12 month fix ending - time to switch

egyptiancotton

My 12-month dual fuel fix with EDF is coming to an end. Having checked the CEC, I have the following options (all fixed tariffa):

Dual fuel
OFTM - £48 - 12 months
Avro - £49 - 12 months
Green Network Energy - £51 - 12 months
Green Network Energy - £55 - 24 months

Single fuel - gas
Zog - £28 - 24 months

Single fuel - electric
OFTM - £20 - 12 months
Yorkshire Energy - £23 - 12 months
Bristol Energy - £26 - 24 months (apparently rubbish CS)
Green Network Energy - £26 - 24 months

In a bit of a quandary with this one. I could switch my gas to Zog and go with Yorkshire for electric but that's only a 12-month fix, or pay a bit more and go with Green Network for electric and a 24-month fix. Would appreciate some advice.

Neil_Jones

depends how you feel on where prices are going to go. If you feel the trend is upwards sharply, grab the longer fixes but if you feel things have peaked and there is a lull, the shorter fix gives you leeway.

Note that the payment figures are only your direct debit amounts, not an all-you-can-eat energy amount. If we have a freezing cold winter where it struggles to get above freezing for months on end, you'll use far more gas.

Gerry1

Think kWh and annual cost, otherwise you'll be back in a few months complaining that they've hiked the price of a fixed deal when it's simply that your DD hasn't kept up with what you've used. This is a very common misconception on this forum, see the DD explanation.

Make sure you've used actual meter readings a year apart for your calculations.

Don't even think of switching to OTM.

Talldave

I've found Zog and Yorkshire great to deal with, so from a CS perspective, a good choice.

EnergyRookie

lloydyyy wrote: »

My 12-month dual fuel fix with EDF is coming to an end. Having checked the CEC, I have the following options (all fixed tariffa):

Dual fuel
OFTM - £48 - 12 months
Avro - £49 - 12 months
Green Network Energy - £51 - 12 months
Green Network Energy - £55 - 24 months

Single fuel - gas
Zog - £28 - 24 months

Single fuel - electric
OFTM - £20 - 12 months
Yorkshire Energy - £23 - 12 months
Bristol Energy - £26 - 24 months (apparently rubbish CS)
Green Network Energy - £26 - 24 months

In a bit of a quandary with this one. I could switch my gas to Zog and go with Yorkshire for electric but that's only a 12-month fix, or pay a bit more and go with Green Network for electric and a 24-month fix. Would appreciate some advice.

Are you saying that Zog energy are cheaper for a 24m tariff than any 12m tariff they have? :huh:

Or have you already decided you wish the security of a 24m tariff?
In which case, based only on the figures/suppliers above, then your cheapest option would appear to be Zog for gas and GNE for electricity (as you appear to prefer them to Bristol Energy for other reasons)

EnergyRookie

Talldave wrote: »

I've found Zog and Yorkshire great to deal with, so from a CS perspective, a good choice.

Yes, there is no chance of being left hanging on the phone for hours waiting to speak to someone at Zog to resolve your query.
They don't even seem to offer the facility to telephone them, or they are hiding it very well :cool:
So they sound like a great company to go with if you want good customer service!

Gerry1

EnergyRookie wrote: »

They don't even seem to offer the facility to telephone them, or they are hiding it very well :cool:!

True, but the CEC lists the number for Zog Energy as 01473 597964.

egyptiancotton

Appreciate the replies. I'm aware that the DD amount can change but I didn't think of using the annual cost for comparison, although I entered my annual usage in kWh.

Avro works out as the cheapest for 12 months on a duel fuel tariff. Otherwise Zog and Bristol Energy work out as the cheapest for 24 months if I split my gas and electric between those suppliers. Zog's 24-month fix is about £2 more expensive per year than their 12-month fix, so it made sense to look at the 24-month fix instead.

For a 24-month fix, I've worked out its £49 more expensive over the fixed term (or £24.50 per year). But are prices likely to rise this much?

Current tariff - EDF - 12 months fixed
£626 a year
Gas unit rate 3.003p
Gas standing charge 16.17p
Electric unit rate 14.19p
Electric standing charge 13.86p

Dual fuel
Avro - 12 months - No exit fee
£621 a year
Gas unit rate 2.940p
Gas standing charge 16.800p
Electric unit rate 13.440p
Electric standing charge 16.800p

Green Network Energy - 12 months - £50 exit fee
- £635 a year
Gas unit rate 2.867p
Gas standing charge 18.900p
Electric unit rate 15.540p
Electric standing charge 15.950p

Green Network Energy - 24 months - £60 exit fee
£695 a year
Gas unit rate 3.077p
Gas standing charge 24.476p
Electric unit rate 15.603p
Electric standing charge 20.790p

Bristol Energy - 24 months - No exit fee
£708 a year
Gas unit rate 3.518p
Gas standing charge 15.929p
Electric unit rate 16.685p
Electric standing charge 18.827p

Single fuel - gas
Zog - 24 months - £30 exit fee
£365 a year
Unit rate 3.044p
Standing charge 15.750p

Green Network Energy - 24 months - £30 exit fee
£400 a year
Unit rate 3.077p
Standing charge 24.476p

Bristol Energy - 24 months - No exit fee
£401 a year
Unit rate 3.518p
Standing charge 15.929p

Single fuel - electric
Yorkshire Energy - 12 months - £30 exit fee
£282 a year
Unit rate 15.161p
Standing charge 14.834p

Bristol Energy - 24 months - No exit fee
£307 a year
Unit rate 16.685p
Standing charge 18.827p

Green Network Energy - 24 months - £30 exit fee
£310 a year
Unit rate 15.603p
Standing charge 20.790p

Talldave

EnergyRookie wrote: »

Yes, there is no chance of being left hanging on the phone for hours waiting to speak to someone at Zog to resolve your query.
They don't even seem to offer the facility to telephone them, or they are hiding it very well :cool:
So they sound like a great company to go with if you want good customer service!

They answer emails promptly so I don't see an issue. I'm in the process of joining them for the second time and the debate about what consumption figure to use has taken place by email with a very reasonable outcome.

Gerry1

Your usage seems a bit on the low side. Is it a small flat or suchlike? Have you used actual meter reads, not estimated ones? Have you factored in any exit fees?

Remember to check for all suppliers with Citizens Advice and Which?, and to check customer service ratings.

egyptiancotton

I've used actual meter readings a year apart - September 2018 and September 2019. My usage has always been low. I've updated my previous post with exit fees, unit costs and standing charges.