Is the Cheap Energy Club accurate?

leitmotif

I've entered my exact usage into the Cheap Energy Club calculator and selected my current deal, and it says that based on my usage I'm currently paying £499/annum. In actual fact, I've paid closer to £680 (actual energy cost, i.e. not simply the total of the monthly direct debit payments), and I've checked through my bills for the past twelve months to see whether the charges are all correct and they definitely are. £499 seems extraordinarily cheap, and wildly inaccurate. Is there a problem with the Cheap Energy Club calculator?

System

leitmotif wrote: »

I've entered my exact usage into the Cheap Energy Club calculator and selected my current deal, and it says that based on my usage I'm currently paying £499/annum. In actual fact, I've paid closer to £680 (actual energy cost, i.e. not simply the total of the monthly direct debit payments), and I've checked through my bills for the past twelve months to see whether the charges are all correct and they definitely are. £499 seems extraordinarily cheap, and wildly inaccurate. Is there a problem with the Cheap Energy Club calculator?

Not in my experience. When you say 'exact usage', I assume that this is based on two statements a year apart using Actual or Customer Readings? It is also worth checking that you have set up the correct tariff version in your profile.

leitmotif

Hengus wrote: »

When you say 'exact usage', I assume that this is based on two statements a year apart using Actual or Customer Readings?

It's based on the actual units of gas and electricity used over the past 12 months using customer readings rather than estimated readings, though because I submit customer readings every 4-8 weeks, even the estimated readings have been really accurate.

Hengus wrote: »

It is also worth checking that you have set up the correct tariff version in your profile.

Yes, I've checked that. I did everything twice to make sure. The Cheap Energy Club calculator is the only variable that hasn't been called into question.

frankie

are you using gas units or have they been converted to kWh

leitmotif

frankie wrote: »

are you using gas units or have they been converted to kWh

Converted to kWh.

System

frankie wrote: »

are you using gas units or have they been converted to kWh

A good point: Occam’s Razor.

Former_MSE_Laura_B

Hi leitmotif,

To calculate the costs on your current tariff, Cheap Energy Club takes the usage which you!!!8217;ve entered in your account and works out (based on your tariff!!!8217;s rates) how much this would cost you over a year and on average per month.

It might be worth double checking a few things:

- Have you entered your gas and electricity usage figures the right way around?
- Have you selected the correct tariff (as a lot of them are very similarly named)?
- Do you have Economy 7 and have you entered the correct percentage?
- Have you entered your annual kWh usage figures, rather than units or meter readings?

If the figures still don't look right, drop us an email to energyclub@moneysavingexpert.com and we'll be able to take a look into this for you.

Hope this helps
MSE Laura

[Deleted User]

Do you get the £140 warm home discount by any chance?

leitmotif

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Do you get the £140 warm home discount by any chance?

Yes, but surely that's not factored in, because I don't remember it being one of the questions.