Best energy deal for 1st applicant

mikeszt755

I’ve been housesharing for years but am just about to take on property on my own for the first time. All the the advice/price comparisons are for switching. I can’t find anything comparison wise for a brand new customer. What am I missing.

Robin9

The advice for you is to estimate the consumption - typical figures for a gas heated semi are 3000 kwh for electric and 10000 kwh for gas.

The advantage for the switcher is that they don't have to guess as they will have 12 months history behind them.

Best of luck with your purchase/rental - don't forget to read those meters and understand your bills.

Gerry1

It's most important to register with the existing supplier and to give them the opening meter reading, otherwise you will be on a deemed tariff which will be extremely expensive.  Include the Citizens Advice and Switch with Which? websites to see the whole market (sadly, CEC doesn't achieve this) and try separate suppliers as well.  Don't get a place that's all electric, electricity per kWh is 4 - 5 times as expensive as gas !

Talldave

Photograph the readings on the meters (including water, if you can find it) on the day you get the keys.  Do not allow any estate agent or letting agent to sort out any aspect of the sign-up process to energy suppliers on your behalf.  If you assume they are all incompetent and incapable of reading a meeting you'll be fine.

Gas meters only have one reading - it will be in m3 or on much older meters in ft3.

Electricity meters may have one or two numbers that you need to note down.  If a property has an economy 7 meter it is effectively two meters in one, counting day use and night use separately.  If you're confused by "needles" on a really old meter, take a photo and seek advice on here.  If it's digital and has lots of numbers, photograph them all.  Using Google to look up the type of meter you have and you'll probably find a guide to reading it.

Water meters only have one reading.

When reading meters, be aware of the decimal point.

As said above, for gas & electricity you must sign up with the incumbent suppliers, but don't get persuaded to lock into fixed price tariffs with exit penalties if you're planning on changing to other suppliers. There may be one supplier providing both fuels or two different suppliers - it just depends what the last occupier had set up.

For water, there is only one company supplying water to each property.  They may also bill for waste water or there may be a second company for waste water.

When your first bill arrives, check that it refers to the meter serial numbers of the meters you have and that it shows your opening readings correctly.  For gas, make sure it's being listed correctly as either metric or imperial.  As a very rough guide, to convert m3 to kWh you multiply by 11, to convery ft3 to kWh you multiply by 31.

Read meters monthly and record the readings. Always keep copies of bills.

Don't forget to contact the Council to register for Council Tax and get on the electoral roll.

Don't forget insurance - contents only if you're renting, buildings and contents if  you're buying.

Gerry1

You won't need a TV licence if you never watch or record live TV and you never use the BBC iPlayer.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence/

There is no need to respond to TV Licensing or to make a declaration about not needing a licence, so you can bin their threatening letters or post them back marked Return To Sender.

If the letters become tiresome you can stop all the hassle by sending a letter withdrawing their Implied Right of Access, also stating that you are familiar with the licensing regulations so any further threatening letters will be dealt with under the Malicious Communications Act 1988.