire

1) NO they are NOT a trading name, like most utilities they sell (AT COST) their gas and electric to anyone who wishes to resell it, Just like BT phone and broadband access.

2) SSE (and most other companies) charge different basic cost rates in different parts of the country. "SSE - Scottish Hydro" will charge a slightly different rate than "SSE - Southern Electric" even though they are the same company. So you're actual bill will be dependent on which area you are in.

3) Personally my rates were only 33% higher than my last E-On equivalent tariff rate.


Well I've just joined Ebico and I've a projected saving of around £65 a year after moving from E-On. Worked out using my actual usage figures from last year. (E2100kWh, G3300kWh) and been round all the comparison sites as well as direct to companies and Ebico's the cheapest one every time.

1 Bed Ground floor flat in +100 year old building.

I'm on the pre-paid tariff And apart form them messing up my outstanding debt transfer it's been ok so far.

I always keep my prepayment receipts and tally them up every few months so I know exactly how much I've paid so far against energy used.

molerat

1. No, they are independent but use SSE as their supplier and for billing infrastructure.

2. The bill will show unit prices excluding VAT with VAT added to the total bill. VAT inclusive unit prices are shown in their energy quotes.

3. They are only viable for incredibly low users such as holiday homes, empty homes etc where the annual daily charge from other suppliers is likely to dwarf the actual unit charges. For some people they are viable but not for the majority.

As I said before, use one of the switching sites and enter an accurate annual kWh use and it will list the suppliers in annual cost order, nothing for you to work out.

Is there a particular reason why direct debit is not an option ?

System

Situation. Family member trying to sell parent's home after death. The property is empty with little energy usage. Rather than pay a daily standing charge, a switch is made to Ebico. No usage = no charge. Similarly, for a low energy user. Clearly, there is a usage point where it is better to have a standing charge and low unit/kWh rate. This is where comparison sites come into their own.

From Ofgem's website:

Ebico Limited was founded as a not-for-profit Limited by Guarantee (LbG) company in 1998 with the objective of tackling fuel poverty in Britain. The founders were concerned that unintended consequences of market liberalisation would include an increasing cost premium, with respect to other payment types, for customers using prepayment meters, such customers frequently being on low incomes and the least able to pay such premiums. Ebico approached Southern Electric plc and the companies agreed a marketing and supply arrangement. Under this agreement, the EquiGas/EquiPower tariff was designed to offer customer a flat unit rate with no standing charge and the same unit rates across all payment types. Ebico was responsible for promoting the tariffs whilst Southern Electric plc (latterly SSE Energy Supply Ltd and Southern Electric Gas Ltd) was responsible for being the licensed supplier for customers on the agreed tariff and carrying out the duties of supply licensee. In this way, the agreement between SSE and Ebico became the first ‘white label’ agreement in the British liberalised home energy market.

footyguy

DavidP24 wrote: »

I went to Ebico site for a quote, several things bugged me

1. Supplier = Ebico (SSE Energy Supply Limited)

Are Ebico a trading name of SSE?

No, Ebico Ltd is a registered company in England & Wales No: 3507095

SSE is the current supply partner to Ebico, and in fact it is SSE's supply licence that is used. This also means that SSE provide customer service support (e.g. billing) to Ebico customers.

DavidP24 wrote: »

2. "The unit rate displayed may be different to the way these charges are displayed on your bill or statement of account."

What on earth does this mean, how are you supposed to work out your bill if they use different unit rates?

Nothing to worry about here, you'll find a similar term on most suppliers websites. The unit rate is not different, only the way it is dsplayed is different.

The explanation is that the website shows the price including VAT

The bill will show the unit prices excluding VAT, a sub-total, and then VAT shown seperately, giving a grand total.

DavidP24 wrote: »

3. The unit rates for EBICO are 203% and 143% higher!

So yes there is no standing charge but they have just hidden it in the rate WHAT A RIP OFF

I'm not sure that is a rip off; the prices are clearly shown and arguably the most simple method to work out the cost?
Some argue that standing charges are themselves a rip -off, as where charged, they cannot be avoided.

All suppliers have the option to charge whatever standing chareges they want (including as Ebico do £0.00). But the overall cost is what it is.

If your nephew really was a low user, then I'm sure you will understand it is better to pay twice or 3 times the unit charge and save possibly £50-£100 per year in standing charges.

With Ebico, you pay for what you use. You use nothing, you pay nothing. You use a lot, and you will pay a lot ... and Ebico don't hide that fact; they want to promote lower usage (as opposed to the big boys who want people to use more as higher consumption means higher profit)

As already advised in post#2 by molerat, consult a comparison site to find the best deal for your nephews circumstances.

What I would also add is to manually look also at seperate suppliers (which you can easily compare with at least some of the comparison sites, including the MSE CEC), as that usually offers even greater savings currently.