New Home Owners - Where do we start with Utility bills?

srisport

Hi All,

So last Friday we finally got the keys to our new (new to us) Home, As a FTB it is certainly very overwhelming trying to get everything set up while trying to move our personal belongings and furniture in.

So my question is, We need to set up our utility bills and we would very much appreciate any guidance and advice on what and where we should start. The previous owners were on EDF but I have been told by a family member that we don't have to stick with them if we don't want to.

Soooo... where do we start? obviously we have no idea how much energy we will use, so is it just a case of picking any energy provider to first establish our energy usage before shopping around for the best deal?

will using a comparison site be any good, or will this be pointless because we cant tell them what our energy usage is?

Help and Advice very much appreciated.

Kind Regards.

Robin9

Ring Edf today and give them the meter readings when you moved in and your details. Take a photo.

You are then free to switch - you will need an estimate of your consumption in kwh's (not £). What is your heating ? Number of bedrooms. The first year is a bit of a guess.

Read your meters at least every month and keep your own records.

Skools_Out

srisport wrote: »

Hi All,

So last Friday we finally got the keys to our new (new to us) Home, As a FTB it is certainly very overwhelming trying to get everything set up while trying to move our personal belongings and furniture in.

So my question is, We need to set up our utility bills and we would very much appreciate any guidance and advice on what and where we should start. The previous owners were on EDF but I have been told by a family member that we don't have to stick with them if we don't want to.

Soooo... where do we start? obviously we have no idea how much energy we will use, so is it just a case of picking any energy provider to first establish our energy usage before shopping around for the best deal?

will using a comparison site be any good, or will this be pointless because we cant tell them what our energy usage is?

Help and Advice very much appreciated.

Kind Regards.

Start by contacting the existing suppliers so that accounts are set up in your name.

Then you can think about switching as described here:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

macman

You were in a deemed contract with EDF (on standard tariff) from the day you completed: you can't start a switch until you have registered with them.
Don't forget water, council tax, etc: you need to register, since they are not aware of a change of occupant otherwise.

srisport

Robin9 wrote: »

Ring Edf today and give them the meter readings when you moved in and your details. Take a photo.

You are then free to switch - you will need an estimate of your consumption in kwh's (not £). What is your heating ? Number of bedrooms. The first year is a bit of a guess.

Read your meters at least every month and keep your own records.

Luckily I took pictures of the meter readings as we walked through the door for the first time. Do I have to set up an account with EDF before switching or can I just ring up new supplier and create account with them? and let them know that EDF are the current provider of gas and Elec to the house with previous owners.

The house is a 3 bedroom semi-detached with cavity wall insulation and currently has gas central heating throughout running on a boiler which is 12 years old.

There's only 2 of us living there at the minute and we both work full time during the day.

Any suggestions on average usage

Thanks again for Every ones help.

Regards

macman

No, you cannot switch until you have an account to switch from. Once reg'd with EDF, you can start a switch, which will take around 5 weeks.
Use any comp site with 3,500kWh elec and 13,500 kWh of gas as your starting point.

srisport

macman wrote: »

You were in a deemed contract with EDF (on standard tariff) from the day you completed: you can't start a switch until you have registered with them.
Don't forget water, council tax, etc: you need to register, since they are not aware of a change of occupant otherwise.

ok so the sooner we register and switch the better then seeing as we are currently on a standard variable rate tariff?

yeah we have spent all weekend moving in so now we are trying to get on top of making sure we are set up for all the utility/council bills ect.

macman wrote: »

No, you cannot switch until you have an account to switch from. Once reg'd with EDF, you can start a switch, which will take around 5 weeks.
Use any comp site with 3,500kWh elec and 13,500 kWh of gas as your starting point.

Ah I see, Using money saving experts 'Cheap Energy Club' it is currently coming up as saying Yorkshire Energy is the cheapest provider at £89/Month on a 12month fix Dual Fuel tariff, £0 early exit fee.

When I completed the form I said I didn't know our energy usage, should I re-start with the above figures to see if that changes anything?

Regards

Regards.

waamo

Most switching sites let you put in a few details such as your house size then make a "best guess" based on similar users.

Their guess is probably as good as any method in determining your usage at this stage. Once you are up and running you will get a better idea.

It may be worth looking at a supplier who has low or no exit fees at this early stage, although in saying that it will probably take at least 12 months to get a true figure of your usage.

Skools_Out

srisport wrote: »

ok so the sooner we register and switch the better then seeing as we are currently on a standard variable rate tariff?

yeah we have spent all weekend moving in so now we are trying to get on top of making sure we are set up for all the utility/council bills ect.



Ah I see, Using money saving experts 'Cheap Energy Club' it is currently coming up as saying Yorkshire Energy is the cheapest provider at £89/Month on a 12month fix Dual Fuel tariff, £0 early exit fee.

When I completed the form I said I didn't know our energy usage, should I re-start with the above figures to see if that changes anything?

Regards

Regards.

When you consulted the MSE CEC, what data did you input as your current supplier & tariff? :huh:
Because that was obviously wrong, so yes, start again.

Post#3 above simply summarizes what you should do. Yes it really does :cool:

Mister_G

Also look here

https://energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk/

as I found better prices than on CEC.

Skools_Out

Mister_G wrote: »

Also look here

https://energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk/

as I found better prices than on CEC.

I'm sure whatever you found on that site was alos available from one of the comparison sites in the link I provided ... and you may get some cashback too, unlike using the link you suggest.

Or if you use this link, you will definitely get the same results as the link you suggest (as your link is only a disabled hash of this site)
https://www.energylinx.co.uk/energy/cashback/

And it too offers possible cashback :money: