Comparison sites accuracy?

nick4brum

I have spent the best part of two days trying to find out if I can save money on my gas and electricity bills (PAYG). I know exactly my consumption for both gas and electricity for the last year and also how much spent on each. I also know the tariffs and standing charge applicable to me from my current supplier.
However, despite trying numerous switch and comparison sites, I have yet to find one that has all the details correct. Some have the wrong tariffs, most have the wrong standing charges and a few are just completely wrong. I have put in the KWh per year amount and the cost per year to see if it makes any difference but still the details held on all these sites, including MSE site are not accurate!
Can any one provide any advice on how to get an accurate comparison from any of these site, because I thought it was supposed to be a lot easier these days? I can only assume that iut was a total and absolute nightmare/impossibility before if this is now better?

molerat

I have found the comparison sites mainly very accurate. Annual kWh consumption is the only input to use. Are you certain you are using the exact correct tariff name, many suppliers use very similar names. The comp sites will include VAT on the unit and SC charges, many suppliers quote without. The only failure I have found is that Energyhelpline do not include the £5 E.On paperless discount but apart from that I have found no problems.

nick4brum

My current supplier is OVO who tel me they only have one tariff, yet the comparison/switch sites have upto 10 different tariffs shown. even when taking into account vat there are still bits wrong either with the KWh tariff or the standing charge.
Is there a comparison site anyone knows of where I can manually input the tariffs and standing charge?

editor1

I actually first used about 5 Comparison sites, none of which actually proved of great value, all giving saving with Ovo based on Simpler Energy charges, rather than Better Energy Charges - First Utility actually gave the closes real term savings possible, whilst Avro offer best prices currently on electricity, gas and standing charges, went with First utility because of a decent 'cutback' offer, without this would have signed with Avro and saved £120 per year based on actual usage and full charges analysis undertaken by me, but that CashBack of £100 was too tempting, as was a decent 15 month fix, so overall by changing from Ovo Better Energy to First Utility I'm a minimum £10 per month better off, or at least £160 over course of contract - not small change in my humble opinion, now paying £90 per month with FU, the same as paying with Ovo over the past year - Ovo offered £102 a month with Better Energy fix, so a no brainer to switch after 5 years with Ovo.

System

nick4brum wrote: »

Is there a comparison site anyone knows of where I can manually input the tariffs and standing charge?

It's called a spreadsheet. Following the recent CMA investigation, suppliers do not have to have their tariffs on comparison sites, and some tariffs are only available to new customers. I have never found an error with MSE CEC. The supplier's site might vary as often VAT isn't included in the quoted standing charges and unit prices.

FWiW, I think that cash back sites can leave you with high unit prices which if the Winter is cold will leave you with a much bigger annual cost.

JJ_Egan

Must admit when buying or pricing up i just bash google and the comparison sites .
Then find prices for S/C and Kwh .

Former_MSE_Laura_B

Hi nick4brum,

If you drop us an email to energyclub@moneysavingexpert.com, we'll be able to have a look into this for you.

However as you've mentioned that you're with OVO, it could be that you've not selected the correct version of your tariff. Tariffs change all the time, but with OVO Energy it releases different versions of its fixed tariffs throughout the year. On Cheap Energy Club, the dates in the tariff names refer to the date that you went on supply (so usually just over a year before you tariffs end date).

So if you were on OVO Energy's Better Energy fixed online tariff and you came on supply in July 2016, your tariff name would be: Better Energy (all online) 10.06.16-22.08.16.

Also, all figures quoted on Cheap Energy Club include VAT at 5% so that you're able to get a full cost comparison. If you think your rates on your bills are pre-VAT and you want to check you've selected the correct tariff on CEC, just multiply your rates by 1.05 to add on the 5%.

I hope this helps.

MSE Laura

Hallms

I am perplexed because I had done lots of research and was following a recommendation for a long fix in Cheap Energy Club (for First Utility Jun 2018 v4) and followed the link to FU. The tariff was not available and when I compared other tariffs they were much higher! Can you investigate? It looks as though the comparisons were completely wrong and makes me wonder why it is worth bothering with them and how accurate any others are. I also feel robbed as the deals now are so much poorer.

Or is there anything I have done wrong?

Regards,

Mike

System

Hallms wrote: »

I am perplexed because I had done lots of research and was following a recommendation for a long fix in Cheap Energy Club (for First Utility Jun 2018 v4) and followed the link to FU. The tariff was not available and when I compared other tariffs they were much higher! Can you investigate? It looks as though the comparisons were completely wrong and makes me wonder why it is worth bothering with them and how accurate any others are. I also feel robbed as the deals now are so much poorer.

Or is there anything I have done wrong?

Regards,

Mike

So am I. I have just clicked the MSE CEC link and got a quote from FU and it is showing the tariff that you are looking for. It's very expensive for dual fuel though: £852 compared to £636 for my consumption/postcode.

poppellerant

I find uSwitch to be the most confusing site. If you tell it you are are close to your switch date, it works out the prices from standard tariffs, rather than what you're actually paying right now. To avoid this, I told it I was switching next year to ensure I got accurate results.

MSE_Dan_L

Hengus wrote: »

So am I. I have just clicked the MSE CEC link and got a quote from FU and it is showing the tariff that you are looking for. It's very expensive for dual fuel though: £852 compared to £636 for my consumption/postcode.

Confusingly First Utility currently has several tariffs all with slightly different names.

The June 2018 v4 tariff was an exclusive First Utility tariff, where you could only switch on its own site. It looks like it has removed the tariff, but failed to let MoneySuperMarket who provides the rates for Cheap Energy Club that it has now been withdrawn. We've asked it to check this out with First Utility so that the site can be updated.