Potential problem with MSE Energy Club

Crookesmoor

I have just received a notice from NPower about their rate increase. I have done some searching with a view to switching but a warning to people out there with the MSE - and all other switching sites - you will be comparing your current tariff with other suppliers' current tariffs. i.e. what you really want is a comparison with what your supplier will be charging when it implements its price rise.

This means that you're not getting a realistic comparison and, could switch to a supplier that in a month or so will be higher than your existing one (e.g. if yours is the first to raise its prices and other suppliers make smaller rises to their tariffs subsequently).

I am particularly concerned about switching sites, and especially the group switching ones, (though not so much MSE's site) as they say things like "you will save £XX pounds, SWITCH NOW!"

They may well be wrong.

My solution? Lobby the government and Ofgem to get suppliers to have a single price per kWh so, like when I buy petrol, I can look at the price and say "Mmmm 15.9p per kWh, I'll have some of that!".

PS there might need to be a second price for suppliers who wish to make a daily standing charge.

Cardew

When you buy petrol, the price isn't fixed either. The same garage could charge more or less the next day.

The prices on comparison sites, for any type of goods - phones, cars, hotels, gas, electricity etc etc are only valid for that point in time.

With gas and electricity many of the tariffs are fixed for 12 months.

However like many other things, the customer takes a gamble.

footyguy

Crookesmoor wrote: »

I have just received a notice from NPower about their rate increase. I have done some searching with a view to switching but a warning to people out there with the MSE - and all other switching sites - you will be comparing your current tariff with other suppliers' current tariffs. i.e. what you really want is a comparison with what your supplier will be charging when it implements its price rise.

This means that you're not getting a realistic comparison and, could switch to a supplier that in a month or so will be higher than your existing one (e.g. if yours is the first to raise its prices and other suppliers make smaller rises to their tariffs subsequently).

I am particularly concerned about switching sites, and especially the group switching ones, (though not so much MSE's site) as they say things like "you will save £XX pounds, SWITCH NOW!"

They may well be wrong.

My solution? Lobby the government and Ofgem to get suppliers to have a single price per kWh so, like when I buy petrol, I can look at the price and say "Mmmm 15.9p per kWh, I'll have some of that!".

PS there might need to be a second price for suppliers who wish to make a daily standing charge.

Welcome back to MSE after over 5 years away! :hello: :cool:

Why are you even considering purchasing a variable tariff from nPower??? :huh:
Variable - I think the clue is in the name.

Good luck!

kuepper

the other weakness is it doesn't flag up separate deals for gas and elec, it assumes you want both gas and elec to be on the same deal. separate fixes for gas and elec turned out best deal for me

System

kuepper wrote: »

the other weakness is it doesn't flag up separate deals for gas and elec, it assumes you want both gas and elec to be on the same deal. separate fixes for gas and elec turned out best deal for me

It defaults to dual fuel but..... You have to use the tab dual fuel/electric/gas just underneath your present tariff (filter results) details if you want separate comparisons for just gas and electricity.