Energy: Find the cheapest supplier & earn cashback

StephenT99

Who is checking the efficiency of price comparison sites to measure how well they provide customer service?

I have tried to cancel a switch that was done in error. I called the telephone number advertised on this site. When I got through to customer services and explained I wished to cancel a switch I set up in error I was advised it would be ok, all I needed to do was speak with another department. I was transferred to the other department and kept on hold for some time. After a while the original call taker informed me they were extremely busy. He asked for my mobile number and switch reference number to confirm my details and promised a call back within 24 hours.

No call back has been made. Is this a matter of 'let's ignore our customers in the hope they go away' syndrome creeping into the energyhelpline? Heaven forbid a highly recommended site, by the money saving expert, is becoming typical of so many other organisations and holds customers in contempt.

energyhelpline_company_representative

Hi StephenT99, really sorry to hear that nobody got back to you about this. Please believe me when I say that we're not starting to hold customers in contempt. In answer to your question about who measures our service, it's Consumer Focus. Please give me a call at our head office on 0207 960 4400 and I'll get this sorted out for you.

Radshire

I've just moved house and am looking to switch energy supplier. Have run the standard Medium and High usage options from USwitch and E.On come out the cheapest on both occasions.

1. I switched to E.On in my last house on 29 August 2010 and received £55 cashback through Quidco. Am I likely to run into problems getting the newly promoted £70 cashback if I switch to E.On within 13 months, even though it's a different address?

2. With E.On raising their energy prices in September (they sent me a letter before I moved and close my account with them) and me not knowing how much I'm going to be using, am I better off going with NPower (the next cheapest) or chosing a fixed rate tarriff for the next 12/18 months?

keynet

Niemand wrote: »

Npower have sent me a letter informing me that if I'm on SOL4-16 or WEB14-16 my tariff will change to Go Save. I'm On Sign Online 11 so that means I will go onto this new tariff.
---SNIP .

I too have had a similar letter. Interestingly the last column in their comparison "your prices" (annual bill change) is blank. There is some weedy get-out clause underneath for leaving this % out, but it doesn't stand examination. Did they think I wouldn't check? The reason is that their advertised price hike is nothing like 15.7% gas / 7.2% elec. It's 40% for gas, yes folks you read that right, FORTY PERCENT. Elec is a relative bargain 15%. The other side of the same letter says "the good news is that your electricity prices aren't changing", Er what, my maths says 600 -> 840 is +40% right?

Under close cross-examination (after a lot of fllim-flam) I got their customer service to admit that the advertised rise is for those on the mythical standard tariff (which moneysavers, none of us are on, now are we?). I'm on sign-online-19 dual fuel (the best when I switched a year ago) and the best on offer now is npower sign-online-23. FORTY PERCENT in a year for identical kWh usage from the same supplier, and that's the best around too. I need a pay rise....

More interestingly the comparison sites say I'll be saving £203 by switching to this new tariff, even though I entered the tariff I'm on now, and exact (same kwh). Their numbers don't add up, they must be comparing against a standard tariff.

As I explained to npower, I don't care what the tariff is called, or any other tariff or discount flim-flam, all I measure is the annual cash going out, simple as that. No wonder people here are disappointed when they switch!

Premier_2

keynet wrote: »

I too have had a similar letter. Interestingly the last column in their comparison "your prices" (annual bill change) is blank. There is some weedy get-out clause underneath for leaving this % out, but it doesn't stand examination. Did they think I wouldn't check? The reason is that their advertised price hike is nothing like 15.7% gas / 7.2% elec. It's 40% for gas, yes folks you read that right, FORTY PERCENT. Elec is a relative bargain 15%. The other side of the same letter says "the good news is that your electricity prices aren't changing", Er what, my maths says 600 -> 840 is +40% right?

Under close cross-examination (after a lot of fllim-flam) I got their customer service to admit that the advertised rise is for those on the mythical standard tariff (which moneysavers, none of us are on, now are we?). I'm on sign-online-19 dual fuel (the best when I switched a year ago) and the best on offer now is npower sign-online-23. FORTY PERCENT in a year for identical kWh usage from the same supplier, and that's the best around too. I need a pay rise....

More interestingly the comparison sites say I'll be saving £203 by switching to this new tariff, even though I entered the tariff I'm on now, and exact (same kwh). Their numbers don't add up, they must be comparing against a standard tariff.

As I explained to npower, I don't care what the tariff is called, or any other tariff or discount flim-flam, all I measure is the annual cash going out, simple as that. No wonder people here are disappointed when they switch!

The comparison site would/should be using the details of the what you entered.

As you seem to be having some issues, feel free to post your input data (current supplier & tariff, annual usage in kWh, day/night split if on E7, and supplier region/first part of postcode) and the comparison site used and I'm sure someone will take a look for you

It could, for example, be that the comparison site is using the prices going forward (since that is what it will cost you if you do nothing) and you are looking at lower historical prices.
Or perhaps you are on a deal that is due to come to an end within 12 months, hence some of the comparison sites (imo, it should really be all) take this into consideration too

Niemand

keynet wrote: »

I too have had a similar letter. Interestingly the last column in their comparison "your prices" (annual bill change) is blank.

Mine is populated. For the electricity prices it says the annual bill change is 8·1%, and for gas it's 16·5%. The calculation for the annual bill change is explained like this:

The percentage annual bill change shown in the table above is for an average customer in your area, on your tariff and payment method, using Ofgem's 'medium user' annual consumption figure of 16,500 kWh gas and 3,300 kWh standard electricity (2,250 kWh day and 2,750 kWh night Economy 7 electricity). Ofgem's figures aren't applicable for some non-standard tariffs, e.g. Super Tariff, so we don't show a percentage change for these tariffs.

keynet wrote: »

...all I measure is the annual cash going out, simple as that.

You also need to measure cash coming back in due to discounts. I get £100 discount each year, plus £10 because I have paperless billing.

On top of that you need to take into account any cashbacks received by going through cashback sites.

cuddlymam

hi, im new to this, so sorry if im in the wrong place, but i switched my gas and electric thro a comparison site and thro this site, i was meant to have £40 cash back, but ive heard nothing, ive had new cards and keys (im on pre paid meters) so all has gone through succesfully, can anyone shed some light on this for me plz many thanx

grumpycrab

What was the comparison site? And did they send a switch-confirmation email with details of the cashback? As the switch process takes ages you probably wont see cashback until after that.

SurfBowlSC

Just reading Martin's new piece about all the rate rises, specifically Scottish & Southern Electric. Martin mentions that all the subsidiaries of SSE (including Southern Electric) are putting their prices up as of today.

This is news to me!
We're with Southern Electric and have not been notified of any changes.
In fact, when SSE announced their rates we called Southern to check what was happening and were assured that their rates were not linked.

What's more, we were told that there were no anticipated rate rises to be announced until at least December...........

sidi5

Can someone please give me some advice on what is the best comparison site to use to compare utilities as having a bit of a difference between them.