Leaving an Energy supplier & immediately rejoining them?

nobile

Is that possible?

I am with Shell Energy & my 1 year fixed tarriff ends in 1 month....they now want me to have a smart meter fitted. I dont want nor trust them.

Could I leave them and then rejoin them under a new online exclusive tarriff not requiring a smart meter or do I have to leave and go elsewhere? Thanks

Quentin

Is it a requirement of the tariff to have a smart meter?

If not then simply refuse

But if it is then are there any exit fee (s) to pay if you switch tariff?

Make sure you read the small print of your chosen replacement tariff so you don't end up with the same issue!

AndyCF

Can I switch suppliers again?

You can switch suppliers every 28 days if you want to, but be careful to check for cancellation charges. We recommend checking your status once or twice a year to make sure you're still getting the best plan. If you're on a fixed term plan, with a fixed tariff rate until a given date, it's also worth making a note of the end date so you can switch around a month before.

Source > https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/how-to-switch-gas-and-electricity/

Should point out I merely searched for 'how often / soon can you switch energy suppliers' to find that.

I'd suspect you'd probably have to "go elsewhere" for a month or so, then return. There might be some kind of early leaving penalty at the new supplier too (as kind of mentioned in the quoted text), but that's something you could look at before moving to them I guess.

If it was me in this situation and I *had* to leave and *had* to return, I'd probably move for 2-3 months, then return if that was possible, just allows a bit more 'breathing time' for things to settle down a bit.

I'd concur with Quentin though, do you really have to have a Smart meter ? They might say the meter you have now is too old in which case it may have to be replaced, but the replacement might not have to be a smart, or if it is then one without any comms***

*** The last part I'd not really trust anyone that much, unless I could see it did not have a sim fitted.

nobile

Thanks. I'll look at the small print over the weekend. They havent been to bad. Its the smart meter I don't want. Not until there is one standards adopted y all energy companies

Smodlet

You can leave without penalty during the last 49 days your fixed tariff has to run so you have 7 weeks to shop around; you do not have to wait until you have only a month left.

If you think you might want to go back to the supplier you are leaving, you could consider switching to any which does not have exit fees. The CEC has a list of filters down the left hand side and at the bottom there is one for "No exit fees".

If you decide to act on this suggestion, consider the best cash back deal you can get; the CEC offers only £25; some suppliers offer double that, others offer nothing. There is a referral board listing people's links for some suppliers.

HTH.

Biggus_Dickus

nobile wrote: »

Thanks. I'll look at the small print over the weekend. They havent been to bad. Its the smart meter I don't want. Not until there is one standards adopted y all energy companies

Shell Energy’s cheapest 12-month fixed tariff (£60 exit fees) doesn’t look very appealing if I input my usage figures (E=4224KWh G=15942Kwh).

It’s fully £200 per annum more expensive than my present tariff. :eek:

I’ve just moved back (yesterday in fact) to Avro ‘Simple&Superfix’ 12-month fixed tariff £0 exit fees;...that particular tariff carries no requirement to have smart meters installed.

Smodlet

Biggus_Dickus wrote: »

Shell Energy’s cheapest 12-month fixed tariff (£60 exit fees) doesn’t look very appealing if I input my usage figures (E=4224KWh G=15942Kwh).

It’s fully £200 per annum more expensive than my present tariff. :eek:

I’ve just moved back (yesterday in fact) to Avro ‘Simple&Superfix’ 12-month fixed tariff £0 exit fees;...that particular tariff carries no requirement to have smart meters installed.

Not really surprising, Biggus, since they have only just got around to registering with whatever Big Brother thingy sees all these smart meter readings. They did that only to placate Ofgem since they were not allowed to take on new customers until they did.

[Deleted User]

I am with Shell Energy and my fixed contract ends at the end of August. I am thinking of switching, as the new contract will be more expensive I have no smart meter, and don't wish to have one installed .You don't have to have one do you . I worry about them being installed and see no use for them at all I am quite a low user and my bills for last year amounted to only £458.00 for duel fuel.I read the meter every month and pay by direct debit at £45.00 per month which I am happy with (I actually have a refund due as I also have a warm home discount) I just worry about going to a firm where I may be mucked about

DawnCrush

JackieO wrote: »

..I have no smart meter, and don't wish to have one installed .You don't have to have one do you . ...

No you don't.

(just check carefully that the tariff you choose is not one of the limited few that makes it a condition that you do have one, in which case you will be chucked off it if you refuse to have one, as you would expect )

[Deleted User]

DawnCrush wrote: »

No you don't.

(just check carefully that the tariff you choose is not one of the limited few that makes it a condition that you do have one, in which case you will be chucked off it if you refuse to have one, as you would expect )

Thanks for the heads up, I really am not too keen on chaps messing around, who maybe have only had a few weeks training changing meters. Old fashioned perhaps but I am quite happy to read and post online my meter readings

JackieO

Biggus_Dickus

JackieO wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up, I really am not too keen on chaps messing around, who maybe have only had a few weeks training changing meters. Old fashioned perhaps but I am quite happy to read and post online my meter readings

JackieO

Your fears are groundless,... the Smart meter fitters are all highly trained and professionally qualified (allegedly!);
...what’s the worst that could happen?