How do I find the cheapest deal when switching from Prepayment to Credit meter?

BigBoss

I am looking to switch from my prepayment meter to a credit meter, but the cheap energy club won't show me deals.

How do I find out who would be best for me to switch to?

- I know my yearly usage of Gas and Electricity
- I am with EDF at present

[Deleted User]

The issue is that most suppliers will not change a meter from prepayment to credit to a new customer. Hence the CEC website won't help you.
Easiest way is to get EDF to change you to a credit meter (and suitable tariff) first. Then look around again.
To see what tariffs are available to you if you had credit meters today, just tell the switching site you are on British Gas standard tariffs. BUT DON'T attempt to switch.

BigBoss

So I looked into credit (smart) meters, and as expected, EDF have no available appointments for up to 6 weeks.

So instead of paying ridiculous amounts for gas/elec, would it be sensible to switch to another supplier on prepayment, ask THEM to install a smart meter, then eventually switch to another cheap credit supplier?

At the moment I'm paying £20 gas per WEEK on a one bedroom flat, it's a disgrace.

BigBoss

Also, do these energy figures look correct per annum:

Gas: 59686 per year

Elec: 2160 per year

The gas looks way too much, but this is what the EDF live chat advisor told me.

[Deleted User]

That gas figure is extremely large. My yearly gas total is 7000kWh for a 3 bed modern property in the south. The national averages (supply industry agreed) are

(1) Small House / Flat - gas usage of 8,000kWh and an electricity usage of 2,000kWh
(2) Medium House - gas usage of 12,500kWh and an electricity usage of 3,100kWh
(3) Large House - gas usage of 18,000kWh and an electricity usage of 4,600kWh

So your gas is way out of line.

As for should you go to another (cheaper) supplier and ask them to change the prepayment to a credit meter after the swap, well you have no guarantee that they will do so. And the time scale could be just as bad or worse. But you would be on a cheaper prepaid tariff in the worst case.

BigBoss

Thanks.

Found out the real gas measurement was 505kwh.

macman

Unfortunately that figure is unfeasibly low. A typical average would be 25 times higher. It would help if you told us what gas appliances you have in the property, and how it is heated and hot watered.
Your leccy usage is very low, so I'm guessing that you use gas for heating and DHW?
Is 505kWh perhaps a monthly average?

BigBoss

Okay, they sent me these new quotes through based on the following projections:

Your current details

Gas
Personal Projection Usage (kWh)
27932


Electricity
Personal Projection Usage (kWh)
2337

We use a lot of gas to heat because the walls are concrete and there's no insulation, so winter is ridiculously cold and summer is ridiculously warm.

Do these look like more realistic figures?