MSE Energy Club Calculating Wrong!

FreakShow!

For the last couple of days I've been checking my energy tariffs to see if I can switch to something better. A friend was doing the same and told me how he was switching to Octopus through Monzo. I thought I'd take a look and see the details too, but was disappointed when the energy club said they would be much more expensive.

But when we started looking at the tariff details, it didn't make sense as to why it was showing. I skipped the ones with poor reviews (or no reviews) and compared Octopus to Ovo.

Everywhere I could see though, Octopus was cheaper, but Ovo was still being shown as costing me less. For comparison:

Octopus Gas KwH: 3.255
Octopus Standing Charge: 16.8
Ovo Gas KwH: 3.224
Ovo Standing Charge: 20.549

Octopus Electric kwH: 14.889
Octopus Standing Charge: 20.150
Ovo Electric kwH: 15.32
Ovo Standing Charge: 20.549

In both cases, the cashback was £25. I have bolded the cheaper deal. The only time Ovo is cheaper is on gas usage, but considering that is in the fractions of a penny, but the standing charge is 3.5p more, I'd have to use a lot of gas, to make that difference up.

I have attached images of each of the tariff details here:
https://imgur.com/a/FtEgd8b

I don't understand where the calculator is pulling some of the numbers from. I calculate Ovo will cost me £355 in gas, and £259 in Electricity. Octopus, £345 in gas and £252 in electricity.

What gives with the wonky calculator?

daveyjp

You need to check the fixed term. Is it fixed for 12 months from when you switch, or 12 months from the start of the offer.

SnowTiger

FreakShow! wrote: »

For the last couple of days I've been checking my energy tariffs to see if I can switch to something better. A friend was doing the same and told me how he was switching to Octopus through Monzo. I thought I'd take a look and see the details too, but was disappointed when the energy club said they would be much more expensive.

But when we started looking at the tariff details, it didn't make sense as to why it was showing. I skipped the ones with poor reviews (or no reviews) and compared Octopus to Ovo.

Everywhere I could see though, Octopus was cheaper, but Ovo was still being shown as costing me less. For comparison:

Octopus Gas KwH: 3.255
Octopus Standing Charge: 16.8
Ovo Gas KwH: 3.224
Ovo Standing Charge: 20.549

Octopus Electric kwH: 14.889
Octopus Standing Charge: 20.150
Ovo Electric kwH: 15.32
Ovo Standing Charge: 20.549

In both cases, the cashback was £25. I have bolded the cheaper deal. The only time Ovo is cheaper is on gas usage, but considering that is in the fractions of a penny, but the standing charge is 3.5p more, I'd have to use a lot of gas, to make that difference up.

I have attached images of each of the tariff details here:
https://imgur.com/a/FtEgd8b

I don't understand where the calculator is pulling some of the numbers from. I calculate Ovo will cost me £355 in gas, and £259 in Electricity. Octopus, £345 in gas and £252 in electricity.

What gives with the wonky calculator?

The quote doesn't mention the Octopus deal offers cashback, whereas the Ovo deal offers £60 cashback a year: £7.50 paid on each fuel every four months.

Your calculations also seem a bit off. I've typed the figures in to a spread sheet and get the same result as the MSE calculator.

FreakShow!

This image shows the £25 cashback for Octopus, but that's from MSE, which Ovo has as well.

But you are right, I missed the £7.50 for Ovo if I give meter readings and pay by DD etc. every few months.

I did get my calculations right, just transposing them to here I've typo'd and written 345 instead of 354, apologies.

OK, all explained then.