Energy: Find the cheapest supplier & earn cashback

victor2

Consumerist wrote: »

I take your point but what proportion of UK energy customers read MSE?

Presumably, quite a fair percentage of those who have used CEC and subsequently feel misled. Sites like that get themselves well established by good news being spread, particularly on their "home turf."

carmina_piranha

The daily mail's collective switch has revealed the tariffs they can get now - it uses energyhelpline.

It doesn't seem any cheaper for me than the other comparison sites, and you get cashback from those.

The only difference I could see from looking at my cheapest options is that they have an April fix for Scottish Power that is around £20 per year cheaper than the current March fix BUT unlike the other Scottish Power fixes it has exit fees.

carmina_piranha

victor2 wrote: »

Presumably, quite a fair percentage of those who have used CEC and subsequently feel misled. Sites like that get themselves well established by good news being spread, particularly on their "home turf."

I switched through CEC at the end of my fixed tariff, and CEC told me I would save more than £200 per year but I didn't realise it was assuming I'd stay on the variable rate after my fix ended. Silly me, I thought it was saying it was £200 per year cheaper than my old fix.

Scottish Power sent me a welcome letter informing me that they were £2 per year cheaper than my old fix :rotfl:

Biggles

carmina_piranha wrote: »

I switched through CEC at the end of my fixed tariff, and CEC told me I would save more than £200 per year but I didn't realise it was assuming I'd stay on the variable rate after my fix ended. Silly me, I thought it was saying it was £200 per year cheaper than my old fix.

Yes, so did I till I fed the tariffs into a spreadsheet. Shame CEC have to provide such a misleading service when others, eg Energyhelpline, can do it much better.

footyguy

carmina_piranha wrote: »

I switched through CEC at the end of my fixed tariff, and CEC told me I would save more than £200 per year but I didn't realise it was assuming I'd stay on the variable rate after my fix ended. Silly me, I thought it was saying it was £200 per year cheaper than my old fix...

Silly? Well you used the term

The output you were given was the output that Ofgem insists all it's accredited comparison sites must use (although they may offer alternative output options as well)

I can actually understand the argument for various types of output, but not for the reasons you are arguing, sorry.

You thought you were being offered a £200 saving, despite such saving (in your own mind) never actually ever being achievable, since the fixed tariff you are currently on will end before a year?
The saving you were shown was the saving you would achieve vs doing nothing.
(In fact that makes some assumptions too. e.g. that you stick with the new deal you switch to for 1 year, that the variable rate today of your existing supplier doesn;t change for at least a year, etc ... but comparison sites are not able to predict what will actually happen in the future, so assumes a status quo situation by default (an assumption you need to understand and assess when making your decision)

boobbby

When a fixed contract with an energy company ends you will be offered another deal. The best way to use a comparison site including CEC is to look at the difference between your energy companies best deal (NOT your present contract) and other companies so you will get a true like for like comparison. If there is a massive difference then it might also be worth changing earlier.

Consumerist

boobbby wrote: »

When a fixed contract with an energy company ends you will be offered another deal. The best way to use a comparison site including CEC is to look at the difference between your energy companies best deal (NOT your present contract) and other companies so you will get a true like for like comparison. If there is a massive difference then it might also be worth changing earlier.

I agree. The problem is that this requires re-entering consumption figures using the offered tariff as the"current tariff" and some people just don't understand the logic of doing that.

victor2

Consumerist wrote: »

I agree. The problem is that this requires re-entering consumption figures using the offered tariff as the"current tariff" and some people just don't understand the logic of doing that.

No necessarily. You just enter your annual usage figures once and pick any supplier you like for the current tariff. Ignore the supposed "savings", but just compare the predicted annual costs on the suppliers suggested.
Not as clear as the comparison sites would have you believe, but it gives you a better picture of what costs are likely...

boobbby

victor2 wrote: »

No necessarily. You just enter your annual usage figures once and pick any supplier you like for the current tariff. Ignore the supposed "savings", but just compare the predicted annual costs on the suppliers suggested.
Not as clear as the comparison sites would have you believe, but it gives you a better picture of what costs are likely...

That is exactly what I was suggesting in my earlier message. One other point to keep in mind is that some companies allow an internal change of contract for free even if there is normally a £60 penalty. I was with OVO and they wanted £60 for an internal change whilst the Co-op does not charge. Worth checking as the energy company your with might bring out a cheaper tarrif.

MSE_Dan_L

Consumerist wrote: »

I agree. The problem is that this requires re-entering consumption figures using the offered tariff as the"current tariff" and some people just don't understand the logic of doing that.

Hi - just thought I'd flag up here that the results page on CEC actually does now do this for you, without the need to go back and forth in this way.

Hopefully this'll help our users understand how the calculations are worked out when looking at a tariff ending within the next 12 months.