Switching isn't always what it seems!

elainebanton

I am a customer with Shell Energy - formally First Utility, and have been for 5 years. I kept switching tariffs with them as they were good on customer service and the price for dual fuel by direct debit monthly, was okay. My tariff ended at the end of February so I researched through Money Supermarket. I selected a deal with Shell Energy, the same company but this tariff was only available though a comparison site.Fixed until April 2021. It reduced my monthly payments from £95 per month to £76. I had an email from Money Supermarket confirming all of this. I then spent almost a whole day trying to firstly contact Shell energy by phone, then did on online chat with them, to confirm the changes. However, I checked my dd this month and it was still set at £95. I have just done an online chat with them to be told that the price was only estimated and as part of their t's and c's I am to be charged the same price to cover what I use in a year. Set at £95 pm. Apparently it makes no difference what price a price comparison site says, the energy company charges what rate they want to charge the energy to the customer. Is this just because I stayed with the same energy company and didn't change to a new one? Otherwise what is the point of using a comparison site when you still end up paying the same amount each month?? Shell Energy have now agreed to reduce my payments to £85.50 pm but I do wonder if they are charging a higher rate of energy price to me because I stayed with them, even though I effectively swapped through a comparison site. I feel well and truly done up like a kipper and am now fixed with them until April 2021! Any answer dear readers??

Talldave

Forget direct debits, it's the standing charge and unit rates that affect what you ultimately pay.  What were they before and what are they now?  You can use your annual consumption to work out what your annual bill would be on your new tariff.  Dividing that by 12 will give you an idea of what your direct debit should be for the coming 12 months - assuming your consumption remains the same.

RelievedSheff

As said above you need to check the standing charge and unit rates and see if they match up with the new tariff and ignore the monthly payment.

We recently switched from one British Gas tariff to another one available through MSE Energy Club which was cheaper. So in theory you should be able to switch tarrifs in a similar way with your supplier. Our switch was set up in a couple of days, we will get £25 cash back in a few months and we are now paying almost 1p per kWh less for our gas and 4p per day less for the standing charge. Electric is a little cheaper than before but not much.

Gerry1

The OP has made the classic mistake of thinking only in ££DD, not the annual cost based on the actual meter readings in kWh.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/#whatyoupay

JJ_Egan

We need to know what this higher rate is and your old rate .

need a really really big sign saying Estimated Usage  Estimated Direct Debit .

I wonder if the OP is getting in to debt rather than any credit if DD dropped .