GB energy questions

Lottihr

I am still (!) a GB energy customer and I have a couple of questions as I am unable to get through to them by phone at the moment and wonder if someone here has any thoughts etc that might shed some light on these questions.

1. I know the co-op took them over but it seems on their website as if they are still running as their own entity. If I do a comparison for energy they come up as my best supplier?

2. Re them being my best supplier, I had a letter recently to say that my monthly direct debits (I am on the 12 month fixed Crystal tariff which ends in August) will be going up, but I thought that was the whole idea of a fixed tariff that they didn't go up? My bills have been pretty consistent over the last 12 months and we are in credit with them at the mo. Anyone else had this from them?

3. Re looking to possibly switch, if I put in my annual cost (as on my bills from GB energy) they come up as the best. If I put in my annual KWh usage there are a few that are cheaper (only by about £50 a year but it all helps etc!). Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help and sorry for 3 questions in one!

System

Lottihr wrote: »

I am still (!) a GB energy customer and I have a couple of questions as I am unable to get through to them by phone at the moment and wonder if someone here has any thoughts etc that might shed some light on these questions.

1. I know the co-op took them over but it seems on their website as if they are still running as their own entity. If I do a comparison for energy they come up as my best supplier?

2. Re them being my best supplier, I had a letter recently to say that my monthly direct debits (I am on the 12 month fixed Crystal tariff which ends in August) will be going up, but I thought that was the whole idea of a fixed tariff that they didn't go up? My bills have been pretty consistent over the last 12 months and we are in credit with them at the mo. Anyone else had this from them?

3. Re looking to possibly switch, if I put in my annual cost (as on my bills from GB energy) they come up as the best. If I put in my annual KWh usage there are a few that are cheaper (only by about £50 a year but it all helps etc!). Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help and sorry for 3 questions in one!

The only things that are fixed in a fixed tariff are the term, the unit price and the maximum standing charge. The standing charge can vary as discounts are normally applied to this charge. The reason that your DD is increasing is because the supplier now believes that, on the current DD payment, you will end up with a debit balance at the end of your contract term. Is your credit balance based on actual meter readings that you have provided?

You CANNOT do a comparison based on £s: you have to use your annual projected consumption for gas and electricity in kWhs/year. Look at 2 meter readings about a year apart (noting that you will have to convert gas volume to kWhs) and use these figures in a comparison site. Energy prices have risen considerably over the past 12 months - particularly, electricity.

Hoof_Hearted

You won't find anything cheaper than the 12 month fixed Crystal Tariff. Stick with it to August.

jimroy

I'm on their even cheaper previous to Crystal, Topaz Fixed 12 tariff which ends for me in a little over a month's time. I got an email and post too recently telling me of the increases of direct debit payments going forward on their variable Premium Energy Saver tariff.
Fortunately I've already started a switch to another company and will only be paying another £6 more a month for another year. Better than £14 more per month. And I'm only a very low user in an 'eco' home!

castle96

I had this increase letter as well. £40 to £73 ! My consumption does seem to have gone up since the CooP 'took over'. When I rang they said that "some of these letters have gone out by mistake" (?!). Agree to £45 new.
Looked at their new fixed rates. Have gone up dramatically. Mine ends 12/8 so wondering now/then, who to look at

Majestic1919

My Ruby tariff will end next month and it is time to start comparisons again.
Having been on the different winter and summer payments, the new price from GB Energy will be an increase of about £6 per month in the winter, BUT the same price for the summer charge (changing to become an all year round payment) will mean an increase of about £26 per month. Total increase of about £192 for the coming year.
I know prices have increased and to someone who has larger bills this wouldn't seem that much, but will try to find something better.

Jimroy - as another low user, would be interested to hear of the company you are switching to, please?

jimroy

Hello Majestic1919.

I'm switching to Green Network Energy.

I got their The Italian Touch V2 GNE Fix tariff before it changed to V3 this week.

The new V3 one is still the cheapest and top of the list on CEC for me; just £24 per year less savings than V2.

I haven't changed my details on there yet until my switch date.

The next cheapest is Eon's latest Saver Fixed 1 Year v9 Online saving £91/yr
+ £30 cashback and then the Collective Switch one with Green Star Energy saving £86/yr + £30 cashback

I'll be saving £126 over the year with Green Network Energy compared to staying with GB Energy going onto the variable Premium Energy Saver tariff over the next year at current prices.

I hope that answers your query.

Majestic1919

Many thanks for the info JimRoy!

Hoping to do some comparisons later today, so will see if they come up for me.

Ainsley1

I too have been on a DD of £40 p.c.m.
4 May received an email with letter attached telling me, as from June, it would increase to £78 p.c.m. virtually a 100% increase.

I doubted that it was a realistic figure based upon no significant change in my consumption and the Crystal tariff contract running to mid August. I had previously had my DD reduced to the £40 to remove a significant build up of credit to be almost eliminated by the contract end. the increase in DD would negate that action somewhat.

Trying to understand the reasoning I have reviewed my bills and consumption year on year (declined slightly dual Tarriff) and find several things worrying.
1. last bill shows the comparison with the same period last year to be in error with a current 36kWh per day consumption for gas checked (last year 45kWh) showing on the bill as 1kWh. AN Error in billing information?
2. Projected consumption cost forecast shows no significant increase in cost - none is to be expected in this particular section especially as it quotes "This is an estimate based on your expected annual energy usage, and your current tariff
rates, charges and discounts, including VAT." all those items have not changed so no need to increase during the contract period.
3. My annual consumption is actually within 100 kWh or so for both gas and electricity so no real change in consumption but therefore disagrees with other parts of the bill such as equivalent period comparison [That particular item, (1) above, showing as an error is thus confirmed ] and also it should not account for a "need" to change the DD amount.

Noted referring to a previous bill:
Interestingly the bill Feb to March (mid months) shows a similar error "Your average gas usage during this bill period was 29kWh/day, compared with 2kWh/day in the same period last year." so it appears that the bills have significant errors on them.
No error is apparent on the basic info for readings/estimates and month on month bill charge so there is a disconnect between actuality and comparisons. All a bit worrying.

Letter clarifies in part the basis for the change to the new DD level. Based upon:
a) Consumption [ no actual change in consumption],
b) Account balance [ I am still in credit and a new DD would only increase that so no reason for that to trigger a change], and
c) Your forecasted energy charges for the next 12 months

Speaking with GBEnergy my conclusion is that most of the change in amount comes from (C). They tell me it is done in accordance with the regulators instructed method so covers not the contract period but the next year and industry energy information. However nowhere does it write that information to it's customers on either bills or letters. I can understand that could be standard practice in a similar manner that switch quotations use a standard assumption on contract expiry of the (normally) higher standard Tariff for the remainder of the year (should the customer not make any switching arrangements) but it does not help the customer!

What I need (rather than what the energy supplier says it needs) is consistency in DD to the end of my contract (so that no money is owed by either party and I will review then as to new tariff and costs (I know it will increase). I do not wish to be in the position where I have a large account balance as was the case then GB Energy went into administration and maybe lost it all.

GBEnery readily agree to maintain current DD level at £40 p.c.m. so that outcome is fine. I cannot understand, when they have all the info of the actual situation to hand why they "need" to make any change whatsoever during the contractual period! Unless it is to improve their cash flow to my detriment!

However I am still concerned regarding the bill errors, the methodology used and figures/calculations to come up with the "need" for a change, and why the DD amount 'change' has been precipitated at present! I have asked them to raise a complaint and respond with details of their figures used and their calculations, which they have agreed to raise.

We will see what transpires.

sheff6107

Yes, it is to boost cash flow. It would be a lot easier if GB Energy allowed you to pay online but they don't even let you do this simplest of things. Otherwise you might consider cancelling the DD and paying what you owe each month online.

Majestic1919

JimRoy - Have just entered the annual figure and Green Network Energy are now on V4 - that'll teach me to act more quickly in future! Got the figures from GBE after not beng able to enter electricity reading.

Solarplicity Company (Lo CO2) is coming up as the cheapest for me with GNE in third place. Ebico 4th, Eon 5th and the Green Star Energy collective switch coming in 6th.

Solarplicity is coming up with a £123 saving on both the fixed and the variable tariffs with £70 dual fuel exit fee total on the fixed and £0 on the variable.
GBE told me that prices are rising again on the 1st June, so the variable doesn't really make sense unless I want to be forever switching. Comparing prices annually is a pain in the neck for me although I have read that some enjoy the chase and do it regularly!

Solarplicity and Ebico having no standing charge

GNE showing a £108 annual saving with a dual fuel exit fee of £50 and a dual fuel discount of £26.25

Decisions, decisions! Never heard of Solarplicity LoCO2 so going to do some research.on both them and GNE.

A couple of questions for you, if you don't mind?

Have you spoken to (or even can you speak to) GNE customer services? (I have always found GBE excellent at CS).

How is the switch progressing and what is their communication like (email or other)?

Cheers!