Best provider when usage unknown?

bmouthboyo

My wife and I are moving into our first home soon and I want to arrange a good rate for our energy providers.

We have lived abroad the past 4 years and so electricity usage is not really a good indicator of our needs given it was in Thailand with A/C on most of the time.

Prior to that we were in an old victorian house sharing with 2 other people and so again, although I have the usage it does not really give an indication what to put into the online best deal checkers. Most of these comparison sites assume an existing provider.

Anyone know how best to go about this? I would like to fix in a rate if possible.

Robin9

Usage at any previous home - in Thailand or UK - is irrelvant. What matters is the house size, age, heating type,how it is insulated and your lifestyle.

Use one on the comparison sites and just go for typical figures 5000- 7500 kwh for elec and 12000 kwh for gas. Once you've got the first year out of the way you will be better placed but for the first year if you're badly out it won't matter a lot.

Just get into the habit of reading meters and understanding bills.

System

When you move into your new home you will be on a Deemed Contract with the existing supplier - on its most expensive tariff. Contact that supplier with your details and meter readings and then you are free to initiate a switch. The actual transfer can take up to 5 weeks. You will pay the Deemed Supplier for all energy used up until the transfer date.

House_Martin

The average electric use in kwhs in the UK is 3300 kwh and for gas its 13200 kwhs f, typical electric usage is 5000 kwh to 7000 kwh with Eco 7 for all electric heating. If you are moving into a small flat or house I d go for a bit less than average.
Suppliers do keep records of historic usage of properties.
You do not need to switch supplier automatically.First check your suppliers cheapest tariffs and get onto that one. You may just be switching to one of the suppliers like Iresa Energy etc who do not employ enough staff and are hard to contact if needed.
There are cashback options if you use the Cheap Energy Club which may enable you to match the cheapjack suppliers and stay with a proper supplier from the big 6 who at least employs enough staff to run it efficiently. MSE have a "feedback " rating which is useful to weed out the rogue suppliers

bmouthboyo

Is this deemed contract avoidable?

I assume the agent is the best person to get these details from? Unfortunately the sale is on behalf of an elderly relative going into care, so may not know who her supplier is. Anyway to find this information out ourselves?