Energy Comparison as a first time buyer

Annie17

I am nearing the end of purchasing my first house. I have been trying to get energy price comparisons but am finding the whole process quite frustrating. All the comparison sites I have tried seem to ask within the first few questions - who is your current provider, what is your usage, have you got the same provider for gas and electricity. As a first time buyer, I don't have/know the answers to these questions so can't get over the first hurdle. I have been pushed to complete sooner then I was expecting so am needing to get this sorted fast. Any suggestions?

berries

I think you have to contract the previous suppliers as a Deemed Contract?? Not completely sure on that bit. Then I think you can change once you say that you ate leaving etc.

anselld

You can't really do it before you move in.

To start with when you move in you have to accept the current supplier for the property. Phone them up on day 1 with opening meter readings and to open an account and get on whatever tariff you prefer.

Then after you have moved in you can do the comparison based on estimated average usage and switch if you want to.

galok

A couple of suggestions:

1. Is the property you are buying currently occupied, if yes you can try asking the seller or the estate agent for the details of current supplier and how much they have used in the last year

2. I think the first question on who is your current supplier probably doesn't make much difference , the big question is estimating how much you will use. Are you currently living in a similar property as a house share/family where you can take a look at the bills to get the figure? Otherwise Ofgem publishes something called "Typical Domestic Consumption Values (TDCVs)". Google it and you will be presented with a table, which you can take as a starting point for an estimate

davidmcn

The only reason the comparison sites are asking is so you can compare prices with your "current" supplier. If you're moving into a new place it doesn't matter, you're stuck with the last occupiers' suppliers until you give notice to them that you want to change. So nothing really for you to do until you move in.