Supplier not offering their best deal?

ukmoonlitknight

I've received notice for the end of my dual fuel deal and as a member of the energy club looked for alternatives. My current supplier SSE is listed at £500 less than the best deal they've offered me!
Is that even legal? It certainly seems immoral.
I've double checked by entering the supplier offered deal details into the energy club and also looked at the standing charge and KWH rates. I've also updated usage on the energy club.(Deal version numbers appear to be deliberately made confusing - v16 offered, against 1 year fixed v2 on the energy club).
If I enter that v2 deal on SSE website (there are dozens more than the 'best' they offered by email) it still looks like £500 more! (Confused)
I'm assuming that I can switch to the same supplier through the energy club and get the better deal. Is that correct?
Who said switching was simple? !

Neil_Jones

The £500 figure may be the "saving" if you let the current deal elapse and then stay on the standard tariff for the rest of the year.

You need to find out what your usage is and what you're currently paying, then compare them to the new rates to see the true savings.

ukmoonlitknight

The saving of £500 on the energy club is against the best rate SSE have offered me. Thoroughly checked as mentioned in opening post. That best rate offered by SSE is just £34 better than their standard rate if left to automatically end! Derisory offer and a con, if the club rate is right and can be taken up. Hope that clarifies things. Love to know if I can switch to same provider through energy club and why there is such a difference.

[Deleted User]

Energy suppliers can offer better/cheaper deals via comparison sites than their own web site/phone sales. These deals are only available from the price comparison sites, never direct from the supplier.

That is perfectly legal and is part of OFGEM's tactics to make people look at comparison sites and encourage switching suppliers.

The energy company has to tell about the cheapest tariff that they can swap you to (as part of their suppliers licence). So the comparison site specials cannot be mentioned as they are not directly available from the supplier.

[Deleted User]

ukmoonlitknight wrote: »

Love to know if I can switch to same provider through energy club.

If the CEC shows a tariff then normally there is no reason why you cannot swap to it. (the system is supposed to know the supplier's rules so only offer tariffs that are valid for you assuming you have told CEC the correct details of your current suppliers).
In the past, I've swapped via the CEC from E.On to E.ON without issue.

SnowTiger

ukmoonlitknight wrote: »

The saving of £500 on the energy club is against the best rate SSE have offered me. Thoroughly checked as mentioned in opening post. That best rate offered by SSE is just £34 better than their standard rate if left to automatically end! Derisory offer and a con, if the club rate is right and can be taken up. Hope that clarifies things. Love to know if I can switch to same provider through energy club and why there is such a difference.

I've just ran a check via MSE's Energy Club:

SSE Exclusive 1 Year Fixed v2

Gas unit rate: 3.854p per kWh
Gas standing charge: 26.513p per day
Electricity unit rate: 14.658p per kWh
Electricity standing charge: 23.258p per day
Tariff ends on: 12 months fixed term

Blurb says the tariff is "exclusive". Presumably to MSE Energy Club.

From SSE:

1 Year Fixed v16 tariff

Gas unit rate: 3.94p per kWh
Gas standing charge: 25.50p per day
Electricity unit rate: 18.11p per kWh
Electricity standing charge: 22.35p per day
Tariff ends on: One year from supply start date.

SSE standard rate tariff

Gas unit rate: 4.11p per kWh
Gas standing charge: 26.52p per day
Electricity unit rate: 18.86p per kWh
Electricity standing charge: 23.24p per day
Tariff ends on: No End Date

The difference in standing charge between MSE Energy Club's exclusive tariff and SSE's standing tariff is 4p per year. And £6 a year between MSE Energy Club's exclusive tariff and SSE's v16 tariff. Both in SSE's favour, but pretty insignificant.

Using the highest energy figures from this website, 18,000kWh for gas and 4,600kWh for electricity, I calculate the following annual costs of energy:

MSE EC     SSE v16     SSE Std
Gas:            £694        £709        £740
Electricity:    £674        £833        £866
Total:        £1,368      £1,542      £1,606

A difference of ~£240/year between the tariff suggested by MSE Energy Club and SSE's standard tariff.

A difference of ~£174/year between the tariff suggested by MSE Energy Club and SSE's v16 best offering.

If you're usage suggests an annual saving of £500 you're either a very high energy user or there's something wrong with the figures you're using.

ukmoonlitknight

Thanks everyone.
I'll try and get the deal from the energy club tomorrow.

I've used the correct figures using actual readings, making sure they are like for like on SSE site and on the club.
SSE have quoted over £2000 given my usage! Around £1,500 for the club.
Hadn't realised there are 'specials' on the comparison sites. I mistakenly thought that v2 was v2 not 'special' v2 and 'rubbish' v2!
Thanks very much for that info.

I live in a solid wall Victorian house, work from home and like it warm! ;-)
Also live "up north". Hence the high usage...
I'm going to check if I can get a second gen meter from SSE (in case I need to switch next year) and be more efficient!

Ofgems tactics might help those of us who are internet savvy, but I feel for those folks who don't have access or are frightened to use the 'net.
Again, thanks to everyone for your help. Really, really appreciated.