Energy: Find the cheapest supplier & earn cashback

in_spired2

Just switched from scottish power to the edf blue fixed thingie via energyhelpline. (Expected yearly saving £186 :money:: £1,202 estimated spend per year). Southern electric would have been a few pounds cheaper, but £50 cashback and no early exit fee decided it for me.

I've been paying far too much ("standard" tariffs) for too long, due to awkwardness of the meters after moving house last year, (went about supplier switch all wrong, in frustration and lack of time, and had to hassle a lot to get the previous tenant's electric prepayment meter replaced with a normal meter for free) then just laziness for the last 7 months. :embarasse

Kite2010

Is it just me or does the process of switching energy companies take longer than needed?

Consumerist

Kite2010 wrote: »

Is it just me or does the process of switching energy companies take longer than needed?

It's 4-6 weeks at the moment but Ofgem are trying to get it down to three weeks.

momist

Consumerist wrote: »

It's 4-6 weeks at the moment but Ofgem are trying to get it down to three weeks.

Can I take that as a minimum then? I'm currently on a fixed tariff with nPower which ends on 21st May. Can I start the switching process now, or will nPower claim I've left early and demand their penalty payment? The Cheap Energy Club suggests about now is the time to start looking, but how safe is it to actually initiate the switch before the end of the old contract?

Consumerist

momist wrote: »

Can I take that as a minimum then? I'm currently on a fixed tariff with nPower which ends on 21st May. Can I start the switching process now, or will nPower claim I've left early and demand their penalty payment?

For safety, I would assume it will only take 3 weeks so if it takes longer you will be past the end of contract date when the switch happens. This will, unfortunately, mean you may be on their default tariff for a couple of weeks before you switch - but that should be less expensive than the early-termination fee.

For the record, Ofgem also proposes a 42-day switching window on fixed-term tariffs when prices must be held and no early-termination fees will be allowed. :j Don't know how long before that may be introduced but may be by next winter (assuming this one ever ends).

momist

Consumerist wrote: »

by next winter (assuming this one ever ends).

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

GoT: Winter is COMING!

(For those not following Game of Thrones; winter can last five years or more on that planet).

doveman

I'm currently on Scottish Power Online Fixed June 2013 SC B.

Using 4764kWh Gas and 3020kWh Electric, it costs me £624.03/yr and I'm paying £56/month.

In comparison, the EDF Blue Feb 2015 would cost £276.40 and £475.93 respectively, for a total after the annual dual fuel discount of £8.40 of £743.93 or £62/month.

The Npower Price Fix September 2016 would cost me £332.87 and £537.76 respectively, for a total of £870.63 or £72/month.

Much as I want to have the security of being fixed until September 2016, there's no way I can find an extra £16/month, particularly when I'm facing having to fight for my ESA and DLA and might have no income at all soon. It will be a struggle to find an extra £6/month to fix until Feb 2015 with EDF but I think I can manage that, so that seems like the best option unless anyone has any other suggestions.

There's no cashback on Quidco for EDF currently but maybe I can get £30 from one of the comparison sites (I'm used to getting £60-100 from Quidco when switching but the cashback available is a lot lower at the moment, so I guess the companies aren't fighting for customers as much as they were).

doveman

I just realised I wouldn't switch to Npower anyway as I'm boycotting them for tax avoidance!

So can anyone suggest a better deal than the EDF Blue Feb 2015 fix.?Mind you I was boycotting them as well for having the government over a barrel and demanding ridiculous subsidies to give them the nuclear power stations they want but it looks like the Government might have stood up to them and those negotiations have broken done now, so I might consider them again.

jstallan

Goodbye Scottish Power, Hello EDF Blue. I hope I don't live to regret it, SP has been excellent for us over the past 5-6 years but they don't have anything competitive.

doveman

Yeah me too. Went through EnergyLinx as they seemed to have the highest cashback at £34.