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Comparison prices not up-to-date
Comments
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Go to Avro site and put figures in there, then compare that to other suppliers on the comparison site!0
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I’m not sure how the energy companies disseminate their tariff info to the various comparison sites but there can often be a time lag of several days before they both fall into line. That applies equally when new tariffs are introduced, or old tariffs are withdrawn.
As ‘nic_c’ has stated, the only way to be sure is to access the energy suppliers own website.
The comparison sites should be seen as a guide, rather than a definitive pricing tool.
A very close relative of mine was recently guided to an attractive energy tariff via one of the comparison sites. She obtained a quote and signed-up for a ‘switch’;...job done!,...easy!
However, she didn’t double-check the figures/data as she very naively believed that the quote from the energy company would tally with the comparison site;...it didn’t.
The tariff she thought she was signing up for had been superseded by a new pricier tariff but the comparison sites hadn’t been updated. :doh:
She did cancel the switch very shortly afterwards though.
It was her very first foray into this energy switching lark and it left her ego a little bruised;...lesson learned though.
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We're looking at changing our energy supplier, but all the comparison sites we've looked at, including Marin's 'Cheap Deals' are using Avro's old prices and we're getting nowhere. Any suggestions?
An important point to note. I know that ML is seen a modern Pied Piper; however, MSE CEC is not an Ofgem-accredited price comparison website in its own right. It piggybacks onto Moneysupermaret.com. As others have suggested, use any PCW to work out the cheapest deal and then check with the supplier's own site where you can. I say where you can, as PCWS are now offering deals that are not available directly with the stated supplier. It is what Ofgem calls competition!!This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
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The_Big_Bamboo wrote: »I’m not sure how the energy companies disseminate their tariff info to the various comparison sites but there can often be a time lag of several days before they both fall into line. That applies equally when new tariffs are introduced, or old tariffs are withdrawn.
As ‘nic_c’ has stated, the only way to be sure is to access the energy suppliers own website.
The comparison sites should be seen as a guide, rather than a definitive pricing tool.
A very close relative of mine was recently guided to an attractive energy tariff via one of the comparison sites. She obtained a quote and signed-up for a ‘switch’;...job done!,...easy!
However, she didn’t double-check the figures/data as she very naively believed that the quote from the energy company would tally with the comparison site;...it didn’t.
The tariff she thought she was signing up for had been superseded by a new pricier tariff but the comparison sites hadn’t been updated. :doh:
She did cancel the switch very shortly afterwards though.
It was her very first foray into this energy switching lark and it left her ego a little bruised;...lesson learned though.
Unfortunately this is not true because suppliers offer cheaper exclusive tariffs that are only available though various comparison websites and these are definitely not available directly from the supplier. The suppliers will confirm this when pushed.
This is nothing to do with new tariffs or withdrawn tariffs and a quick check shows me at least 5 exclusive tariffs are available on the first comparison website.
Obviously everyone needs to check that the quoted figures work out as expected, before switching after finding a good deal.0 -
Unfortunately this is not true because suppliers offer cheaper exclusive tariffs that are only available though various comparison websites and these are definitely not available directly from the supplier. The suppliers will confirm this when pushed.
This is nothing to do with new tariffs or withdrawn tariffs and a quick check shows me at least 5 exclusive tariffs are available on the first comparison website.
Obviously everyone needs to check that the quoted figures work out as expected, before switching after finding a good deal.
Notwithstanding the various exclusive offers that some of the energy companies and comparison sites may or may not offer from time to time the gist of my post was to double check that the tariff (not an ‘exclusive’ comparison site tariff!) you are interested in signing-up to is actually still available when you eventually access the energy companies own website.
Energy companies own website accessible tariffs are constantly being withdrawn/introduced and the tariff info on comparisons sites (when cross referenced to the energy companies’ own website) is not always 100% current and accurate;...now that is true.
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The_Big_Bamboo wrote: »Notwithstanding the various exclusive offers that some of the energy companies and comparison sites may or may not offer from time to time the gist of my post was to double check that the tariff (not an ‘exclusive’ comparison site tariff!) you are interested in signing-up to is actually still available when you eventually access the energy companies own website.
Energy companies own website accessible tariffs are constantly being withdrawn/introduced and the tariff info on comparisons sites (when cross referenced to the energy companies’ own website) is not always 100% current and accurate;...now that is true.
Are you sure that it is your "very close relative" who is the naive one!
Why would a savvy switcher get a quote from a comparison site and then sign up on the suppliers website, missing out on cheaper tariffs and cashback?
As a regular switcher, I have found that the tariff displayed on the screen at the time of switching has always been honoured.
What really matters is your total effective energy cost, including cashback.
Therefore I do not believe that the "gist of your post" is relevant for regular switchers who know what they are doing, only naive ones.0 -
Is there any need for such a belligerent post?Are you sure that it is your "very close relative" who is the naive one!
Why would a savvy switcher get a quote from a comparison site and then sign up on the suppliers website, missing out on cheaper tariffs and cashback?
As a regular switcher, I have found that the tariff displayed on the screen at the time of switching has always been honoured.
What really matters is your total effective energy cost, including cashback.
Therefore I do not believe that the "gist of your post" is relevant for regular switchers who know what they are doing, only naive ones.
...of course no ‘savvy switcher’ would ignore any advantageous deals or cashback that were only available through a particular comparison site. What leads you to believe I’d think otherwise?
We appear to be talking at cross purposes thorganby;...in my original post I made no mention of exclusive deals or cashback that any comparison site/energy company may, or may not, be offering that can’t be accessed via the energy companies own website.
Many energy firms do not offer exclusive deals that are only available through comparison websites and cashback is also not always available whichever comparison site you choose.
The point being that on some occasions, some energy company website directly accessible tariffs that appear on ALL comparison sites are, at some point, not always 100% accurate and current because of the inherent time delay it takes for the comparison sites’ tariff information to be updated.
That scenario was very common in recent months given the plethora of tariff changes that many of the energy companies introduced recently. Avro Energy and Yorkshire Energy, for example, introduced 4 or 5 new tariffs in almost as many weeks this summer.
It can take the comparison sites several days to catch up with the changes. Indeed Eversmart Energy made material changes to their website tariff/terms that wasn’t reflected on the comparison sites for weeks!
There was no more to my post than that;...and no, the ‘gist of my post’ wasn’t intended to be relevant to savvy regular switchers such as yourself.
However, many who visit this forum obviously aren’t as savvy as you, but most of them are, unlike yourself, usually quite courteous.0
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